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Latest News: Archive
July 2010
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Latest News: Archive
July 2010
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Michael Portillo. 18th July 2010. Photo: Fred Chapman |
Michael Portillo travelled over the line from Dereham to Thuxton with MNR driver instructor Peter Eyre, undertaking filming for the second series of the BBC2 travel documentary "Great British Railway Journeys".
Whilst the primary purpose of the visit was to reach Thuxton, home of Peele's Norfolk Black Turkeys, and to talk about their history and links with the railway, Michael was also able to see first hand the fantastic progress on the passing loop.
In the programme, Michael uses his trusty copy of Bradshaw's Railway Companion as a guide and compares modern Britain with that described by the Victorian cartographer, George Bradshaw. The new Great British Railway Journeys series will feature five different railway journeys, and Norfolk is the final destination of a trip that starts in Brighton and finishes in Cromer. The series is expected to be broadcast in early 2011.
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Footbridge for Dereham, prior to restoration. 18th July 2010. Photo: Leslie Dale |
The opportunity has arisen to purchase an original Great Eastern footbridge for installation at Dereham. The original was removed after the line was singled in 1965, with the result that passengers cannot now access Platform 1.
The footbridge from Whittlesford in Cambridgeshire became available to us in the spring, presenting an opportunity that would not last for long and would not be repeated. Thanks to the generosity of several members and an anonymous Dereham resident, the bridge's future has been secured, and it arrived at Dereham today.
Initial work will consist of descaling and painting the deck to prevent any further deterioration. The staircases are mostly in good order (excepting many of the deck brackets) and the supporting pillars almost as new. Full restoration will be a long-term project over the next few years.
This project forms part of our plans for the restoration of the line north of Dereham. With the railway re-opened to County School, it will become necessary for trains to pass at Dereham, and for Platform 1 to be brought back into use.
By Peter Browne, Trevor Brackpool, Roy Malyon, Paul Mobbs and Owen Stratford.
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73 210 at Thuxton. 3rd July 2010. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
A select band of 3 dedicated PW workers and a very welcome guest from the Drains and Fences gang made their way to Thuxton to attack the ballast that was dropped last weekend. Between many breaks for refreshment and conversation we tidied the the ballast between the MLV and the crossing. Then a relaxing meal break was partaken before we attacked the ballast at the south side of the gates. Unfortunately a wee bit more ballast is required just near where the MLV is, on the platform side and quite a lot more is needed on the South side. The Management choose an excellent day for a (well-earned!) rest as it was awfully hot and there is no shade in the working area at Thuxton.
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Wiring up the signalling system. 10th July 2010. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
Another blisteringly hot day met the PW crew when we arrived at Thuxton. We had planned several jobs, but the heat simply zapped our strength and so several jobs were curtailed. The hole for the up loop down starter signal was completed. The signal and concrete boots were unloaded from the train ready to plant. We also installed the last two location cabinets at the south end of the loop: one for the point controls and the other for the track circuit feed. Meanwhile a start was made on the signalbox location cabinet. The old fittings and wiring were extracted and the cobwebs of time removed. Then the loc was configured ready to start installing equipment again and the terminal blocks and fuse holders fitted. At the end of the day, the PW train was returned to Dereham.
We started off in Dereham today. All of the signalling kit ready for installing into the location cabinets was loaded into the MLV. The old materials off of the train were unloaded. We then fired up the crane and loaded the point machines and ground frame onto the train. These were returned to Thuxton after the last train.
Meanwhile, more work was going on in the signalbox loc. All of the relay plug bases were installed along with the various transformers and power supply equipment. The complex job of wiring it all up then began, with a team of signalling installers running in the wire, terminating each length by adding the crimps and then fitting them onto the various equipment under the direction of someone reading out and verifying each action against the wiring diagram.
This week saw an intensive effort focussed on signalling at Thuxton. We started off today with a considerable change to the weather having endured the extreme heat on Saturday, the change descended on us today in the form of torrential rain showers! We had a small PW contingent who set about installing the insulated block joints (fishplates) onto the rails at various predetermined locations on the south end of the loop. We had been unable to fit them on Saturday because the heat had expand the rails to the point where the 6mm insulated end post could not be installed. The cool weather had actually been extremely welcome in this respect although it was a bit too cool and several rails had to be unkeyed and pushed up to refit the IBJs. We also had to move a few sleepers. Meanwhile more location case wiring was going on and one person was beavering away all day drilling rails for the signalling bonds.
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Newly-installed ground frame. 13th July 2010. Photo: Owen Stratford |
We returned in the evening when Barry had finished work in order to use the crane. The three point machines were craned off of the wagon and into position on the sleepers. Whilst this was going on Trevor and Richard were frantically racing to create a hole into which two timbers were laid to place the ground frame onto. When we returned with the crane, the ground frame was unloaded and installed into position.
