|
Latest News: Archive
January 2004
|
|
|
Latest News: Archive
January 2004
|
By Paul Mobbs, Owen Stratford and Barney Stratford.
We were back in Toftwood Cutting today. Having written to the local residents to advise them of our work plan, we set about burning the material that was piled up from the down formation cutting sides. Much was achieved with a good turnout and we also managed to tackle some of the trees on the opposite slope.
 |
 |
Now that the trees have been cleared away, it is easier to imagine how the line would look if it had double track again. The team were (from left to right) Roland Hummerston, Trevor Brackpool (above), Barry Brackpool (below), Matt Goodrum, Owen Stratford, Harry Long, Paul Mobbs and Barney Stratford. 4th January 2004. Photos: Owen Stratford |
|
With fire sites still hot from the day before and the wind still blowing away from the adjacent houses, we rekindled the fires and burned yet more scrub. Further trees were cut down and a grateful local resident brought us all cups of tea to thank us for removing the vegetation at the bottom of her garden that was blocking out the light. Whilst on site with a chainsaw, we removed a large oak which was getting rather close to the high voltage power lines that run parallel to the railway.
It was back to Toftwood cutting to clear and burn the scrub and vegetation cleared from a section of the upside cutting bank. As this is the side where the track was lifted in the mid-sixties, the vegetation growth is thicker as it was allowed to grow during the time the line carried freight under BR.
We went off down the line to do some jacking and packing. First the track near the footpath crossing at Thuxton received attention to improve the top and line. Then it was the turn of the track just south of Garvestone crossing before finishing off the day attending to the track near the Trout farm.
Today's task was, once again, vegetation clearance in Toftwood Cutting. We were removing the scrub and smaller branches in order to clear a space so that the larger trees can be felled. A large amount of rubbish was also cleared from the cutting side.
We took out a works train to carry out lifting and packing near Hardingham. Around bridge 1684 there was a large dip of around 50mm which was over only around 20m in length. This, combined with a change in gradient, caused a lurch as the trains travelled over, and so we corrected the fault. This involved shifting a large amount of ballast by hand from the adjacent area in order to top up the resulting hole.
We were working in Toftwood Cutting carrying out more clearance of the trees adjacent to Westfield Lane bridge. With a north-westerly wind, we were restricted to a fire adjacent to the bridge in order to avoid the smoke causing a nuisance to our neighbours.
There was no P-Way activity last Saturday as the heavens opened and it rained incessantly all day. The lift and pack job is now rescheduled for this Saturday.
By Derrick Plyer.
After a period of diverted effort over the Christmas holiday, work resumed on Saturday with the routing of the new ceiling boards from plain stock to match the original profiles. On Sunday the finished boards were cut to length and fitted.
Frames for the replacement sliding windows were being prepared for machining today.
Sealant was applied to gaps in the ceiling between the new and old boards in preparation for gloss painting.
By Graham Moates.
Despite the rain, Matthew and Graham made a start fixing the lighting in position at Kimberley Park Station before erecting a concrete post for the new wicket gate. The picket fence was also shortened and moved into its new position.