On Monday a small group of volunteers managed to load the Warflats again at Gotherington. Stevie's JCB wasn't available yet, so the Telehandler was used. The reach is slightly less than the JCB for the topmost row, but hey, we have another two wagon loads of sleepers!
Mid afternoon on Monday Neil trundled the loaded wagons back past Hayles, ahead of the 6 empty Dogfish. He then stopped off at Toddington to pick up the two loaded rail wagons with the latest delivery.
All 4 supply wagons were then pushed up the extension, and at the end of the afternoon on Monday they were parked up just beyond Little Buckland bridge. This spot is about as far as the welders have got; it is also conveniently wide for easier unloading of the sleeper wagons with the Telehandler.
Here is the job ahead - lay these rails through the Glos / Worcs border by the bushy tree on the left, and up to Peasebrook Farm bridge, about 500 yds away from the current railhead. The farm has the white gable end visible on the right.
We have enough new rail for the job, but will need another wagon load of sleepers to get us to the current end of the ballast. More ballast is also on the way, to finish off the former Laverton headshunt, before we can head north with the drops.
Don't forget all the rail has to be lifted still, put on rollers, stretched and firmly clipped down again.
Great progress. Thanks for the update Jo. Regards, Paul.
ReplyDeleteGood old Neil! He always gets through with a full load.
ReplyDeleteAlways great reports from you and the picture's keep getting better!
ReplyDeleteBTW, what is the track plan/layout going to be for Broadway Station?
I ask as I am planning a model railway with Broadway as one of the stations. Also how far will the double track run from the station, will it be past the old goods sheds? Also in a previous blog you laid wooden sleepers on the track bed to reduce the impact on the bridge structure, talking to a friend the other day he suggested the following;
on the base a layer of teracam(?)
a layer of desiccated rubber, this is from shredded tyres, another layer of teracam, then the ballast, then the wooden sleepers.
Just thought I would pass it on as food for thought, apparently they did this on a railway bridge in Germany to lessen the noise and the structure impact.Hope this helps.
Thanks for the compliment re the pictures. I am a bit dependent on traffic and the right kind of weather, but it often comes together. There is something about the light in the Cotswolds, I just noticed it again looking out of the window. A setting sun, and threatening clouds make a great combination.
DeleteRe Broadway track layout, at the start it will be very simple, indeed the share issue is pitched at the minimum required only, in order not to make it too big. If we get more money, we can do more things.
The initial layout will be for a single line through the platforms, with a run round loop. At the northern end there will be a headshunt on one side, and a siding on the other - it will look like double track there.
A second loop was planned by the road bridge, attached to the first, with the idea that it would look like double track all the way south. The bracket signal was installed for that purpose. However, at the moment the second loop is put off, for cost reasons.
Thanks for the reply, have you had any thoughts about the "desiccated rubber" solution? My friend said this was done in Germany on a bridge similar your bridges as it was found to lessen noise for the local residents and there was less impact vibration through the bridge structure. He is trying to get more information on this from one of his old contacts there. Is there an email address he can send it to when he does? Also he now looks at your blog and thinks as I do that it is very good, are you sure your not professionals posing as volunteers? (LOL)
ReplyDeleteWe've actually already completed the refurbishment and ballasting of the bridge(s) so it's a bit late for alternatives. The method we use is tried & tested though.
DeleteWe may all be volunteers, but some of us have been laying tracks for many years. At least two us us on the PWay have been with the project since day one. None however are (ex) professionals; we've all had a previous life doing something else.