Rail replacement service

Saturday at Laverton

Another good gang of 8, and we got plenty done, under a bright and warm sun.

Progress on the SR 'Queen Mary' brake is good, with the first bits of green primer going on along the sole bar. Note the original 'SR', revealed on the side when the metal sheets (added by BR to protect the woodwork) were removed. 

The worksplates are missing. For some strange reason they were replaced by oval pieces of wood, which became wet of course and rotted the area of sole bar behind them.

We still don't have the white Landie back, so took out the Transit again.

Some areas of the trackbed are getting quite overgrown, so that it is difficult to park the regulation minimum 6ft from the track in some places, such as here near Laverton. The driver had to get out through the passenger door!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We looked at a number of track faults in the Laverton area, where the same issues seem to repeat themselves. They require spot tamping. Luckily we now have a pair of brand new Robel vertical tampers, thanks to two very kind sponsors.

We set up the site warning boards midway between Laverton bridge and the start of the curve to Little Buckland.

Isn't our Pacific P&O big when seen from trackbed level!

We let the first train to Broadway pass us first. We then have about 20 minutes before it returns here.

Before getting any heavy kit out we check what is actually going on at the spot with the track gauge. This shows us which side of the track is down, and by how much.

We got two Pan jacks out and lifted the track in short lengths. We should have about 6 of them, but recently they have started to leak and we have decided to buy seal kits, so that we can repair them ourselves. Four are currently out of service. The bigger Duff jacks can't be used while trains are running as they stick out above rail level. But they are nice and simple!

With the track up, we were able to tamp it very effectively with the new Robels.

 

 

 

A short video on the team using the two vertical tampers can be seen here:

https://youtu.be/6ibmH5YZtMQ

After 20 minutes or so P&O did indeed return and was well filled, or so we got the impression from down here. People like waving to us when they catch your eye.

One thing that hasn't changed (yet?) is that we need to manually get spare ballast from elsewhere. Tamping uses ballast (that's the whole idea) so if you come back to do the job a second time, there isn't enough in the cribs and we have to go and find some spare further along.

We have to get digging!

After P&O had returned south, we had a slightly longer period of work, until the crossing train at Winchcombe made its way past Toddington and up north to our work site.

The driver very kindly put the rods down for our photograph.

We then moved on to a second twist site at the footpath crossing several 100 yds further north. The two pan jacks are in and pumping, as Bert checks their work with the level.

Then the Robels are used to pack the sleepers over about 20 yards. Although the Robels are quite light, after a while you do feel the effort and grow tired, so we did it in relays.

Yours Truly and partner Tony sat on the Transit bed for a much needed puff. Other members of the team have to run up and down with shovels full of ballast scraped from the side a bit further along. The Robels push the ballast into the voids under the lifted sleepers very effectively, but it does mean that they leave holes behind on the surface, and they need filling afterwards.

PWay chargehand: Hey, you! Have you been shovelling?

Volunteer: Oh yes, all the time, lots.

PWay chargehand: So what is meaning of this then ???

Blue fingers....

You've been blackberrying, haven't you!

Volunteer: Er.....

Under a threatening sky Foremarke Hall came by again, but this time the driver forgot about the rods.

Diesel of the day was the Peak, with a new headboard announcing its 60th birthday.

Another non-heritage notice found at Winchcombe, attached with plastic cable ties to lamp posts and canopy support columns.

We're a heritage railway aren't we? At least we say so.

 

On a brighter note, Tony brought in an old map of Gloucester for us to see. It's dated 1886, and clearly shows the two stations that there used to be - GWR and LMS, with its loop.

And PWay ganger Chris passed on three photographs that he took of roadworks half way up Cleeve Hill. The contractors didn't know what they had found, but Chris knew immediately - it's the route of the Cheltenham tram that ran from Lansdown to near the top of Cleeve Hill, along today's B4632 to Winchcombe.

The rails are 3'6'' apart, on concrete blocks, held to gauge by spacer bars. It's grooved tram rail, with the grooves filled in with mud.

Note how the tram ran down one side of the road. It was an open topped double deck tram. It's amazing that it ran up this hilly road, parts of which are very steep. The system closed at the end of 1930.

An article about it will appear in the next GWSR Cornishman magazine.

A search on the internet will show you that a single tram - No.21 - of the little Cheltenham system survives, but without its powered truck. It is currently in storage, and there was an appeal in 2017 for people to come up with ideas on how to display it. It looks as if it is still in storage however. 

Monday

We had a pukka PWay train out today, a rare event, so read carefully, we will write this only once. 

Subsequent to the ultrasonic testing of all the rails along the line, a number of rails, all second hand from many years ago, need to be replaced by something better. Monday was the day that we distributed some of them at Toddington and Broadway.

 

On arrival at 08.30 our train was waiting for us in the platform. It was a bogie flat (said to have the telegraphic code 'ELK') loaded with bullhead rail, and a guards van.

