Here Steve is attaching the last pair of rails to go.
The headshunt section is now ready for removal of the concrete sleepers. These will be stacked nearby, the trackbed graded, Terram and new ballast added, and the sleepers, together with new rail, relaid back in their places. Plenty for the PWay gangs to be getting on with.
The 2 and a half lengths between the bridge and the turnout in the picture still need the rail replacing, and then the turnout can be disassembled and also taken up to Broadway.
New rail for all this is arriving in two lots in the first half of September. After that has been laid - and it needs to be laid quick, as we need the bogie flats for the next delivery - then the push towards Peasebrook Farm can begin.
Broadway canopy construction
Little by little this is becoming an attractive reality. Over three weeks, three trusses have been assembled. Excellent progress!
The first two are in a pile, one on top of the other, in the loco workshops at Toddington. Our Broadway painters have been down to inspect the extent of the work required from them.
Nearby, a fascia board was being made up.
Outside the loco workshops, the third of the seven trusses was being assembled.
Underneath are two more fascia boards. Three purlins are in the loco shed
It will be very interesting to see what the central arches will look like, with their characteristic curves. None have been started yet; they will be done last.
Note that the car park is full, and should translate into fare paying passengers. The trains certainly looked well used - well, it was P&O in charge - and so was the cafe in Winchcombe, always popular.
With Mrs. Blogger stationmaster at Winchcombe today, a quick trip was made down there to say Hello and enjoy a cup of coffee in the Coffeepot.
P&O trundled in, and what a magnificent sight that makes too. Winchcombe, with its cafe and passing place for trains, is a great place for people to linger.
This magnificent main line loco pauses to allow the DMU to arrive, get the token, clang the signals, great 'business' about the station.
Finally, this flew over Winchcombe today:
Strange how those propellers rotating at speed give the impression there is a segment missing.
Is this one of the new A400s?
Great to see further progress on the extension and especially the steelwork fabrication for Broadway Station Canopy - brilliant.
ReplyDeleteThe airborne truck? Yes an RAF A400M Atlas based at RAF Brize Norton. Relatively new in service, this Airbus product, like so many military aircraft these days, has been a rather long time coming. I believe there are around 6 in RAF service at present with a total of 22 being delivered to 70 and 24 Sqns. The TP400-D6 turboprops are pretty large when compared to a Hercules and, in flight, sound very similar to a Russian Antonov, quite distinctive! I've never flown in one, they arrived aftyer I'd retired, my experience being limited to the Hercules and, many years ago, the Belfast (Belslow!).
I am greatly impressed by the metalwork being created for Broadway. Loco dept. must be relieved when it is out of their way though. Wonderful work. Regards, Paul.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see the metal work coming together another step closer to Broadway! So, St.Blazey 1925 you too flew in the Belslow's, was that from Abingdon? I too also flew Beverley's and the Herc's then the latest version of the Herc as well. My round off was in the C17, that makes the Herc look like a spam can for size! But I digress, its so good to see the progress being made. Has any one read the article in The Railway Magazine about the Honeybourne line, a picture of Toddington with no rails in or out but two loco's on rail segments. What a difference 30 years make!! Meanwhile well done all, great work being done there!
ReplyDeleteI flew in a Belfast from Abingdon after the Annual Air Cadet Wing Parade. ISTR that they managed to fit half of the parade strength into the aircraft for each trip so only a couple of trips were required! It was a very large aircraft. They were based at Brize Norton I remember. If you flew the Beverley then you must have been a pilot with steely nerves - when airborne the aircraft always looked to me as if it was just about to stop flying! They were withdrawn just before I joined the Air Cadets sadly.
DeleteI completed my training and then only flew them about 20 times before retraining on the Belfast then went onto "new" Hercules! The Beverley looked like it was a flying warehouse ready to drop out of the sky but was a real nice flyer in reality. I remember siting in an office doing passenger list and had almost completed them when the reviewing officer said lets fly every one to demonstrate the Belfast!! All the lists went straight into the bin and O.C. flying flapped about getting a third a/c ready at short notice. Those were the days of 24 /7 air force! Happy days!
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