Today saw swarms of biting horse flies attacking us all! We had to load up another location case in Dereham in the morning, before taking it down to Thuxton in the DMU. The PW contingent installed most of the fishplates in the north end of the loop again having trouble with the rail ends contracting. One member of the PW team was enticed by the bright lights of S&T and spent the day assisting with installing wires into the location case! We may struggle to get him back onto a ballast fork... In the evening a start was made on terminating the new cables.
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Fitting and adjusting the point machine. 14th July 2010. Photo: Owen Stratford |
Another early start in Dereham was needed to load up a concrete base for the next location case to be installed. Once down at Thuxton, we fitted the first of the point machines to 8B points at the south end of the loop. This was a bit of a learning curve since the machine was fitted to straight cut switches that have a larger travel requirement than the more modern chamfered switches, due to the joggle in the stock rail. All of the lock and detector rods and slides were then added and everything adjusted to pass the various locking tests. We then ran the last few short cables to the semaphore signals and track circuits. The D&F gang joined us to dig a trench for the cables.
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Newly-fitted point machine. 14th July 2010. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
Today's task list was very similar to the previous days. Once again, bond drilling was going on and several people were working on trenching. The last 3 insulated fishplates were installed to complete that task and wiring up the location cases continued. The power supply handover location case was installed behind the level crossing hut and the old innards stripped out. The remaining two point machines on the running line were also fitted and gauged up, a task that takes a surprisingly long time with four of us working on it all day and into the evening.
With the 'hard landscaping' complete, focus turned to fitting out the remaining location cabinets. The power supply 'handover' loc was wired up and the main signal box loc wiring was finished. We then moved onto the south end loc. All of the incoming cables were terminated onto the link blocks and equipment installation started. Meanwhile the majority of the remaining track circuit bond wires were installed along with some of the junction boxes and track leads in the cesses. We also installed the third stretcher bar onto the north end point, an outstanding job from the previous day that was waiting for a longer bar.
In the evening at 20:00, the temporary power supply was connected up and the two signalbox locs became live. We then installed the links to G track circuit (down loop) and powered it up at 20:30 before testing it to see at what resistance the tracks shunted and then picked back up again. This was a major milestone in getting everything up and running.
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Testing the installation. 17th July 2010. Photo: Owen Stratford |
S&T works at Thuxton continued today. The last of the cables between the various location cabinets and also to the ground frame were terminated. This involves removing the outer sheath and sealing the end, extracting each numbered core from the whole and then cutting and crimping each to length before fixing each to their predetermined location. There is a large 36 core between the north and south ends of which 27 cores are used. (It should have been a 37 core but core 37 is missing, which explains why we got given such a full drum several years ago!) Once each cable was terminated at both ends, the resistances of each core were checked and then the whole cable meggered to check that the cable was complete, functional and that there was no damage between cores. We then buzz tested the signal box location cabinet. This involves independently verifying that the wires installed run between the correct locations against the plan to prove the installation is correct to the drawing. Meanwhile, a small crew was installing track circuit tail cables and planting disconnection boxes so that these can be powered up next. Elsewhere, Peter and Barry were fitting out the south end loc. The relay bases were installed and the wiring started, with about 90% completed by the end of the evening. Alex, our electrician, was fitting out the power supply installation next to the ground frame, whilst the timbers for the lead out of the signal wires was being dug into position, requiring removing a fair bit of soil from between the frame and track. Finally the D&F gang was out and about burying various parts of the installation that were complete.
Another first for the MNR will be the requirement to install Operational lineside telephones as a result of the Thuxton passing loop project. Signal post and point zone telephones along with a guard's phone are being installed as part of the project.
Therefore Paul Mobbs spent most of Saturday looking around Dereham goods shed to see what bits and pieces we have available. As usual the various items required had been moved around over the years and buried under other equipment and then liberally covered with layers of dust etc. Luckily a telecoms rectifier / charger was located along with four 12v batteries which will give us a nominal 50v telecoms supply. Then two signal box telephone concentrator units were unearthed along with a number of associated LTUs (Line Termination Units). The rest of Saturday was spent inspecting, cleaning, repairing and powering up the rectifier and batteries. Then on Sunday, attention turned to making one good telecom concentrator from the two units available. So it was out with electronic multimeter and soldering iron to replace various broken components, and by Sunday evening Paul was able to power up a concentrator and made a number of test calls. We still have a few minor faults to correct but it was nice to see some of this old telecoms equipment coming back to life again prior to its installation at Thuxton.
Today was S&T's final day of the big working week at Thuxton. We started off with Peter and Barry completing the wiring of the south location cabinet, before heading off to the north end to wire that one. The north end loc is slightly simpler since it only has one point end and one signal, compared to two of each at the south end. Meanwhile the track circuit bonding in the up loop was carried on with. We had previously only single bonded the fishplates in order to get things working. Up at the signalbox loc, further cables were tested running out to the north end loc and also the power supply cables to both ends of the installation. We then set about installing fuses, relays and links, testing the function of each circuit compared to the design as they were connected up including operating the levers on the ground frame. One of the largest parts of the remaining installation is to install all of the signals and this will form the next major signalling focus, followed on by installing the repeaters on the block shelf.
