Charging Ahead

The past few days have been extremely successful. V/Line completed their works a day or so early, giving us a clear run to get stuck into ours.

Yesterday saw 19 timbers replaced and fully installed in turnout No. 56 (near the platform) and all the timber sleepers nearby to be replaced extracted.

Today saw us tackle turnout No. 17 (the V/Line connection), it only required a simple 9 so easy by comparison.

All timbers (where possible) have been installed using lug or pandrol flat plates, which gives excellent gauge holding and much longer timber life.

The last few remaining fishplates were changed and all the sleepers to be replaced between the turnouts have been (and fully clipped up).

With a few hours spare, we then set our sights to the ‘if we get time job’. This was removing the set of catch points near the V/Line connection which have spent their entire life spiked and clipped out of use, however fully interlocked should they be needed.

Well after almost 16 years, the need has never arisen and is not likely too… So to save on high maintenance costs we have elected to remove this turnout all together.

And gone it is!

We were given a few shortish lengths of 94lb which are perfect to fill the void, just requiring a fresh end to be cut first.

We have actually clipped up what you can see here and just need to install the small closure section tomorrow, finish changing and timber for concrete and then we can turn our attention to tamping, ballast scraping and tidying up.

We’re on track to finish by Saturday Afternoon, so if you’re free tomorrow or Saturday please join us. Meeting Castlemaine station 8am.