Tangent 12-13

Now that all the curves have been strengthened, it’s into the straights. We’re starting from Muckleford and heading towards Castlemaine.

Scraping rock away from the fastenings.

With marks on the sleeper ends and the ballast scrapped away from the fastenings were we ready to start pulling screws and spikes.

This whole straight only needs about 230 concrete, of which 177 are already on site.

The big blower clears the rocks away brilliantly ready for pulling fastenings.

Before long all the spikes were pulled and the first 50 concrete were under the track. With Rolf running along with the blower clearing any dirt away before tamping up.

Tamping the sleepers up before clipping.

Of course interrupted by the critical lunchtime tea drinking ceremony.

All the kit, ready to do the next sleeper.

As we didn’t have a lot to do for the crew while the digger and scarifier were busy, they moved down to breaking up more 60lb rail, this time the rail removed from curve 13.

By days end we’d inserted 101 concrete sleepers, all tamped up and 52 clipped up. We’ve clipped them up using the inner lugs only through here as we plan to rerail this very soon and as we’re on a straight, gauge holding is well within the ability of the remaining timber sleepers. If we find it a problem we’ll install outer biscuits and clips.

So despite showers predicted, we’ll still be out again tomorrow, clipping up the final 49 sleepers and preparing the next lot of sleepers.