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Photo Album
Wymondham Run-round Construction
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Photo Album
Wymondham Run-round Construction
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During Spring 2005, we began the construction of a new run-round loop at Wymondham. Prior to this, all trains had to have a loco on both ends. The Permanent Way work took five months to complete and used materials recovered from Cambridge in 1999 and Ipswich in 2004. Three new points were installed. The two at the south end are longer ones that will eventually be used by passenger trains running to our junction station. We successfully completed the work to a challenging timescale and on a difficult site. At present, the loop is to be controlled from ground frames which are unlocked as the train requires to use it, but will eventually have full signalling installed.
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Track layout at Wymondham. Pre-existing layout in black, with newly-added track in red. Not to scale. |
![Lady's Lane in the 1950s](javascript:toggle_image ("ladyslane1950s.jpeg", 200, 154, 550, 424))
In the mid-fifties, the whole line was double track and there was a signal box near Lady's Lane Bridge, where this photo was taken. To the right of the picture are the sidings of the former Briton Brush factory.
Photo: Derrick Plyer
![Lady's Lane in 2002](javascript:toggle_image ("ladyslane2002.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 414))
The second photo was taken fifty years later from the same location before the work started. The signal box was removed after the line closed to passengers and the brush factory is now a housing estate. The entire line had been singled by this time.
18th July 2002. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Lady's Lane in 2005](javascript:toggle_image ("ladyslane2005.jpeg", 200, 133, 550, 365))
The construction of the new run-round loop was finished by May 2005. The connection to the main line is on the right, while the left-hand road leads to a short headshunt.
16th May 2005. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Moving Rails](javascript:toggle_image ("rails.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
Over time, the braking and acceleration of trains caused the rails to 'creep' towards the level crossing. Before we altered the track in any way, we had to pull all of the rails back to their correct positions. This made sure that there were the correct gaps in between the rail ends to allow for expansion in the heat. Only once this had been done could we install the points. Other preparatory work included changing over 100 rotten sleepers and the replacement of the drains that had been damaged when the housing estate was built.
24th July 2004. Photo: Andrew Littlejohns
![Digging Ballast](javascript:toggle_image ("digger.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
The turnout off the running line was installed first, followed by the one backing onto it. The digger is waiting to dig out the spent ballast where the second point will be installed.
22nd January 2005. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Assembling Components](javascript:toggle_image ("components.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
The points are delivered to site as a kit of parts: switches, a crossing, closure rails, check rails and point timbers. These were offloaded and positioned by the digger so assembly could begin. Because we're using second-hand parts, it often takes a bit of adjustment before everything fits together properly.
29th January 2005. Photo: Matt Goodrum
![Crane Positions Track Panels](javascript:toggle_image ("crane.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
The track panels that we used for the run-round had been stored in Dereham Yard for some time beforehand. We loaded them onto a train and took them down to Wymondham, where a crane was waiting to unload them to approximately the right position. They still required a fair amount of work before they could be assembled as part of the loop.
5th February 2005. Photo: Richard Cullen
![Rail Saw](javascript:toggle_image ("saw.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
Some of the rails that were to be fitted to the new point were a little too long, so had to be trimmed with the rail saw. This is a mechanical hacksaw that clamps to the rail, ensuring a straight cut.
6th February 2005. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Digger Assembles Pointwork](javascript:toggle_image ("assembly.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
A point was installed at the north end of the site, and once more this came as a kit of parts.
12th February 2005. Photo: Andrew Littlejohns
![General View of Site](javascript:toggle_image ("panels.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
A view of the state of play by the middle of February. On the left is the pre-existing track, while the newly-laid track panels are on the right. A considerable amount remains to be done, including trimming the ends of the rails to remove the old welds and aligning the panels in their final locations.
13th February 2005. Photo: Matt Goodrum
![A Snowy Day](javascript:toggle_image ("snow.jpeg", 200, 150, 512, 384))
Once the points at the south end had been assembled, we moved towards the level crossing to install the final turnout. On a snowy February day, the team are busy assembling the various parts. It was a real pleasure to be able to retreat into the warmth of the tool store to have lunch!
19th February 2005. Photo: Andrew Littlejohns
![The Headshunt](javascript:toggle_image ("headshunt.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
After completing work on the points at either end of the site, our attention turned to the plain line connecting them. Some of the rails had been welded together in their previous location, so we had to trim off the welds and drill new fishplate holes. Then the plates had to be greased up and fitted. This picture shows a general view of the work from the south end of the site. On the right is our secure mobile tool-store, and the headshunt is in the foreground.
20th March 2005. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Full Hoppers](javascript:toggle_image ("hoppers.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
Once the construction of the run-round loop was complete, we had to ballast the track. The hoppers were loaded up at Dereham and taken down to Wymondham along with the ballast plough.
16th April 2005. Photo: Matt Goodrum
![Shark](javascript:toggle_image ("shark.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
A Shark is an adapted brake van containing a ballast plough. This spreads the dropped ballast evenly so that we don't have to shovel so much. The plough (visible on the bottom right of the picture) can be raised or lowered to the correct height.
16th April 2005. Photo: Matt Goodrum
![Running Round](javascript:toggle_image ("runround.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
On arrival at Wymondham, 31 235 became the first loco to use the run-round loop.
16th April 2005. Photo: Matt Goodrum
![The Team](javascript:toggle_image ("team.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
Some of the team that helped build the run-round loop.
16th April 2005. Photo: Owen Stratford
![North Ground Frame](javascript:toggle_image ("groundframe1.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
The layout will initially be controlled by ground frames at each end of the loop. The long-term plan is to build a signal box in the area to control both the loop and the approach to Wymondham South Junction.
16th May 2005. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Buffer Stop](javascript:toggle_image ("bufferstop.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
During August 2005, the buffer stop was installed on the end of the run-round loop. We spent a little while refurbishing it, and gave it a lick of paint to smarten it up. The long-term plan is to extend the headshunt to form a running line to the junction. In the meantime, there is just enough space here for a loco to stand while it runs round.
21st November 2005. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Rodding Run](javascript:toggle_image ("rodding.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
Before the loop can be used, all of the pointwork needs to be connected up to the ground frames. Building the necessary rodding run is quite a fiddly task, and allowance has to be made for factors such as thermal expansion. The run has also been designed to make it as future-proof as possible: in the long term, it is likely to be controlled from a signal box.
29th January 2006. Photo: Owen Stratford
![South Ground Frame](javascript:toggle_image ("groundframe2.jpeg", 132, 200, 365, 550))
At the south end of the loop, a newly-installed ground frame controls the layout.
29th January 2006. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Diesel Gala](javascript:toggle_image ("gala.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
The run-round was inspected and passed by Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate in March 2006. Its first use for trains carrying paying passengers was at the 2006 diesel gala.
19th March 2006. Photo: Owen Stratford