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Photo Album
Loco Servicing Pit Construction
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Photo Album
Loco Servicing Pit Construction
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When we bought the line, Dereham Station had no loco servicing facilities whatsoever. Part of our long-term plan has always been to run steam engines, and that requires a pit to drop ash out of the firebox. We were also finding that we increasingly needed to access the undersides of locos to carry out maintenance. Our pit was built out of reinforced concrete, with bullhead rail mounted on ex-Great Western through-bolted chairs.
![A Large Hole](javascript:toggle_image ("hole.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
The first job in the construction of the pit was to dig a large hole. Meanwhile, a local contractor was busy assembling the concrete reinforcing, which was delivered to site shortly before this photo was taken.
14th August 2006. Photo: Terry Mann
![Installing Reinforcing Bars](javascript:toggle_image ("section.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
The pit was constructed from reinforced concrete. The reinforcing bars were delivered to the railway in sections, which were craned into the hole.
14th August 2006. Photo: Terry Mann
![Reinforcing In Position](javascript:toggle_image ("reinforcing.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
Once the reinforcing was in position, we were ready to start pouring concrete.
14th August 2006. Photo: Terry Mann
![Assembling Shuttering](javascript:toggle_image ("shuttering.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
The concrete was poured in two stages. Firstly, the base was poured and allowed to cure, before construction of the sides could begin. One of the biggest jobs is the assembly of the shuttering that will hold the concrete in place until it has set. This has to be done properly, as it will have to support 50 tonnes of wet concrete. Any failure of the shuttering would be both disastrous and dangerous. Building the shuttering is one of the biggest tasks in the pit's construction.
11th September 2006. Photo: Terry Mann
![Pumping Concrete](javascript:toggle_image ("pumping.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
Once the shuttering was complete, we could begin pouring the concrete again. A concrete mixer can't place the concrete where it is required, so instead it pours it into a concrete pump (mounted on the lorry at the back) which pumps it into position. The concrete is then vibrated to get most of the air bubbles out and to ensure that it is bonded to the reinorcing bars.
25th September 2006. Photo: Terry Mann
![Shuttering Removed](javascript:toggle_image ("cured.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
Once the concrete had set, we could remove the shuttering. This requires a great deal of brute force, as the concrete tends to grip it quite tightly. We are supporting the track in former Great Western chairs, as these are of a through-bolted design that is well-suited to use on concrete. The bolts that hold the chairs in place have been cast into the concrete, which is separated from the chair by a rubber pad.
3rd October 2006. Photo: Owen Stratford
![The Team](javascript:toggle_image ("team.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
Having bolted down the chairs, craned the rails into place, and keyed them up, we could run the first loco onto the pit. That honour fell to 31 538, and many of the people involved have gathered round.
18th November 2006. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Under the Loco](javascript:toggle_image ("under.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
The pit was built to enable us to gain access to the underside of the locos to carry out maintenance, and has proved indispensable for servicing our own fleet of diesels, visiting steam engines, and mainline locos for whom Dereham is the closest and most convenient facility.
18th November 2006. Photo: Owen Stratford