Not a Toad, no, some Midland thing.

 

 

 

After the sale of the class 73, our PWay train loco for many years, we were expecting the C&W yard 03 shunter for the day, but no, it was a Growler! It was 37 215.

 

 

It was agreed that we would load up the tools for the day's work, while the train would head on off to our first dropping off point, Toddington.

We wholeheartedly agreed with this MO, as it enabled a photo opportunity of the unusual PWay train as it left to go two miles up the line. We would follow by road with the Landie, while Walt in the Telehandler came up along the track.

 

The dropping off point at Toddington was by the coaling stage, a place that we could access easily with the Telehandler.

The rails will be brought to their respective sites by means of the ironmen transporters that we saw earlier.

Bullhead rails left at Toddington for further dispersal by hand.

After dropping off 3 rails at Toddington we moved off to Broadway for the second drop. The  train with the class 37 preceded us, so was already there when we finally arrived. They used the time saved to run round the train, then draw back out over the road bridge.

A rare train stabled in P2 at Broadway.

After running round, the class 37 advanced to the bracket signal by the goods shed, where there was a wide enough area for the Telehandler to manoeuvre and drop the rail down.

Andrew bought us all an ice cream, which must have been costly, as there were 5 people on the train, with only 4 pairs of actually working boots on the ground. But we are generous.

Unloading rail at Broadway.

We unloaded another 5 bullhead rails at Broadway. You might ask, why do we need to replace rail on our newly laid extension, and the answer is that the loop at Broadway was laid in second hand rail to save on costs, and it is here that the ultrasonic tests have revealed a number of hidden partial cracks. Nothing urgent, but now that we know of cracks, even small ones, we have to be seen to be doing something about them.

 

The PWay team consisted of a select 4 of us.

This picture by Walt in the Telehandler shows three of us, including your blogger in the blue hard hat.

At the end of the day we had a pile of 5 rails at Broadway too.

This will give us plenty to do for the next several sessions.

Tuesday at Broadway.

Another beautiful autumnal day.  Lots of customers milling about the station. It's nice to hear excited voices in the background, while you paint, saw or drill away at your job. Broadway station has become a place to be, and we built it.

To start with there is always a little catch up chat, as Neal and John had carried on the day before, while Yours Truly was unloading rail.

Neal is steadily assembling the framework for the Malvern side of the P2 steps. John is near the top, fitting the supports for the risers.

35006 just setting off with the first train out of Broadway.

A large crowd was milling around the platform, and finally P&O arrived to take them south. We spoke to a couple from Croydon who were thrilled with the completed station, while another follower remarked how he felt that the GWSR spent its money so wisely.

This lovely passing shot of our big Pacific leaving shows how you can take clean shots of the engine from the platform without any people on it. 

The driver is pulling away carefully - the Bulleid Pacifics are light footed - and the fireman is controlling the rear of the train to make sure nothing untoward is happening as they pull out of the station.

Oblivious to the departing train, Neal has sawn the end of a framework member to length, and is fettling it here with a chisel to make it fit round the uprights.

At the end of the platform we have collected a sizeable supply of 3x2s, ready for placing under the canopy of the P2 waiting room. In anticipation of completing Broadway station with the P2 building, we have already assembled quite a bit of material needed for its construction. Several 1000 bricks are already on site along the platform, and on advice that they would soon no longer be available (since borne out to be true) we purchased and put into storage the heavy duty gauge roof sheets for the canopy. All the signage has been prepared, the gas lamp under the canopy is in store, and another larger hexagonal one, 40 inches across, is about to be delivered after a 4 year construction period. One interior and one exterior wooden platform bench have been found, and restored. Mouldings and T&G boarding have been ordered and several of the poster boards, so popular with visitors along P1, are in the course of assembly. Posts and finials for the modesty screen are in store, ordered at the same time as those for P1. The special GWR pattern glazing bars for the canopy really ought to be ordered now, as there is doubt about their availabiltiy for very much longer. However, due to Covid the company is not in a position to pursue that at the moment.

Meanwhile, back on the steps.

In this picture you can see how Neal is finishing the second of the five sets of framing, and has started on the third, by the intermediary platform. Yours Truly was on gutter downpipe painting duty on the centre span.

The second loco on Tuesday was the 2-8-0 tank 4270. It's just drifting in with a haul of passengers from Cheltenham. Many of these will walk the 10 minutes up to the village for lunch, bringing good business for the traders there. One innkeeper told us that he could tell when our trains arrived by watching the door.

Our last shot of Tuesday shows Neal still sawing, here on the bottom of the fourth section. There's one more train to come, but the sun is already beginning to set. Autumn is coming.

Wednesday with the Usketeers.

A glorious Autumn day, the Autumn Equinox in fact (Equinox = equal night & day). We made fantastic progress, the best day we have ever had. This was largely due to a visitor 'Polly', a new recruit to the drainage gang who was at a loose end today so came to see his old mate from the building trade, our very own Paul.

