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Latest News
Volunteer News
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Latest News
Volunteer News
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Southern Section reports by Peter Browne, Trevor Brackpool, Owen Stratford, Robin Stratford and Roy Malyon.
Northern Section reports by Matt Goodrum, Toby Rawlings and Gary Hall.
Thuxton Signal Box reports by Bill Collins.
Telecoms reports by Paul Mobbs.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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Newly-fitted point machine. 11th 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.
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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 yet another drum of cable onto the train. (They don't seem to go that far!) We also had to extract 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.
Today saw swarms of biting horse flies attacking us all! We had to load up several drums of power cables and another location case in Dereham in the morning, before taking them 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. We also carried on with cable laying using the newly-delivered cables. 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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Running out signalling cable. 13th July 2010. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
Newly-installed ground frame. 13th July 2010. Photo: Owen Stratford |
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. In the afternoon, the class 73 was fired up and we started to run out cables over the considerable length of the loop. The main signalling feed was installed along with some small cables to the point machines and signal locations.
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.
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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.
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, along with the required drums of cable. 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.
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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.
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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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.
We started off for a couple of hours at Thuxton. The last edging was installed in front of yesterday's wall around the signal wire crank. The whole hole was then infilled behind the walls and a couple of half sleepers cut to cap the top off. We headed back to Dereham and after lunch prepared the signal wire pulley stakes to go down to Thuxton in a couple of weeks' time. It was far too hot and so we went home to melt.
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The pits at the base of the signal, before and after covering with earth. 27th June 2010. Photo: Owen Stratford |
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Today was a beautiful sunny day and we have all gone home a little bit red. We managed to clear out a catch pit down at North Elmham, where, unfortunately, the local youth feel that it is a depository for anything that they can find to fill it up. We then moved on to Dave's house to pick up 20 2'x3' paving slabs that he has donated to County School. We have obtained new gate posts for the farmer's crossing, that we installed in concrete. We will allow them to set until the next group meeting before we install the gates. We spent the rest of the day moving things around between storage areas to make room for the Tuesday/Thursday gang to put their equipment.
Dave showed up later and worked in the orchard area and also had a go with the lawn tractor. He is doing a really good job on keeping the orchard in a good order and a present place to visit.
Andy was up as well sorting out his new Plant and Equipment workshop. He has positioned all of his work benches and supplies, and installed a fire extinguisher and safety kit. He has also started the road/rail digger and sorted out a few other problems with it as well. If all goes well, we should be able to mount it on the rails at the end of July after we have 3 of the tyres repaired or replaced.
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Brickwork on the top half of the new signal box. 26th June 2010. Photo: Bill Collins |
The brickwork on the new signal box at Thuxton is complete up to where the woodwork sits on it. Painting the wooden frame and windows is well under way at Dereham, and we anticipate being in a position to assemble the frame onto the brickwork at the end of August.
It was a blisteringly hot day and so no one felt like working too hard. We started early to take a loco down to Thuxton. Once on site, the hoppers were attached and shunted around to the north end of the loop. We dropped two further hopper loads of ballast and sharked them up by the north turnout. The staff was then returned to Dereham for the first passenger train. The gang then split up. Half of the group made a start on digging the hole into which the 'up loop down starter' will be planted by the river bridge to the south of the station. This signal also will control trains across the level crossing. The P Way umbrella was pressed into service for much needed shade for the diggers in the hole! Meanwhile, the smaller half of the group installed the edging between the level crossing and the bottom of the up platform with serviceable sleepers. This was also hard going and we had to trim the end of a couple of sleepers by hand. The edging will separate the platform access from the ballast and signal wire run. Finally the signal box building crew was persuaded to build the two walls around the pits for the wire run to the signal. The loco was started again to shark the ballast around the level crossing finally before we caught the train home.
Mark, Paul and Owen returned again in the evening. (We must be mad!) We took the now-empty hoppers down to Wymondham, shunted the shark to sit behind the loco, ran round and then ploughed all of the ballast that had been dropped from Wymondham to Kimberley. It was quite hard work winding the ballast plough up and down to go over all of the crossings!
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Burning cut vegetation. 20th June 2010. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
Just five Northern Section members managed to light twenty bonfires between the level crossing and bridge 1700 at Hoe. This disposed of a huge amount of pre-cut material left over from vegetation clearance last winter.
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Laying Tarmac. 14th June 2010. Photo: Owen Stratford |
We returned to Thuxton to work on the level crossing for the last day today at 15:00. Once the council had finished their works, we took over the road closure again and lifted out the temporary deck. The tarmac contractors then started their work, laying in type one within the crossing followed by two layers of tarmac. After it had all had time to cool, the road was re-opened for the last time.
