These two differ slightly from the previous one that visited us in that the drive to the rail wheels is a hydrostatic system rather than a friction method. This works better on lines like our where some of the sidings that it ventured into need judicious sanding to get anything like a good bit of grip.
Due to the necessity to give their drivers a good bit of training, they were kept busy courtesy of Rob, who was lucky enough to spend most of the week helping them. Sadly yours truly was working all week....
The RRV's prepping for the day with their all-sorted kit in the car park at Norchard. (Pic - Rob Alpin)
RRV being put to good use shifting knackered pointwork just
south of Whitecroft under the watchful eye of Keith. (Pic - Rob Alpin)
On of the more pressing uses the RRV's got put to, was the removing of two wagons from a siding at Parkend. This was disconnected a few years ago when the life-expired double slip was removed from the Marsh siding connection. The wagons were originally in the goods siding behind the station before being hauled by winch along some very temporary track to the buffer stops to keep them out of the way.
Wagons and temporary track in the summer. (Pic - E.Dyer)
And from the other end. (Pic - E.Dyer)
As is usually the case though, things put out of the way often get in the way again a few years down the line. As I have mentioned in previous posts, we are intending to reconnect the Marsh and goods sidings. However to do this, the track before the bufferstops needs to be relaid, and various earth work relocated. In order to do this, and have space to build the point we previously brought up from the junction, we have to dismantle the track currently in place. And in order to do that, the wagons need shifting...
If only someone had some lifting kit....
Both the wagons shifted out of the way on a grim old day. (Pics - Rob Alpin)
They were positioned on the running line, and the very friendly chaps in the shunting gang kindly stuck them in the long siding at Whitecroft. If you know anybody who fancies taking on a restoration project, please get in contact!
Wagons on the line, and out of our hair. (Pic - Rob Alpin)
Now the siding is empty, we can get cracking on the dismantling. This is always a fun job, but does feel like a step back. It will great when we get the point work installed and the siding reinstated properly. Dismantling will start to take place when we have completed out current task of securing roughly 70-odd surplus sleepers that are not good enough install, but good enough to sell.
The story behind that is that someone bought a property on a disused line near Hereford, and on discovering that it originally used to be a halt, thought it would be nice to rebuild it as a feature in their garden. We were approached and asked if we could supply the timber. Needless to say we jumped at it!
The proceeds from this will be going towards the hardwood crossing timbers for the new point we will be building. The timbers are about to be ordered and building will commence as soon as we can. Actual installation will *hopefully* be a working week in January. Watch this space! It had better not damn snow...
