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Latest News: Archive
March 2003
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Latest News: Archive
March 2003
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By Owen Stratford.
We went out to Kimberley to recover rails in preparation for the re-railing of Yaxham Road. We had to change from the planned rails as it wasn't easy to get the rails on to the bolster and those lower down were to hard to raise up to the wagon. This took most of the day. We then picked up some old sleepers for disposal before heading back to Dereham and dropping off the rails.
We cleared another 40 metres of bank at Garvestone and had another good fire to burn up the scrub. Not bad considering that there were only three of us. We have now reached the point where the views are opening up as we cut. This is motivation enough to give the passengers a vista of the water meadows and lakes.
The PW team spent Saturday digging out sleepers at Hardingham. Referruling was also carried out in the areas where the sleepers will be changed.
Once more back at Garvestone for vegetation clearance, and the team made more good progress.
With a good turnout of helpers we set off to Hardingham to change sleepers. We were hampered by a late start due to railcar problems but still managed to change and backfill all of the sleepers in the Hardingham Station area. Many of those up Danemoor were changed during the week by students from the National Construction College. This leaves only 24 to complete on the Wymondham side of the bank.
Another good day's vegetation clearance allowed us to progress through some nasty blackthorn trees at Garvestone. We will need to have another good few days of clearance to reach our target before the birds start nesting.
With the diesel gala in full swing, we were in the yard clearing up and tidying things. Sleepers were sorted and spent materials removed for disposal with the aid of a JCB. We also took a replacement gate stop post up to Swanton Road for installation.
Back to Garvestone for more vegetation clearance. We started the day by checking the fishplates in Yaxham Road before catching the 9:00 train to site. A great deal was chopped and we needed two fires because of the distance covered!
We were out at Hardingham again today, working up Danemoor Bank. The remaining sleepers that were to be changed were dug out and then Hilti Hammers were used to pack the new sleepers that have been installed.
Mother's day sees most of the PW team out elsewhere each year and so we scheduled an important task that could be carried out with few people. Three of us loosened fishplate bolts from Northall Green to North Elmham. This relieved high stresses in the rails, and will prevent the track from buckling now that the shade has gone. It was remarkable how much the rails moved. In several places there are already buckles from after the line shut. It is fortunate that there are not more since it is nearly 15 years since the last maintenance was carried out!
By Roy Malyon.
We have made very good progress this week with only half a mile in the centre of Northall Green Cutting left to be cut. This section has already been strimmed in preparation for the overhanging trees to be felled.
Thanks to another two fantastic working parties this week, we continue to make excellent progress. The northern section is cut and the area left to burn is within view of Northall Green Bridge from either end. This week has also seen flails operating from Hoe Level Crossing northwards to North Elmham Level Crossing and from Swanton Road Level Crossing (11miles 71ch) north to 12miles 26ch. The area south of Hoe Level Crossing should be flailed within days. The centre part of the cutting was cleared completely by hand for ecological reasons.