Curve 10

As promised another 20 concrete sleepers were installed into curve 10 today.

The heat, although predicted to be worse than yesterday, didn’t really reach its peak until after lunch. This worked out well as we’d already decided lunch should see the 20 finished and us on the way home.

It’s amazing just how good the track looks once the sleepers are installed and the ballast has been regulated.

Here our current President Steve is surveying our works, in his site approriate clothing! He arrived just as we were finishing so his workwear wasn’t needed but it’s alway nice to see our work appreciated by others on the railway. We also spent some time removing dipped joints from the curve after completing the main works, this has really improved the look and will undoublty improve the ride.

This job is now becoming very well executed. Although we had actually removed all the screws yesterday, the lifting, tamping, removal of the old timber, installing the concrete, fastening up and finishing off was completed by lunch, a good effort for a crew of 5 in the sweltering heat.

To add to our presidential theme, a most recent ex-president decided today was the day to join the track gang. Michael tells us he had a great time, despite the heat. He’s turned out to be an natural with a clip applicator! We hope to see him on the gang again soon.

With the extremely uncomfortable weather (first of the season always seems worse) the gang has again gone well above and beyond the call of duty over the past two days, with a very respectable 60 sleepers installed and this part of the curve now finished.

Next week will see 80lb rails being prepared on Thursday and completing the last of the re-railing in tangent 15-16 on Friday. The weather is looking much better (wet at this stage but that will no doubt change) so please join us.