|
Latest News: Archive
February 2002
|
|
|
Latest News: Archive
February 2002
|
By Paul Mobbs.
Five members of the P-way gang managed to remove, inspect and grease fishplates for a mile in between Thuxton and Hardingham, which is good going.
Another full day making good progress south towards Wymondham. We managed to get just under a mile done, with the P-way gang reaching the 5 mile post just as the light was failing. The next push is to get to Kimberley gates, but we are now facing 45-foot-long rails all the way, so if you get along and help then we will soon get this core maintenance job out of the way and get back to putting in more infrastructure to support steam.
The temporary track to connect the Class 117 DMU to the new point was fitted up with fishplates and packed so that it is ready when we need to get the DMU out. We were also able to mark out an alignment for the new siding and assess how much ballast will need to be moved to install it.
Just odd jobs around Dereham yard today, as most volunteers were helping out with the successful Model Railway Day.
With a good turnout of volunteers, the P-way gang was able to change about 450 bullhead chair ferrules (6 per sleeper) near the B1135 bridge at Danemoor. The old wooden ones had started to disintegrate so it was necessary to replace them with new plastic ones.
The Class 117 DMU has now been moved off the track panels which have been its resting place for the last couple of years, so we were able to start work on extending the siding into the yard from the point work we have just installed. In order to get going, we had to manhandle out the temporary sleepers and rails which were installed so that the DMU could be moved out. We then prepared the first panel of track by bringing up a set of 60ft rails and putting in a full set of sleepers to form the first track panel. This was good going as the gang averaged just 7 people for most of the day.
It was back to Yaxham to have another go at finishing off the vegetation clearance, as well as assessing the sleepers between Watering Farm Bridge and Yaxham which will need replacement later on in the year.
By Richard Cullen.
The severe growth of broom north of the station, between the end of the platform and the P-Way hut, was cut down by Richard Cullen and prepared for burning. Some further clearance work was then undertaken south of the station, close to where the fencing has collapsed. Meanwhile David Holt and his partner were clearing scrub growth (and rubbish) from the orchard area.
Advantage was taken of an unexpectedly calm and dry day to burn cut broom and other scrub. Also burnt was a large amount of coniferous hedging which had been dumped in the meadow. The windows of the P-Way hut were wired shut, and a start was made on improving access to the door. Some work was also undertaken on the footpath between the station and the P-Way hut, making sure that it remains in a passable condition. A lot of work needs to be done on the vegetation north of the station as much of the path is impassable at the moment, causing walkers to use the formation (through gaps cut in the fence).
In addition to more clearing and burning north of the station, a gap in the fence has been repaired north of the station, and the Esso tank wagon has been moved closer to the platform. A basic sound system has been fitted in the Booking Hall, which occasionally plays the sound of passing steam trains. This is part of ongoing attempts to improve the displays at County School, moving towards a more modern multimedia approach to the museum.
As we had another fine and dry day, a couple of hours were spent painting the on the Gloucester 100 unit at County School. The control desk has been given a fresh coat of black paint and a start has been made on one of the battery boxes.
Another day of painting on the Gloucester coach, concentrating on the underframes and piping. Some small cracks in the bodywork will be dealt with once the weather has become a bit warmer, then a light touch-up of Rail Blue. The Esso tanker wagon was also looked at later in the day, and may get some attention over the coming weeks as it does not present a good image for the railway at the moment.
The weather was not quite so good at North Elmham today, so no further painting was attempted. David burnt the remaining material from the car park hedge trimming exercise. He also noticed that the local rabbits were attacking our apple trees, and has bagged the trunks to prevent further damage. Richard, meanwhile, turned his attention towards some more of the fishplates, which are being slackened off to prevent warping of the rails when it gets warmer.
A section of wooden fencing south of the level crossing collapsed during the high winds due to the poor condition of the fence posts. The remains of this fence were removed by Richard on his way home from work. The plan is to replace the section with "parliamentary" 6-strand wire fencing this weekend. Some of the brambles near the concrete P-Way hut were also cut back.