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Latest News: Archive
January 2003
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Latest News: Archive
January 2003
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By Owen Stratford.
With heavy rain swelling the rivers and snow on the ground, we could not attend to the river under bridge 1687. Instead, we replaced four point timbers in the running line at Dereham. The next stage of the siding was commissioned and then immediately filled up with waggons by the operating department!
Another notable event took place today: a train crossed Neatherd Road for the first time in over ten years. This was to load-test the crossing prior to resurfacing. Once that is completed only a new pair of gates will be required.
Due to the weather, we had to alter our plans again, and carried out some useful jobs around Dereham. The fence-line in the yard had the overhanging trees and scrub cut back. This was then burnt. We also tidied up our stores into a more organised fashion by separating and sorting loco spares from PW spares.
We set off by works train to attend to the accommodation crossing adjacent to Kimberley up distant. The decking required replacement and was the only one on the line that we had not replaced. The new deck came from a recently-closed accommodation crossing at Garvestone and had been transported down to site at the end of last year. Once on site, the deck was soon removed and then all of the contaminated ballast was dug out and sieved. There was quite a bit to do, as the crossing was double width due to it being set diagonally across the track. Four sleepers needed to be changed. These have a tendency to rot around the holes where the deck is spiked into them. Then the cleaned ballast was replaced and a French drain (ballast filled trench) was installed. Finally the deck could be positioned and fettled before being spiked down. We finished this by Bardic (railway lamp) light! Fresh ballast placed on the outside of the crossing reconnected up the access ramps.
Instead of the planned vegetation clearance, an opportunity arose to do some small but important jobs in Dereham. The old rails from Norwich Road crossing were cut into 12ft lengths ready to be fabricated into lamp posts for Kimberley. Meanwhile the flatrol was being shunted adjacent to the 100 sleepers in the yard. After lunch and with the help of the loco lads we then loaded them on to the waggon and strapped them down. We would have taken ages to do it without them and were grateful for the extra muscle. These are now ready for delivery next week and save a long day next Saturday! Finally we worked on the 1:10 point into platform one at Dereham, on the curved road. We removed the track screws from one of the closure rails, plugged he holes and then redrilled to avert damage to the sleepers, as the holes were showing signs of elongation.
We took out the class 122 with the flatrol on Saturday to deliver sleepers to Danemoor. We delivered 114 to site and unloaded them into position. Once completed we finished off the shovelling of muck that was removed last week from Kimberley accommodation crossing. The afternoon was spent transporting the remaining timber from out of Whinburgh Cutting for collection.
It was raining buckets and so we finished off the tidying of the hanger at Dereham. We had a meeting to discuss the way forward to the north of Dereham also before having an early finish.
We took out 31 538 with all six Dogfish Ballast Hoppers to attend to shoulders along the line. It was an earlier start than usual, as the JCB was preparing heaps of ballast to be reclaimed on site at Watering Farm just outside Dereham. It was on site and working by 8:00. The rest of the party arrived with the works train shortly after 9:00 and then began the delicate operation of loading the hoppers. This involves the driver being given instruction by radio in order to line the vehicle up with the end of the backhoe on the JCB. A first load was then taken down and deposited between Westfield Lane and Rash's Green in Dereham. We left the troops to do a grand job of tidying it up with ballast forks whilst going back for a second load. This was taken and put on the shoulders near Yaxham and Thuxton where a lift and pack will be carried out in the future. We also topped up on the corner at Crownthorpe.
As commented by one of our guys on Saturday, the weather reports on this site don't seem to be too good this winter - so for this week's weather, see last Sunday! Instead of the planned vegetation clearance, we stayed at Dereham and got some useful jobs completed. Firstly another batch of newly-painted quadrant plates for the signal box were put in place. We then realigned the track over 120ft on the approach to Norwich Road on the down line. This had needed doing since the relaying in September, but as it was only a two hour job we had not got round to it, as we tend to spend full days out on site. By this time the sun had come out and it seemed like the hottest January day that anyone could remember. How the weather changes. Trevor and Roland went off after lunch to shovel more ballast and Barry and Owen stayed and completed a few more outstanding little jobs adjacent to Norwich road.
By Roy Malyon.
Roy and Ernie walked from Hoe Level Crossing to Swanton Road Level Crossing (on Dereham's northern edge) investigating the drainage system which runs northwards for over a mile through Northall Green Cutting towards Hoe. Many catch-pits were found and marked, a job that is impossible once summer vegetation grows. There is severe flooding over much of the track bed, mostly caused by pit covers, soil, ballast, and vegetation debris blocking the flow through the pipes so it is flowing on the surface. General maintenance has not been undertaken for over a decade but the signs are good.
It is with great pleasure that we can report the four-foot is clear between North Elmham and Hoe Level Crossings. Further material is cut and needs to be burnt. Progress has been very quick due to a series of intense working parties; during this week alone 22 volunteer days have been spent clearing the final stretch.