Rail Recovery

Today was a very busy day. An enormous amount of rail has been cut and stacked beside the track.

We have in fact cut all of the loose rail that required it, with only around 15 loose lengths still remaining (they just need unbolting) and the section from Moscript to the Junction to be sled and we’ll have all the rail onto our railway! A massive effort.

A nice morning was followed by a nice day. Both diggers were in fine form after being freshly serviced and some new tyres fitted to the little digger it was like poetry in motion. We did have a couple of little hiccups but nothing that cost us more than a few minutes.

We had so many people today, so we broke into two groups, one loosening bolts and removing the last of the anchors, the other cutting rail.

The rail cutting gang consisted of a new crew.

Our railway is playing host to a pilot training scheme for people looking for a career in railway maintenance. We’re able to offer the trainees the hands on experience they otherwise wouldn’t be able to get, unless they had already secured a job in the industry. So far they’re proving extremely keen and a value to our workforce! Keep up the great work lads.

The anchor removers, we’ve decided this is the worst job of whole project, did a massive effort, leave only a few hundred metres to go tomorrow before we can start sledding.

Believe it or not, all the coloured marks do mean something, it’s largely for sorting into stockpiles and ensuring we install the correct (generally previously unused) running edge.

And just because all that wasn’t enough, we threw a train into the mix! Another 35 odd 80lb rails were loaded up to give us enough room to continue stacking rail. There haven’t yet been dropped out, that’ll be on a quiet day next week.

All that rail towing has seen a significant groove dug into the pedestrian crossings, so that was remedied before we left the site.

After a massive day’s effort from everyone, a nice shady spot was found for a wind down cuppa.

We’ll be back out tomorrow from 8.15am at the junction breaking up the last few loose rails and removing more anchors.