P Way spent today completing the track works at Thuxton across the new level crossing. We installed a metal duct that will take the wire run to the up platform starter and connected up a length of wire to prove the alignment through it. At the same time all of the timber edging was made and installed to separate the tarmac road from the track. This is a particularly fiddly job and involves chainsawing sleepers, firstly cutting the ends at an angle to fit against the rails and secondly notching the backs and sides in order to make them fit around the sleepers, chairs and anything else in the way! The cut surfaces were treated with preservative and the edging spiked to the sleepers. Once the last of the pieces that needed to be in the ground were fitted, we ran the ballast hoppers to drop stone through the crossing and on the three panels on either side. The ballast locally around the crossing was dressed and boxed off with the remainder left to shark at a later date. The next job was to install a temporary stop post on the up side for the gate to fit into when across the road. It is temporary until the gate is shortened by a few feet to bring it into final design length. The gate on the up side was then re-hung on the relocated post and the stop post bedded in. Finally we had to install a temporary timber deck for 24 hours in order to re-open the road prior to the tarmac being laid on Monday evening.
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Lifting and packing. 12th June 2010. Photo: Owen Stratford |
A large P Way contingent descended on Thuxton to install the track across the up side of the road. We started off by removing some edging near the platform that clashed with the wire run location. Meanwhile the two rails for the road were cut to length and installed. The whole panel was keyed up and aligned before we set about lifting and packing it and the 60ft panels on either side. Another group installed some ducts over the road to take signalling wire and the D&F gang fettled the hole to take the hinge post. With the track installed, 31 438 was used to make the first trip over the road to prove that everything was bedded in correctly. We then waited for the last train to clear the line before starting up the crane and planting the hinge post. This was aligned and bedded in before we called it a day.
The road at Thuxton is shut for drainage works for two weeks by the council, and we had arranged to renew the up side level crossing in the same closure. Today saw us make a start on the renewal. We took a works train out in the morning with the loco collecting the hoppers from Thuxton and running them to Hardingham to be loaded. Meanwhile the remainder of the train was shunted at Thuxton into the loop. The crane was used to bring up the two rails for the level crossing and also to unload materials from the train into position. Once the council works had completed for the week, we took possession late on in the afternoon and lifted off the gates and removed the up side posts. We were only permitted to work during the times when they were not on site since both works being carried out simultaneously would cut off several houses in the village. Our highways contractor then removed the surface of the road with David loading the material with his JCB onto a lorry for removal. He also dug the new hole for the hinge post to be reset into. Finally the panel for the level crossing was craned into position before we shunted the hoppers and mermaids into the south loop ready for tomorrow.
The Wednesday Group cleared and burnt vegetation that was getting too close to the track just south of the Trout Farm Bridge (1687).
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Cleaning fishplates. 6th June 2010. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
Seven Northern Section volunteers spent the day being bitten all over by insects in Northall Green Cutting; we also managed to clean and grease another 15 sets of Fishplates. The thunderstorms held off until the end of the day, with the rain bucketing down as we packed up and returned to Dereham.
We spent the morning in Dereham yard loading up parts onto the wagons ready to go down to Thuxton next week. The train was then formed up and we identified more parts and sorted them out ready to clean down and paint in the future.
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Tidy cess after the ballast had been shovelled out of it. 5th June 2010. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
P Way spent the day at Thuxton again. It was a horribly hot day with no wind, which made it just wrong for shovelling ballast. Unfortunately this was the job for the day, to collect ballast off of the bank sides and place it in the loop. Barry and Owen had some signalling work to complete before next week's level crossing works. We installed the crank to take the up platform starter wire run towards the road. The base had already been installed. We cut the channel to size and punched the fastening holes in it. The crank was then cleaned back to metal and all of the pieces painted. Whilst this dried, the thimble joints were installed onto the chain and shackles. The crank was then installed and fitted up, with ducting installed for the various parts. Finally we backfilled the various excavations.
Four County School volunteers spent another day removing the worst top and twist faults in the line south of the station to improve the ride for the trolleys. Four point timbers were unearthed near Bridge 1707 with the rail chairs being removed and safely stored.
Meanwhile other members of the County School Area Group continued on a range of tasks around the main site. This work goes on quietly throughout the year to improve the experience for visitors to the station.
A small permanent way team went out to regulate the ballast in the north end of the passing loop at Thuxton. The persistent rain dampened our ambitions, so we cut the day short after lunch.
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Visiting Bridge 1700, the furthest north a train can reach. 29th May 2010. Photo: Tom Brooking |
Despite the rain six Northern Section members, plus 73 210 and driver Mark, went to Hoe to collect the wagons stabled there since the last works train. The remaining small logs were transported to the southern end of the Cutting for safe keeping while we find a buyer. Some scrap metal was also taken back to Dereham Station from both Hoe and Swanton Road.
Three of the volunteers spent the morning burning previously-cut vegetation, which is always much appreciated - if you can help dispose of any more, please get in touch.
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Rubble awaiting disposal near Swanton Road. 28th May 2010. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
Two Northern Section volunteers helped members of the Probation Service to collect and transport loose rubble to a temporary stockpile just north of Swanton Road Level Crossing. By removing rubble from the lineside the task of strimming or mowing the grass is made safer and can be completed to a higher standard.
