Well, after many weeks of indicating we were well on our way to Pipeline Crossing, we’ve kind of finally made it!

It’s only kind of, as we’ve installed the 1 in 4 pattern, so there’s still a bit to go this week to knock it over.

It was a very regulation Monday, unfastening every fourth, collecting the steelwork and then proceeding to lift and insert every fourth concrete.

However at our steady pace, by afternoon tea, we’d achieved our goal down to the crossing.

The last 10 or so sleepers are low profiles, to taper appropriately back into the crossing and achieve a minimal ramp, that’ll need some fine tuning later in the week, however the bones are in place now.

It’s by no means complete, however it’s certainly a massive point in the project.

Unfortunately, there is also a down side to this, we’re doing so extremely well and we could keep going installing many more sleepers, except we’ve all but exhausted our supply of pads and biscuits. Our main stumbling block in achieving more resleepeeing is having sufficient money to purchase more.

If you’re in a position to donate, even just a few dollars, your assistance would be greatly appreciated as it’ll allow our efforts to continue. Please check out our website and particularly our Buy a Sleeper fund raising campaign to help us continue this valuable work.

(Now we haven’t offered to include any names on the sleepers bought through this campaign, however, if you were to contact us at Civil@vgr.com.au we can probably organise something….! Leave your legacy on the VGR)

Tomorrow’s workday will be a regular Tuesday, meeting at Maldon 8am or on site from 8.15am.

Nothing too exciting to report back about today, however it’s really not far at all now to reach pipeline crossing, easily achievable next week.

The only slightly unexpected thing today, was noted some 10kms away from the worksite, a rather energetic and seemingly friendly red belly black snake. Which was noticed very randomly while stopping near Sawmill Road during this afternoon’s track inspection.

On Monday we’ll be meeting at Maldon at 8am or out on site from 8.15am.

Another successful day today, with the remaining 80 odd sleepers from yesterday, inserted and clipped up plus an additional 80 installed also. Taking this week’s total to 400.

Lots of pics today, nothing was even slightly new or different the past 6 weeks, besides the location.

This marked where we got to this morning, before tackling the additional 80.

The big digger roughly marking where the additional 80 got us to, just shy of the whistle post from Pipeline Crossing.

And a few artistic action shots to make it look really dramatic!

Tomorrow’s works won’t see any additional sleepers inserted, however it will see a large number of the old timber sleepers strapped and bundled so they can be taken away, as well as quite a bit of lifting and squeezing to smooth things out.

Meeting on site from 8.15am (just look for the little digger).

Were churning through Curve 17 at a great rate, with around 160 sleepers installed and clipped up today, leaving around 80 to insert on Thursday.

It’s a very well-oiled machine now, achieving very significant numbers, we can almost see Pipeline Crossing from where our end point will be this week.

There won’t be any workday tomorrow, however we’ll be back into things as normal on Thursday, meeting Maldon 8am or on site from 8.15am.