Steve Tweed strimmed and then sprayed a huge section on the downside south of the Level Crossing plus spraying both platforms at Thuxton. His efforts today have really improved the look of the site before the forthcoming 'Transport' weekend.
The rest of the gang continued burying the signal cables starting from the end of the 'down' platform and working northwards. By the end of the day 220 yards of trench had been dug, the cables laid, and the hole back-filled.
At Thuxton today, we carried on with the job of installing signalling kit. A small party planted a few signal wire pulley stakes between T21 signal in the up platform and the ground frame. Elsewhere the job of trenching continued. The biggest job was to plant the new T11 signal (the up loop down starter) to the south of the level crossing. This is quite a tall signal and is required to be visible over the top of a train standing at the adjacent T4 signal in the down loop which is on the inside of the curve. Before erecting it, we fitted the bearing plate, circuit controller bracket, lamp bracket and top section of the ladder. It was quite a puzzle working out how to rig the crane in order to install the post since with the chains and hook slung near the top of the post, there was insufficient room to lift the post vertically. Eventually we arranged a lower lifting point and stood the post up into the hole!
We spent another signalling day at Thuxton. We started off by resistance-testing and meggering the last few cables to the north loc. Barney and Mike installed the last of the track circuit bond wires after the train had been moved, before passing through the loop installing a second bond where the fishplates were only single bonded. In the signal box loc, Graham and Owen installed links and relays, carried out a lot of testing on the point control circuits and sorted a small fault of the wiring between the frame and the loc. A few wiring mods were also undertaken to resolve a couple of minor issues noted during the initial testing. Out at the ends of the loop, Richard, Barry and Peter wired up the three point machines, before testing their control circuits.
After the last train, we took possession and powered up the machines. Each was tested in turn and by 19:10, the crossover at the south end of the loop was functioning off of the ground frame lever with detection being returned to the signalbox. By the time that we finished at 20:30, all of the points were working off of the ground frame and all track circuits in the loop were powered up and functioning ready for testing.
With the PW teams numbers somewhat depleted, we set about digging the hole that T4 signal at Thuxton (the down starter) will be planted into. We also tidied up the cess by moving excess ballast from further up the line.
By Matt Goodrum, Toby Rawlings and Gary Hall.
The Northern Section team had originally planned to work at Hoe today however, with the volunteer turnout in double figures, the back-up plan of fishplate greasing at the southern end of the cutting was completed by lunchtime. We have now finished the first greasing run to Hoe, tackling every other set of plates.
The afternoon's bonus task was to burn piles of pre-cut material remaining from last winter's vegetation clearance. While snow had made bonfires impossible in December, we had no problems now in lighting the very dry wood.
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Digging out catch pits. 11th July 2010. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
With a relatively small Northern Section turnout of just four volunteers the progress south from Hoe Level Crossing was slow: the lack of shade in this section did not help. After lunch it was decided to take a ride on the steam train to Thuxton where we helped P-way clear room for yet more signalling equipment.
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Fencing off a culvert. 17th July 2010. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
After removing litter and cutting the grass north of Norwich Road, Toby and Nigel began construction of a permanent fence around the stream south of Swanton Road. Since the Northern Section started major lineside clearance here two years ago there has only been a rope to mark the edge of the open ditch. The stream enters a culvert close to the track before running underground to Neatherd Moor, and the new fence covers the parapet with short returns on both sides. Further work will be required to retain the ballast shoulder when we drop new ballast next year.
Returning to the more usual Northern Section turnout of nine members we made good progress northwards through Northall Green Cutting, finishing beyond Bridge 1697. We repaired broken sections of pipe uncovered back in April and replaced catchpit lids with old half-sleepers where necessary. Further works will be undertaken by individual volunteers while the missing link to where we stopped last week, heading south from Hoe Level crossing, will need slotting into our timetable.
In between the important tasks of marshalling buses and chatting to the many visitors at County School Station during the Classic Transport Weekend, Toby and his co-opted P-Way team of Gary, Ray and Andy found time to undertake some trackwork. The switch blades on the points were greased and swung across for the first time in ages, while the flangeways over the level crossing were also cleared out. Both these small jobs will help the track trolleys to move materials up and down the line and give the road-rail machine access to the track south of the station.
Toby, Alan and Rob from the Northern Section team spent the morning loading three track trolleys with 24 sleepers for Sunday's job at Hoe. The sleepers in question were stacked in Dereham Yard having been freed from Thuxton when the Up Platform was relaid with concrete sleepers. This was not, however, a simple task - the sleepers still have their chairs attached, making them very heavy, while getting the trolleys to the top of Siding No.3 was made difficult by rolling stock in our way. In the end we moved them off-track, round the back of the Goods Shed. At the end of the day the P-Way team helped push the loaded trolleys through the station ready for their two mile trip tomorrow.