A small northern section team, ably assisted by the probation service, spent the day burning pre-cut vegetation, and strimming the lineside north of Swanton Road in Dereham.
Dave showed up and cut the grass in the orchard. Eileen was working on the GER carriage. Ray, Neil, Andy and Gary managed to light several fires to clean up wood that had previously been cut. We drilled an additional hole in several fence post in readiness of the last strand of wire that is required after a two year delay, and cleared out a hole in a post and tube fence along the new foot path so the last tube could be pushed through the post of the first run. We made two trips to Dereham to collect a pair of gates, an air compressor and some fuel. We are expecting an all-steel site office to be delivered: this is to be used as a work place for plant and equipment, so a site has been cleared and made ready.
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New location cabinets. 22nd May 2010. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
Today's main job was to install the two location cabinets nearest to the level crossing at Thuxton. These cabinets will contain the electronics associated with the nearby signals and track circuits. We took the concrete bases down on the first train, and then had to dig holes in the right places to set them into the ground. Once this was complete, we could bolt the cases themselves onto the bases.
We had a little time left before the final train of the day took us home, so we brought up a few trolley-loads of ballast to place in the final track panel that is yet to be lifted and packed.
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Cleared lineside after the cut material was burnt. 16th May 2010. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
After a winter of heavy lineside clearance on the Northern Section we have a huge amount of branches stacked and ready to be disposed of so today we made a start burning around bridge 1701.
We had a signalling day today. We started off with a progress meeting and it was then followed by a heavy duty effort and we spent the time gathering up more components for Thuxton Loop. This consisted of a large relay cabinet and 4 half relay cabinets. These are rather heavy and we also had to find and install doors onto some of these. Each was checked for suitability before being carried over onto the platform ready for taking down by train. We also then collected all of the required concrete bases. These too are really heavy requiring 4 people to just lift them. One of the cabinets was down the yard and it was easier to shunt the DMU into siding three alongside to load it. We jokingly suggested that the train crew might be kind enough to unload it at Thuxton and we were pleasantly surprised to find the DMU returning empty.
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Lifting and packing. 15th May 2010. Photo: Simon Addington |
P Way went down to Thuxton to continue the good work of getting the loop ready for action. The first job was to lift and pack the two panels on the up side to the south of the level crossing to their final level. These had been roughly levelled before and we now jacked them up the last inch to complete the job. This required ballast to be trollied along to fill some of the larger voids. Once this was complete, the party split up to attack two fronts. Half of the group went to the north end and installed one of the half location cases that will hold signalling equipment. The remainder of the party dug a big hole at the bottom of the up platform ramp. We were surprised to find a brick wall right in the middle of our hole, probably part of the older platform which was slightly longer and all of which was right in the way and so needed to be removed. After shifting this out, a concrete bench was placed into the bottom and aligned. A crank will be bolted to this at a later date to transfer the wire run towards the wheel at the base of the adjacent signal.
The northern section team spent the morning finishing off changing the last 24 of our 104 sleepers replaced this month. After a spot of lunch we then begun the task of backfilling screened ballast around the new sleepers.
We spent today clearing overhanging branches near to the sewage works bridge (1675) in Wymondham. This was to enable our bridge engineer to carry out an inspection.
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Rotten sleepers. 2nd May 2010. Photo: Matt Goodrum |
9 Northern Section volunteers along with Owen, Trevor and Barney from the southern team soon got in to the swing of things. With a target of 52 there was much to do but we were all surprised when the final tally for the day revealed that we had managed 80! We plan to replace approximately 250 sleepers this year and 300 more next year but only if our sponsor a sleeper scheme continues to be a success, so do please consider sponsoring another sleeper or two, to help us achieve this aim.
P Way started on the preparations for relaying the up side of Thuxton Level Crossing today. We had an early start at 8:00 to take a works train down to Thuxton containing the materials and also the hoppers. Once there the tench was shunted into the up platform and the sleepers, checkrail chairs and ducts were unloaded. We then shunted the hoppers into the down side of the loop and dropped the one loaded wagon on both cess and 6ft next to the level crossing. The train was reformed and returned to Dereham. The first job was to cut and drill the rail ends on the last panel before the level crossing. We then started the job of building the level crossing panel above this. We moved two short 30ft rails over the road ready to build the track panel. The sleepers and check chairs were laid out and one side drilled and screwed down. The two rails were installed and the gauged before the other chairs were drilled and screwed to the sleepers. We then removed each rail in turn and used the jim crow to bend the checkrail flares onto each end before re-installing them. We also used the time to install the wheel at the base of the up starter signal next to the level crossing. This was planted on a concrete base and then the signal chain was fitted onto the wire down from the signal.
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Driver Mark Hallett with the sleeper-delivery train. 1st May 2010. Photo: Toby Rawlings |
In preparation for tomorrow's jumbo sleeper changing event a small advance party of northern section volunteers and driver Mark took a works train to deliver sleepers in the depths of Northall Green Cutting. We also took the opportunity to deliver drainage pipe ready for the improvements we plan to make later.