Essential Works Towards Reopening

Although we are not allowed visitors, work on essential maintenance has been going on at the various sites, as well as the security patrols.

At Oswestry the team have been getting to grips with the Gardener engine, the work has involved stripping, cleaning and overhauling the fuel and air system.

Here are the set of injectors, two were found to require rectification, one of which required a new nozzle.

The top end of the engine was also examined and the valves were adjusted as necessary. These Gardener engines were designed for long working lives and there is still plenty of life left.

One item which proved troublesome on testing was the non return valve in the air system. This was taken off, stripped down and the valve rebuilt. After overhaul and repainting it is seen here back on the engine.

Down at Llynclys the work has involved gathering up materials to create space, visually improve the site and allow access for lineside maintenance. Here we see the area alongside the running line with the pleasant views over the adjoining farmland.

Hopefully in the coming weeks we should return to normal and as soon as we are able to share news about reopening we will do so. 

Thanks to CHR Facebook for the pictures and keep watching that page and the CHR website for further announcements.

Once volunteer activity restarts the blog will be updated more frequently with progress.

Thank you for your continued interest and support.

Until next time.

February Newsletter

Whilst we are waiting for work to restart you can keep up to date with the monthly newsletter. The February edition has just been published and you can sign up on the CHR Homepage.

CHR Homepage

And Then It Snowed

Thanks to CHR Facebook here are a couple of shots of both ends of the Oswestry to Weston section.

We start with a view of the yard at Oswestry looking south towards the fish dock.

The second picture is looking south from Weston station, it looks as though the railway has always been there. Just 12 months ago this was overgrown and trackless.

Enjoy the winter weather and stay safe.

Until next time

Work Slows

As could be expected work on the extension and Weston station will slow down due to the Covid-19 situation.  Once we can resume the blog will return with regular updates. 

I will look back through the archives to see how things have changed over the years.

..And A Happy New Year.

Well I don't think that was the 2020 that we were expecting 12 months ago. However CHR has continued as much as possible with the restoration of the railway and the elements that will allow us to hopefully reopen at some point in 2021.

To round out the year here are some progress pictures courtesy of CHR Facebook.

At Oswestry work continurs in the shed with maintenance to the Barclay steam locomotive. The internal inpection of the boiler is complete and all washout plugs have been checked and cleaned. The pressure gauge has been calibrated and all is now assembled on the loco awaiting the steam test.

The cosmetic restoration of Adam continues with the reversing lever, sandbox levers and injector water valve now complete. 

Oswestry works also looks after the railway's plant and equipment, carrying out repairs and servicing. Here one of the cylinders for the JCB has been rebuilt and is awaiting installation.

The final photo shows the air compressor from Alpha having a rebuild. The work involved honing the bores and regrinding the valves.  Now complete the compressor is back on the loco.

So that concludes 2020. A very big round of applause for all of the volunteers who have achieved so much under these conditions. 

Thank you to all who have contributed with their support throughout the year.

And finally thank you for reading this blog and raising the profile of CHR.

Until next year.

Merry Christmas

The last working party before Christmas resulted in two further panels of track being relaid. A break in the middle of the day allowed the team to have a Christmas fish and chip lunch.  Andy G was on hand with his camera to catch the goings on.

We start looking north from the approaches to Weston station. In the foreground are the already relaid sections. In the distance the team can be seen working on the next sections.

At the worksite the rails have been lifted to the side to allow the sleepers and chairs to be moved to the side. In some cases the chairs come out separate to the sleepers so you can get an idea of how much some of the sleepers have deteriorated. 

Where there are multiple consecutive sleepers to replace the excavator is called into action to dig out the ballast before fresh sleepers are placed in position. Here we see the team after lunch just about to kick off a game of hide and seek

The excavator has removed the sleepers and levelled the trackbed ready for the replacement sleepers to be positioned.

In the final picture the first rail has been positioned and the sleepers are tweaked to allow the second rail to be fitted. Once in place the keys are inserted and the fishplates reinserted.

Thank you to all who have helped and to Andy for the pictures.

That brings to the blog postings for this year. I will be away for a few days so updates may take a while to be posted.

With that I wish you all a Merry Christmas and thank you for your support during the year.

Until next time.

Tuesday Track Work

This week is back to normal working days after the full week. Andy G and R share the honours with pictures this week as some wooden sleeper panels were changed for concrete.

We start just north of the point on the Oswestry side of Weston. Once the rails have been moved aside the excavator makes short work of removing the remains of the old wooden sleepers. 

The excavator is standing on the pot of gold from the rainbow and is resting after moving the concrete sleepers into position and placing the rails in the chairs.

After reconnecting the rails the equipment is stood down and the team returns to base for a well deserved pot of tea.

Thank you to all who helped and to both Andys for the photos.

Until next time.