Spacing! And a new mine.

We had a moderate turn out today so we were able to split our forces and conquer all! Well not quite, but you get the idea.

This meant a few of us were able to do some final adjustments to the layout of the timbers at Parkend. They are all lined up correctly, and the spaces between are as the timbering diagrams demand of us. The judicious use of homemade gauges, tape measures and balls of fuzzy string were pressed into action here!

In order to keep everything in-situ before we can get the rails craned into position, we have started to nail strips of timber lengthways across the sleepers.

 As you can see, the sleepers are getting longer on this side, having been lined up on the right hand side.

 (Pic - C.Lewis)

Another view. This shows the sheer length of this pointwork as well as the curve off to the left quite well. You can also see the battening starting to take shape to hold everything in position.
I appear to be getting ready to clout the gaffer for some reason...

(Pic - C.Lewis)

Now this is done, all we have to do is gather the sundry item such as coach screws, mats and the like and get them up to Parkend in preparation for our working week. We also have to await the arrival of an RRV or two and a bogie bolster with the last bits of rail. Unfortunately we are limited by the reconstruction work on an old culvert a little way below Whitemead Crossing...

As you can see, its a deep old culvert! This stretches across the trackbed completely. Once the piping is installed, it'll be backfilled and the rails relaid.
(Pic - C.Lewis)

Its not all bad news though. In trying to locate the source of water, the Civil Engineering Dept. cut back into the bank above the track and discovered a thin coal seam! The Forest of Dean is renowned for its coal, and there are many thin seams quite close to the surface as well as deeper, thicker ones.

Hark! DFR Shallow navigation Co. Ltd...The seam can be seen to the left of the picture above the three plastic rings. (Pic - C. Lewis)

While this was occurring, two of our recruits Aron and Stuart were tasked with starting this months line walk, and luckily no new faults were found. Always a relief!

In addition we have had several RRV's at Lydney Junction for testing and training. These guys were supervised by our very own Courtney, who got them to crack on with tidying up the yard, testing ballast sweepers and generally keeping them busy. Sadly no pictures of this just yet but watch this space.