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Latest News: Archive
May 2009
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Latest News: Archive
May 2009
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By Matt Goodrum and Gary Hall.
After the excitement of running the works train and actually changing sleepers in the northern section last month it was time to return to the task of digging another batch out today. 7 Volunteers were able to attend meaning that we achieved the very respectable total of 37 dug out and ready for changing. Have you sponsored one yet? If not why not consider doing so to help us get this section open sooner.
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County School Signal Box. 30th May 2009. Photo: Ray Jordan |
The Northern Section team spent the day rodding drains in Northall Green Cutting. Keeping the track bed dry is extremely important, as the water will contaminate the ballast and rot the sleepers.
I am proud to announce that the brick cladding on the signal box at County School has been completed. This has been accomplished to a very high standard. Chris Remon has taken on this challenge and Bill Collins has been assisting him. Later on Danny Chaplin came up from the Southern section to assist as well. I recommend a visit to County School in order to really appreciate the work they have done.
By Roy Malyon.
Work continued to repair the drainage run between Wicklewood Bridge (1679) and the outfall of the drainage run opposite the 3 mile post. This is the final section of the drainage system which begins with a road drain from the B1108 at Kimberley and then picks up the water from Kimberley Station falling through the cutting in a southerly direction.
8 catch-pits are being repaired using sleepers, and volunteers spent the previous Saturday preparing these for the task. Also, where the salt glazed pipe had collapsed, a 26 foot section of replacement pipe was installed.
Nine volunteers completed the repair to the section of drain between Wicklewood Bridge (1679) and the outfall nearly a quarter of a mile further south. Over the years many volunteers have spent much time investigating flooding and drainage blockages in this section and hopefully these repairs will solve the problem for a long while.
Also there has been some tree clearance nearby and the opportunity was not missed to continue to prune overhanging branches and remove saplings. Six bonfires were lit and the whole site tidied up.
By Trevor Brackpool and Owen Stratford.
P Way had an early start today at 7:30 to begin on resleepering at Thuxton. We took out a works train to deliver 84 sleepers and these were duly unloaded on site before the train returned to Dereham. We then worked our way northwards through the cutting. We had an excellent turnout and this enabled us to complete the changing of 62 sleepers along with making a start on backfilling all of the sleeper ends.
We continued working on the signalling in Dereham today, preparing components for Thuxton. A second coat of paint was applied to all of the parts that we worked on on Thursday. We also sourced a complete set of parts for the second signal, some of which were removed from unrestored posts in the yard and the remainder from stock. A start was made on cleaning these up with a coat of paint applied to many of the pieces. We also worked on the Black's Locks that will be fitted to the level crossing gate posts and enable the gates to be interlocked with the signals. These were turned from seized-up solid lumps of metal to functioning components by releasing the solid bolts on the case, removing all of the accumulated muck and rust and lubricating it all up.
Meanwhile we also carried out some maintenance to the yard points and Paul was busy preparing the switch gear to be fitted to the entrance point for siding three.
The P Way team spent the day digging out more of the sleepers to the north of Yaxham, managing a respectable total of 44 and reaching Westfield Lane bridge (1692).
P Way returned to complete the resleepering at Thuxton today. We had a fairly small target of 26 left to change, including two isolated ones around the station. We started off with these two, having caught the train to site, and then worked south into the cutting. A separate team worked north carrying out the backfilling and the main crew also filled in the sleepers that they changed. We got on so well that we managed to catch the last train to Wymondham, having completed everything.
A small P Way crew spent today at Thuxton completing the south end crossover. We had been waiting for a few components and these were delivered during the week. All of the materials and tools were taken down to site on the first train. We fitted the checkrail chairs and then drilled the distance block enabling us to install the checkrail. We then moved on to complete the switches. The front two slide chairs were installed along with the soleplate. We then gauged and secured the switches. The stock fronts were also cut to length and the front holes drilled.
PW spent today in Dereham, preparing components for the new turnout that is to be installed at the north end of the passing loop at Thuxton. We had to find and clean up chairs, fishplates, coach screws and keys, and load them all onto the Flatrol to be taken to the work site. Meanwhile, the switches were trimmed to the correct size and had their fishplate holes drilled.
Today's job was to load the larger components for the new turnout at Thuxton. Using the crane, we loaded the long timbers onto the Tench wagon, and the rails went onto the bolster. We also loaded up the switches and common crossing.
The PW team had a hectic day delivering all of the necessary components to Thuxton. The first train out consisted of the bolster with the rails, and the Flatrol with small components. These were all unloaded into the cess by lunchtime, after which we went back to get the Tench with the sleepers. It was necessary to use two trains because the crane only has a limited reach, and only access the materials on the immediately adjacent wagon.
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Installing the diverging route of the north turnout at Thuxton. 31st May 2009. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
P Way returned to Thuxton to work on the newly installed turnout at the north end of the loop. (It had been installed during the week.) We started off by spacing all of the timbers to the appropriate spacing. After the passage of a couple of trains we then lifted and packed it back to level and set the alignment. We then set about cutting the rails to length for the diverging route and installed them into their respective positions.
Once again P Way found ourselves at Thuxton. We accidentally commandeered the Northern Section gang with promises of fun and interesting work too. Today we aligned and secured the diverging route of the turnout. The lead rail was secured through the belly to connect the switches to the crossing. We then gauged the outside rail off of this. Further ballast works and site tidying was carried out and we also scoped up the remaining outstanding works on the other Thuxton crossover.