Thursday Gang

The Thursday Gang continued with multiple jobs around the site.  Coach restoration continued in the shed and various other projects were progressed. 

The PWay team set off to the south to continue working on the track.  Here Steve is preparing to install fishplates to join the rails together.  Grease is applied to the rails to assist in movement due to thermal expansion. The grease is particularly dense and hard to shift from clothing. Steve is a master at keeping clean.

On the rail installation team it's a carefully-organised synchronised movement to insert the clip. Dave on the left levers the chair against the rail in the horizontal direction. Glyn in the middle is positioning a key ready to hammer in to place.  Tom on the right is levering up the sleeper to ensure that the chair is positioned correctly in the vertical direction,  Steve looks on and offers helpful advice and encouragement.

 With Steve back on the fishplates the rest of the team discuss the next panel.

 The last rail of the day has been clipped up and the JCB and tools return to base.

The total for the day was 2 1/2 panels.

Until next time

Tuesday's Progress

The team turned up expecting wet weather but overall it was a reasonable day, however later the weather turned.

Colin starts off the story with pictures of the three track panels assembled during the day.  Looking north we can see the line heading towards the bridge, if you look closely you can see the screener which is visible on photos from under the bridge.  The gap is closing!

Looking south the tool van seems so much further away than last time but we now have a cunning plan.

Here is the view from the 19 miles marker post which was the head of steel after the last session.

You know I mentioned that cunning plan?  Well here is the first wheeled vehicle to move on rails on the southern part of the new track.  The tool trolley was pushed in to service (truly terrible pun) to move the necessary equipment up to the work site.  Andy G took the following pictures of the trolley running along the line. Steve is pushing the trolley to keep up with Glyn in the JCB.

Once the tools were in place the team cleaned rails and chairs of any dirt prior to inserting the rails, Tom and John work on the rails whilst Steve cleans the chairs

Colin took a short video showing the progress so far.

Like all great films the final shot from Andy shows one of the stars riding off in to the setting sun! Here Steve returns the empty trolley back to base.

A bit later the weather turned very cold so it was a case of just in time for the Tuesday Gang.  Thanks to Andy and Colin for the pictures.

Until next time

PS

Glynn managed to gather together the Tuesday Team for a group photo. Steve, John, Andy, Glyn, Tom, and Colin take a bow.

Moving Under the Bridge

Just a quick post with a couple of pictures from Dave R.

Another first, this is the first movement by rail under the lowered bridge.  Two fresh rails were brought down from Oswestry to the railhead beyond the bridge.  Here we see the rails on the trolley, the clamps are for the welding of the two flat bottomed rails which will be completed soon by contractors.

In the second picture we have the first movement by rail beyond the bridge.  These rails, when installed on used concrete sleepers, will take us to the end of the ballasted section.  More ballast needs to be laid and rolled to arrive at the end of the excavated section.

Thanks to Dave for the pictures.

Until next time

Thursday Gang

It was a bit of a cold start to the day but the sun was out, overall a pleasant day, down Oswestry way

There were many projects going on around the station but we will concentrate on the gang of four who set off to the south to continue with the tracklaying.  Glyn, Steve, Tom and Andy G (armed with the camera) continued with inserting rail, keying up and fishplating.  Andy R joined in later to lend some more muscle.  Thanks to Andy G for the pictures.

Before the rails are moved in to position to insert into the chairs we carefully remove any mud or contamination to avoid problems.  This morning the cold weather had frozen the earth to the web and more mechanical means were needed to scrape out the stones, earth and ice.

In the next view Tom, and Glyn position the sleeper so that Andy R can knock in the key. Steve continues with tightening up the fishplate bolts on the installed rails.

Here is Steve, showing the benefits of healthy exercise working up a big appetite for lunch.  The lineside vegetation team have been active along here and the views across the countryside are now much clearer. Don't worry there are more chances to exercise as we have rather a lot of bolts to install and tighten.  We do have a powered nut runner, what is needed is a works train to bring down all the equipment, though there are a few missing track panels before we can join up the two sections.

Here Glyn is moving the next rail into position directed by Tom.  In the background Steve is finishing off a fishplate, ready to move up and connect the next rail.