 

As we got the tools out of the shed, Jules decided to wipe down the windows.

There's no glass in them yet, Jules ! Who do you think you are - Marcel Marceau?

To kick off, we said hello to our new recruit Polly (second from the left) and had a good natter, much aided by a large Toblerone which Paul brought because he didn't like them. We're not sure whether we should say thank you for that, or not. 

There were six of us today. We also had a very welcome visitor:

Stevie 'Wonder', our very own man with the JCB. Once again he regaled us with his many tales, and astonished us with his deep knowledge of the railway's infrastructure. Jules and Dave listen with amusement and admiration.

Then it was off to work. We had no fewer than four block layers today, so progress was swift and poor old Maxie, muttering away merrily at last, could hardly keep up with the demand for mixes. We think we did 6, so that would consume two bags of cement, and we had to get more sharp sand, which is also running out.

In the picture Dave is filling in a short run between the corner and the lintel for the second smaller window.

 

 

Having prepared the underlying blockwork last week, we were able to build upwards this week around the two windows we have put up so far. The little block in the picture was put in, the window secured with a first bracket, and the large block behind the level was then placed on top.

The run to the corner on the left was then filled in.

To give you an idea of where the building is at right now, here is an overview earlier in the day.

4270 is just chugging past with a train from Broadway. 

Heavy, 10, 11 and 12 inch blocks are nearest, and the piles, sorted by size, then go down to 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, and 3 inch blocks. If you need to find a block that is 7 inches high and 11 inches long exactly, you go to the 7 inch pile with your tape measure, and try to find an 11 inch long block. Good luck !

A station assistant with a lovely carnation then appeared, bearing a gift with a chitty addressed to Yours Truly. Mystery all round. We opened up the parcel and found inside a toasted teacake (cold), with butter, from the Broadway cafe lads! That was very kind, and we shared the item with Dave. Age, and sell by date unknown though... we suspect a connection with your blogger's penchant for sniffing around the Broadway cafe's lunchtime buns cabinet, in the hope of being offered an example that has gone out of date. 

All great fun.

Express delivery by rail of one toasted teacake.

Now well fed and watered, we looked for further large quoins that could be placed. We must get rid of these urgently, before the walls get too high.

This one was a good candidate, it was so heavy it need to be transported on the sack truck. Of course it also has to be of such a length that it does not repeat a joint from below, so it can't just go on the nearest corner that is handy. We need to pick our site.

Polly very quickly adapted to our work, and was clearly very experienced in laying bricks and blocks. He needed no supervision at all, and worked on this corner at great speed.

At the other end Dave had filled in this stretch with 7 inch blocks, but on stepping back there was clearly a problem, indeed a common one. Although all the blocks were the same height, once placed in a row they went downhill. This is bad news for whoever puts up the next row on top.

The problem was solved with a thicker bed underneath.

On the opposite wall to the big window, Jules was doing a splendid job of backing up around the smaller window installed last week. He's done a very neat job of the window cill here, the area you will lean on when you open the window.

 

Polly was motoring away in his corner, and in this picture he has completed his row, with an uneven bottom, with a variety of large and small blocks, which nonetheless come out level on top. Great stuff, very expertly done. Polly is a real asset for this sort of stuff. (his area of expertise is brick laying).

Round the other side, a good heave on this large block - we are trying to get through all the heavy ones while the walls are still low - propelled it to new heights and is seen here waiting for final placement on two battens.

Dave was already preparing the next one, on the other side of the window. These blocks around the windows now need to be selected not only for a dressed front, but also for a reasonably straight edge to back up against the window frame, without using any dressed quoins that would be useful on the corners.

In this picture the large block that was heaved up is now in its place hard up against the window frame, and Jules has the job of backing up against it. 

In the foreground is a bed of mortar that we are letting go off a bit, before placing the third heavy block on it along this side.

The second heavy block along the Malvern side goes in. That was a two man lift, with some positioning help from the inside.

Here the third large block on the Malvern side has just gone on. That was a four man lift, so obviously no picture as your blogger had his hands full.

As we come to the end of the day, here is an overview of the site, showing in particular the growth in the wall on the left. Actually, all the walls had something added to them, it was a really productive day.

Seen from P1 at the station, with 4270 in the foreground, you can see what the visitor will notice in the future by the oak tree - an ancient stone railway building is slowly rising out of the ground.

Our last look of the day is of our pride and joy - big progress on the Malvern side, with blocks nearly half way up the window. Soon we will be able to take off the supporting planks on the inside, as the windows will be securely fixed to the walls.

And finally: the time capsule has arrived, sponsored by a blog reader. It's really rather magnificent, in stainless steel, with engraved title, a gasket to seal the end and domed SS nuts to hold it down.

 

 

 

It's all filled, sealed and ready to go, and we're now waiting for a suitable moment to insert it into the blocks, somewhere behind the fireplace.

Please note: Next Wednesday - no blog! Back the Wednesday after.