Tiiiiiiimber!

So at last we have timber on site for the new project. One thing remains and that is to start laying it out!

The gang taking a breather before the 'mega' timbers. (Pic E.Dyer)

As you can see we have laid the timbers out on the remains of the old siding. This was the reason we wanted the old p/way wagons shifted. The advantage of this is that it provides a flat base on which we can start to construct the point. Obviously as we go along, the timbers will get longer and the centre of balance will move away from the rail it is resting on. To get round this a sizable amount of scrap timber has been acquired to block the ends up to prevent tipping. This will become a non-problem (1984 speak there...) once the straight stock rail has been placed, thus preventing the sleepers from tipping.

The main outcome of today was to have the timbers placed in order according to the timbering list and have them in roughly the right place. As you cane see, its going to be a fairly massive bit of kit!

As far as the eye can see! Well, nearly... (Pic - E.Dyer)

All that remains of this job is to align the timbers above on a straight line to the left (picture perspective.) and to space the timbers correctly. To aid this some gauges made of blocks of wood will be cut to size this Sunday. Once the timbers are in the correct place, they will be held in position with a shed-load of battening that will be tacked to the sleepers. This will hold it all steady until the rails can be craned into position and bolted down.

One final task for the day came in the form of a pile of 15 inch piping for the culvert being reconstructed by our Civil Engineering Dept. You may remember the post about a hole opening up near the track. This is excavated and rebuild to prevent any further collapse. As we were on site, we sprang to the rescue and helped unload the pipe from the truck.

 

A homemade rocket sled? I wish! (Pic - E.Dyer.)

This was then loaded onto our trusty trolleys and propelled down the siding as far as our timbering. This has saved the Civil Engineering chaps the effort of having to drag them all the way to the work site, every little helps. 

 

Who said P/Way was inconsiderate!

Happy New Year, and the project begins!

Another update! I shall attempt to update a little more often now we have got back into the swing of things down ihere in the deepest darkest Forest.

As mentioned we are about to embark on building a FB point at Parkend that will be placed much further down the running line. This will result in a smoother ride into the platform and more importantly provide a surplus point to allow for the re-connection of the Goods Yard and the remnants of Marsh sidings. You can never have too much siding space!

Steelwork has been on site for a few months. Weather was a bit nicer then...

The above picture also shows where the turnout is going. The toe of the point will be placed just after Whitemead Crossing looking in this direction. (The foot crossing in on the far right.)

This has lead to us getting a delivery of brand spanking new crossing timbers in the wee hours of Monday. Its all become real at long last! many thanks to our stalwart member Keith for turning up in the rain to sign for them!

All arrived and ready for shifting on what I have been laughably calling the 'Contractors Railway.'
(Pic - A. Davies)

Thanks to the efforts of the Parkend Gang, these sleepers were shifted wholesale by trolley down to the site all ready for placement this Thursday. Needless to say we owe the chaps a few beers as they also helped to get the aforementioned 'Contractors Track into a position to not drop a loaded trolley....

Rated for 125mph running maybe? Keith, Huw and Ollie prep for cutting a rail end in order to flyplate it. Hand tramming only down here methinks.

Also the track above is rough and ready and most definitely not in any fit state for anything but a hand trolley, it makes life far easier in moving the timbers!

Another update on its way!