The last panel has had the rail installed and Tom and Glyn look at the progress.  Steve and Andy R continue with the fishplates.  The observant amongst you will have noticed the milepost in the foreground, the 19 milepost.  That means that the gap is now less than a quarter of a mile and closing fast. 

At the end of the day the equipment is moved back to base and we look north along the line.  The removal of scrub and bushes now gives the line a much more open aspect.

Well done to all who turned up and to Andy G for the pictures.

Until next time

The Ayes Have It

Unlike events elsewhere there was a supreme vote of confidence in our project this week.

Thanks to Glynn S/CHR/Facebook here are some really exciting pictures.  First we take a look along the line from Gasworks Bridge towards Oswestry, the line has been tweaked and fettled with the fishplates installed.  The excavated portion is indicated by the fresh ballast.  In this length the line drops by around 18" (450mm).  The darker sleepers indicate where the main sewer runs under the railway and steel sleepers are installed.

 

Wednesday saw the contractors on site to install the baseplates and rails under the bridge,  Here they are setting out and preparing to install the first parts.

These guys work quickly and by the break most of the work was done.  Here you can see the arrangement of the baseplates fixed directly to the concrete pad.  The pot has been set in place for welding of the two rails together in the middle of the slab.  The reason for doing it this way is to reduce the overall height of rail plus fixing plus base, this maximises the clearance above the rail to allow a full C1 loading gauge.  Even so there will be a 10 mph speed limit through the bridge.

And there you are, 'the ayes have it' as in  'Aye that's a grand job!'  By the end of the day rails were in place under the bridge and for the first time in ten years a train is able to pass underneath.

It's been quite a journey and not without a few challenges to overcome, but at the end we are there.  We still need to clip up the rail and finalise the joints before trials can take place. 

Work can now begin on the infill section which needs to have the ballast bed laid and then filling with sleepers and rails.

The last picture shows what lies ahead for the next few months.  This is the view from just north of the station site at Weston and shows the clearance work that Kevin and the team have done, this section needs to be overhauled with the ballast screened and replacement sleepers installed.

A big thanks to all who have helped us to get this far and for those who donated to the appeal.  As you can see CHR is now going places and it's an ideal time to get on board as we prepare to arrive at Weston.

Until next time

Tuesday's Growth

Spurred on by rumours of free food and drink there was a 100% increase in turnout for the second Tuesday, news travelled that fast that even Chairman Rob and Andy came along to see what was going on (or just to eat doughnuts and drink tea).  A total of eight volunteers were onsite to carry on with the extension.  A further panel was assembled and chaired up as well as time connecting the previous assembled track panels with fishplates.

Andy G took the following pictures, thanks Andy.

Rob starts off showing everyone how to fit a fishplate whilst the rest offer helpful advice. Glynn, the two Steves, Keith and Jim about to burst in to spontaneous applause.

No prizes for guessing who was the first in line for a doughnut and a cup of tea....

Back to work and the keys are being installed, Glyn W on the hammer.

It's all eyes on the job as the second rail is keyed up.

Following on from the keying the fishplate team get to work, Steve is discovering how grease gets everywhere.

Here is the picture at the end of the session. To prolong just a little bit of the Christmas theme.  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas a railway.

What a great way to spend a Tuesday, a big thank you to Steve H, Glyn W, Andy R, Jim T, Glynn S, Rob W, John W, Steve C, Keith E and Andy G.  We might have to order more doughnuts next time!

Until next time.

Fettling And Finishing

Putting the rails in the sleepers is not the end, there is still much to do before trains can run.  We left last time with the rails in place and clipped.

We start with the team working on the joints, each one needs to be levelled, the correct fishplate selected, greased up and then tightened.

The human powered jacking and bolt tightening system needs a few more shredded wheat but plenty of encouragement was on offer.

Work continued throughout the day working on all the joints.

The joint between the old and the new rail now in place.

The joint over the sewer on the steel sleepers was installed.

Alongside the line additional touches have been installed.  Here is the 18 3/4 milepost (measured from Whitchurch) in it's correct place.

Time for a breather.

Phil gets to grips with the ancient skill of fishplate tickling.

Speed limit signs have been installed along the route, so be careful how fast you push that trolley.

Under the bridge there will be a 10MPH limit.

Afer that we go back to the line limit of 25MPH

Thanks to Guy N for the pictures.

Until next time