DEVELOPMENT – TRACKWORK (STEP 1.2.1) – Page 2

Trackwork (uploaded 2 November 2008)

After the exploits described on Page 1, we were relieved to see the track again. We knew it would be bad – but not that bad, and after the defoliation exercise we soon realised that those few sleepers that had not been pickled in the peaty acid water, were completely rotten. We liked wooden sleepers, they were traditional and relatively easy to handle. But concrete was rot-proof and effectively maintenance free, but they were brutal and heavy, and had absolutely no heritage appeal. To a large extent the problems were not only due to vegetation but neglect of the drains and waterways, which had all conspired to damage the track and trackbed, and which will be needing substantial attention and improvements over the next few years. Nevertheless we realised that with such a programme of development ahead of us we could not spend too much time on maintenance. So, after some extended, and occasionally heated, discussion we settled on concrete sleepers, except for areas in stations, where visual appearance would be important, on points and crossings which traditionally use hardwood timbers, and in one or two other special areas.

Pressure to get started was significant, and so, at the end of June 2008, we made a faltering start below Bridge 14 (New Pit Road bridge). The embankment here is very narrow and it was felt that we would have insufficient room to manoeuvre plant –which we didn’t have at the time anyway, so woods were specified and installed

The last week of June saw a start made on replacing wood for wood sleepers just south of Bridge 14 (new Pit Road bridge)

Pict1476 – 29 Jun 08

The complete team was available only every two weeks and work pottered on till early August, by which time three panels had been replaced. Here the first of the three is seen, looking north.

Pict1486 – 30 Jun 08

Meanwhile volunteer Charles was, single handedly clearing the ballast from north of Bridge 18 (Forgeside Rd. bridge) By the time this picture was taken he had passed under the bridge and is seen working away going south away from the bridge

Pict1484 – 30 June 08

A concrete sleeper weighs about 350 lbs, and with chairs is best part of a hundredweight more, so manual handling really was not an option. So, using HoV money we went out and bought a rather special second-hand 3-ton minidigger, which would not only dig conventionally, but, with the aid of a jointed so-called ‘knuckle arm’ could dig alongside itself with the bucket still parallel to the cab. However within a week, one of its tracks, which was well on the way out when we bought the machine, failed, and had to be replaced. By the time this was fixed and the final flurry of events which typified our 2008 season had finished it was early October, and the first sleeper drops were on 4 October. The team soon learnt that the business of collecting sleepers together, loading them onto the train, and offloading them where they were going to be needed was a job in itself, and over the next few weeks they significantly improved their technique, and this made the work both safer and more effective

For no particularly well planned reason, re-laying has fallen into a series of ‘campaigns’ identified by the two letter code that identifies the northern most panel of track. Here we see work in progress on the first campaign – Campaign ‘OO’ – probably panel OR or OS, on 2 November 2008.

DEVELOPMENT – TRACKWORK (STEP 1.2.1) – Page 2

Trackwork (uploaded 2 November 2008)

The last week of June saw a start made on replacing wood for wood sleepers just south of Bridge 14 (new Pit Road bridge)

Pict1476 – 29 Jun 08

The complete team was available only every two weeks and work pottered on till early August, by which time three panels had been replaced. Here the first of the three is seen, looking north.

Pict1486 – 30 Jun 08

Meanwhile volunteer Charles was, single handedly clearing the ballast from north of Bridge 18 (Forgeside Rd. bridge) By the time this picture was taken he had passed under the bridge and is seen working away going south away from the bridge

Pict1484 – 30 June 08

Here we see our Weltrol wagon being loaded with sleepers. The mididigger is lashed to the wagon and picks up sleepers from the side of the wagon. Delivering the sleepers to the side of the wagon is our Manitou which collects the sleepers from various caches on site

Best part of a mile down the line the job of carefully dropping the sleepers on a one for one basis opposite the wooden sleeper to be renewed takes place. This used to take about 2-3 minutes per sleeper but the drop time is now little more than a minute.

Here is the job in close up. The job has been much improved since we now use purpose built lifting chains with proper chair hooks at their ends, in preference to conventional terylene slings which we felt we not entirely adequate.

‘Many hands make light work’ or ‘ant power’ at its best. With a volunteer team large enough to put larger railways to shame, a rail is dropped back into its chairs

‘Altogether now’. This is heavy work in cold and damp conditions, and at any one time it is unwise to use everyone in the team – some need to be rested if they are to fit the following day

The minidigger makes light work of dropping concrete sleepers into the beds vacated by wooden sleepers a few minutes before.

Still raw, but with concretes in place, looking south to Forgeside Bridge. On the left the coal bunker and hut belonging to Tyre Mill Siding signal box. The box itself has long gone

Although difficult to see in the previous view, this view looking north is half way along a reverse curve. Note the alignment pegs to ensure it all goes back accurately, concretes lie on the left ready to replace the woods.

Yet further south towards Forgeside Bridge, a length of concretes laid before preservation stretches under Forgeside Road bridge. Although now cut back, vegetation grows more profusely between concrete sleepers, due, perhaps to the lack of creosote.

Viewed south from Forgeside Bridge, this is cleared concrete track – cleared by just one volunteer. Compare this image, with the penultimate image on the previous page.

Looking north from the same bridge, we see further cleared concrete track – again the work of the same volunteer.

Most old sleepers are condemned to the fire with little further ado, those precious few just about good enough for re-use in sidings are retained. Smoke still drifts from the conflagration of the previous day.