Around the ‘top of the grade’, the highest point on our line, are a couple of steel sleepers. These had been sitting under the track unfastened since the re-railing several years ago.

So we decided to test out the same brackets that we used in the Carriage Shed to retrofit (retro-fasten??) steel sleepers in 80lb track – success was the result.

We have used the old bolt and bracket style previously during re-railing with steel sleepers, but that wasn’t easily available here.

As mentioned yesterday, today was finishing off the mowing on the embankments.

Amazing how smart the embankments look with a mow!

The main areas of focus today were around Pyrenees Hwy and Winters Flat Bridges.

Apart from collecting every piece of hidden fencing wire! The flail mower again proved its worth.

A quick run through with the flail mower again today.

After last weeks mow by the contractor, this clean up should hopefully see our this season.

The main areas today were Muckleford Creek, Walmer Road and Farmers Bridges, around the built up areas of Castlemaine and lastly a bit along the signal cables and point rodding at Castlemaine.

Tomorrow will see the bottom of the embankments around Castlemaine done, as well as a bit under Winters Flat Bridge.

Well it’s 2018 and we’re back into it!

We’ve already had our slashing contractors back for a second cut this season – unseasonal rains to thank for that.

We’ve undertaken lots of much needed maintenance and servicing on our civil equipment.

We’ve even completed what we think might be a first… installing a steel sleeper on 60lb rails using pandrol clips!

Rolf is pictured here with the sleeper and our new e clip applicator and pan setter (for holding up the sleeper in the correct position)

As 60lb rail (in our case 60D) has a narrower foot than the 80lb these clips are designed for, a ‘biscuit’ was required on the outside of the rail to hold the rails to correct gauge.

Biscuits are used on Concrete sleeper applications, so are very obtainable, cheap and work perfectly to hold the correct gauge!

This immediately provides us with much more opportunity to use our steel sleepers as the old style fittings are cumbersome and in very short supply.