Fishplates

In a day that can only be described as a journey of pure excitement, we changed 50 pair of 6 hole fishplates for 4 hole fishplates. All between Maldon and Woodlocks Lane.

Unfortunately as we’re out of fishplates, it was a case of remove the plates, trim with the rail saw and then install the shortened fishplates back to where they came from. It actually didn’t quite work out like that, we tried to cut a few lengths ahead to prevent everyone having to work too near the saw, but that was the logic.

This is all in aid of installing concrete sleepers, as the long 6 hole angle plates foul the concrete sleepers fastenings, however the 4 holers fit nice between sleepers, now a very tried and tested method we employed between Muckleford and Castlemaine during the re-railing.

So we’ve not only got several thousand more fishplates to remove, cut and reinstate, it’ll likely be a lengthy process, but we can comfortably do the 50 pair in a day, however it is hard going.

We’ll continue on with this tomorrow morning, starting just near Bendigo Road from around 8.15am, however there is rain forecast, so when / if it arrives, we’ll journey through to Castlemaine where we will continue working on the Excavator.