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Latest News: Archive
March 2004
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Latest News: Archive
March 2004
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Photo: Owen Stratford |
Enthusiasts from all over the country made their way to Dereham last weekend for the MNR's annual Diesel Gala. This year's visiting locos were 47 847 and 47 316, on loan from Freightliner. They were joined by 50 019, 31 235 and D8069.
The Class 101 DMU was in action over the weekend, running a simulated Fakenham - Wymondham service for photographers. This captured the rare sight of passenger stock in the Northern Section and served as a taster of greater things to come.
A Diesel Enthusiasts' Weekend is planned for September 11th/12th using the MNR's locos and DMUs in an intensive weekend operation.
By Paul Mobbs, Owen Stratford and Barney Stratford.
As the weather improves and the day light hours increase, a P-way man's thoughts turn to resleepering. To get the ball rolling, we went off to the section between Wymondham Abbey and our boundary with Network Rail to survey the track and identify those sleepers that need changing. For good measure, the ballast was dug out from around 17 such sleepers. Then we moved back up the line to Thuxton and surveyed the track to the south of the gates. It was then back to Dereham to load up the Flatrol wagon with replacement sleepers, which will be dropped off by works train at Thuxton and Wymondham next Saturday.
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With the scrub clearance in Toftwood Cutting complete, the primroses are thriving in the new-found sunlight. 21st March 2004. Photo: Barney Stratford |
The P-way team returned to the B1135 bridge at Whinburgh and burnt the foliage and vegetation which had been cut back from the bridge abutments previously.
With the flatrol wagon already loaded from the previous weekend it was an early start for the MNR works train as we set off to Wymondham to drop off the replacement sleepers south of Cavick crossing. Then it was all the way back to Dereham yard to reload the flatrol with another load of replacement sleepers. After a quick lunch it was back up the line to Thuxton, where the second load of sleepers were unloaded.
Once again, we were clearing the scrub near the Trout Farm.
With just four volunteers, we dug out a further 38 of the sleepers that are to be replaced south of Thuxton. There are about another 40 to do, and then we can begin replacing them.
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New sleepers wait to be installed in the track near Thuxton. 27th March 2004. Photo: Andrew Littlejohns |
We spent Saturday changing sleepers at Thuxton. With a good turnout of seven volunteers, we managed to change an amazing 44 sleepers. Although we have changed more than this in the past, we also had a larger gang; and so everyone was really pleased with the days efforts. There remain a further 34 to change to complete the work in this area.
The gang split into two parties for today's work. Trevor went with the gang working on the northern section to introduce them to digging out sleepers. 34 were dug around Swanton Road.
Owen and Barry went off to do a small patch of vegetation beyond Thuxton. This was primarily aimed at enhancing the view of the surrounding countryside. There were a couple of clear spots with some scrub in between. The patch of scrub was removed in time to catch the second train home.
By Derrick Plyer.
Examination of the window surrounds showed that we were missing only a few boards internally, and one short for the outside. The rest of the external ones will require trimming to match the profile of the replacement window sills but for a change this is an advantage. A start was made on primer painting some of the refurbished interior boards.
I should make a point that it isn't a case of just going out to B&Q for a few pieces of 4" x 0.5". Instead we will probably have to plane the timber down to matching thickness, then the front edge has to be milled or routed to shape to replicate the exact profile of the original before cutting to length and putting the mitres on the ends. All very time consuming.
Work today consisted of trying to match up the window frame surrounds to their original locations, or at least to the frames where they seem closest to fitting. Most will need trimming, and a template was made up to aid this process. This worked O.K. for the first two surrounds, but then we encountered a slight variation in the size of the window frames. With a wooden structure over a hundred years old plus the adventurous life it led, there is bound to be settling of the timbers which will cause minor differences in measurements.
By Rosemary Cooper.
The new season of model railway events has started. Following its first outing of the year at our own exhibition, Saturday saw us heading complete with stand, photos and publicity to the Norwich Sports Village in Hellesdon, the new venue for the Norwich Model Railway Exhibition. Arriving at 8.30am, which was a wonderful late start from home, we were soon unloaded and set up. Time before opening to look at exhibits, trade stands and chat with friends, and even had a bacon bap and coffee before the visitors arrived.