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Latest News: Archive
June 2006
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Latest News: Archive
June 2006
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By Roy Malyon.
Steve Tweed and Roy Malyon continued the weed-killing task at both Wymondham and Dereham. There are many areas that are sprayed by hand each year including Dereham Yard, fence-lines near houses (to stop complaints about our vegetation growing into adjoining properties), platforms and station areas, for visibility splays, near bridges, round warning signs, County School and North Elmham Yards and now for the first time the whole trackbed from North Elmham to County School. This task is very heavy work but greater progress is made each year.
In recent years many fields adjoining the railway have become permissive footpaths under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Where this has occurred priority is being given to upgrading the fencing and the downside fence between Wicklewood Bridge and the southern boundary of Kimberley Station House is a prime example.
Following clearance of the heavy vegetation last year, strimming took place along the fence-line and Thursday June 15th was the third visit to replace the wire. Each visit requires a team of at least three volunteers and in total, three-quarters of a mile of new wire has been installed. Apart from some old wire still needing to be removed, the project is complete.
Another day will be needed adjacent to Wicklewood Bridge installing top and bottom strands but the fence, at the top of the embankment, is more serviceable than that replaced further north.
The Fencing team completed the fence renewal between Wicklewood Bridge and Kimberley on the downside today. As is usual with any fencing project beside our line, the major task is clearance of vegetation along the fenceline, and again this has taken a great deal of time and effort. This fence, beside a newly opened permissive footpath alongside an adjacent field, was in a bad state of repair and the most has been restrung using a mile of new wire.
Steve Tweed and Roy Malyon have taken advantage of the fine and still weather to continue the massive task of spraying vegetation. Steve tackled County School and the trackbed towards North Elmham, where the half way stage was reached. Roy tackled Dereham Yard where over two days 100 litres of spray was used and the task is still not complete.
Whilst the trackbed from North Elmham to Wymondham is sprayed by a rail mounted vehicle, the amount of hand spraying that is necessary each year gives a very heavy and time-consuming task.
By Terry Mann and James Steward.
As some members have already noticed, refurbishment of the hoist gearbox is now complete, the jib top spindle and pulleys have been refitted and the hoist rope threaded into position over some new soft guides then secured to the hoist drum. The hook has also been refitted and it is very pleasing to see these first steps towards reassembly giving us an extra boost to go on.
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6th June 2006. Photo: Terry Mann |
This week we have cleaned and undercoated the wheel rims, completed reassembly of the jib gearbox, then with the help of some propane heat removed seized and sheared bolts from the machinery plinth. Following repair and refitting of the RHS counterbalance weight winding gear we had hoped it would be a simple task to wind the weight out to its fullest extent to give improved access and allow the machinery plinth to be de-rusted and prepared for painting. But it was not to be: one of the balance weight guides is rusted solid and despite some orthodox and not so orthodox attempts to free it, it looks as though the whole RHS balance weight guide and support rollers will have to be removed to free things off. This explains how the winding mechanism had become bent and damaged in the past.
The three of us have also now decided on where the exact line of join between the 'blood' and 'custard' colours will be and our choice for the this can be seen on the photo.
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19th June 2006. Photo: James Steward |
We would like to repeat our appeal for anyone with electrical experience who might be interested in working on the crane to get in touch with either Vic Ward or Terry Mann, as we would then be in a position to begin refurbishing the electrical circuitry and switchgear immediately, rather than having to wait for the mechanical bits to be finished.
Terry Waller, Dave Clay, Rod Eastman and James Steward have been putting in a great deal of effort during June's hot weather to patch-repair and paint buffet car 1218. This is now the first air-conditioned Mk2 to carry blue/grey livery for probably about 20 years.
By Owen Stratford, Trevor Brackpool and Matt Goodrum.
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Works train under Northall Green Bridge. Left to right: Barry Brackpool, Jerry Alderson and Trevor Brackpool. 3rd June 2006. Photo: Owen Stratford |
We had a terrific day today. The PW crew took a works train up north and unloaded the 101 new sleepers adjacent to their new homes. This took the first train under Northall Green bridge under MNR ownership and is a major milestone, in that when these sleepers are completed, we will be halfway to Hoe. Having broken new ground, we then set about the task of replacing the old rotten ones. After a very hot day, we managed to clock up a grand total of 75 sleepers changed.
The p-way team joined up with the Wymondham Area Group today to clear out the drains near bridge 1674. In this area, the water flows through open troughing that gets blocked with leaves and soil over time. We dug out all of this sludge and also cleared out the catch pits.
Arnold and Trevor went into the Northern Section to drill and screw down sleepers that had been changed but not fixed to the rails at the beginning of June.
It was AGM day today and so Owen spent the morning on administration and planning. This saw him take a walk up to Hoe to do an assessment of the next tranche of sleeper renewals. The quantity of new sleepers required for trains to be able to run was assessed per quarter mile and ones to be changed marked on the rail head. From Northall Green bridge there is a relatively good section with only isolated rotten sleepers. There is then another bad patch over the next half a mile at the end of the cutting with 170 sleepers to change in two distinct areas. In total there are 263 sleepers to change to get a train up to Hoe. Once completed, we will be able to operate, but there are around another 150 which are in better condition, but will require changing in the next few years before we restore passenger services.
By Gary Hall, Richard Cullen and Matt Goodrum.
This week Ray Jordan had the opportunity to stop by several times and mow the footpath beside the line from the station to bridge 1707. He has also taken the time to trim back some of the over grown and hanging branches along the path as well. This section is now a pleasant footpath to walk along. He has also taken the opportunity to collect some of the cut wood that was left in the track bed and dropped it off at the level crossing for the Station group to try to sell.
We started north of County School Station to clear an opening for the delivery of the signal box this summer. We spent 2 hours in this area and were able to open up what was left of the gates and a path to the road. Several more hours will need to be spent in this area before the delivery arrives. A few more members showed up and we proceeded down line. A few selected trees along the foot path have been removed, and the area tided up. We had planned to accomplish some strimming but one of the strimmers broke down.