Only a little bit more rerailing today, just 2 more lengths, one in each leg to complement one more installed on Tuesday. The main purpose was to get the rail junctions to more suitable locations to allow us to leave them in the track for a few weeks now while we go back and fasten up the timber.

We’re getting quite efficient at installing closure rails now, with all this only taking a few hours.

Then it was right back down to the start of the straight, dropping out and installing sleeper plates. We’ve completed the installation of about half of one leg on the straight, roughly 450m.

We had both diggers in use, one for the plate insertion and one hot on its heels tamping up.

Then it was onto drilling and screwing. We’ve decided to use screws instead of dogs, for a few reasons, they’re already lying on the ground from when we unfastened the 60lb and they can be driven with battery tools and that’s much easier than all the spiking gear. And we’re hoping it’ll be quicker and less labour intensive. We’ve only done a few lengths so far but we think it is a little easier and quicker than spiking (certainly a lot quieter!).

We’ve still got a lot of plates to drop out, holes to drill and screws to drive, however, hopefully by the end of next week, it’s all done along here.

The beauty of working in the country is the company! For afternoon tea we were joined by this mob!

Tomorrow’s crew will continue with the drilling and screwing, meeting on site (near Farmers Bridge) from around 8.15am.

Another very successful day of rerailing, with a further 5 lengths installed.

To avoid the issue of joints falling directly over concrete sleepers, a few rails needed cropping and drilling.

The slowest part of the job is almost always unfastening the old rail, an unfortunately fiddly task that often requires cutting of a screw or spike near a joint.

The ability of the concrete sleepers to maintain gauge adequately to operate the digger over safely before the clipping up gang has been through, saves a lot of time, but does give a weird illusion when the old rail is partly out and the new still to be lifted in.

The clipping up, not the most glorious or exciting job, but a rather easy and rewarding one compared with drilling and spiking.

The gang even discovered a little leverage boosting trick to move a stubborn rail over those few extra mm’s that is sometimes needed to get the biscuit in. The trick is to place a biscuit between the Web and the pansetter tool, it prevents the sleeper being lifted, but usually if that’s an issue getting biscuits in isn’t.

After this week’s big effort, only one 94lb rail is needed to complete the tangent. This should comfortably be achieved on Tuesday. Meeting Maldon 8am or on site from 8.30am.

In a slight change of plans, Will’s currently out of action with a touch of the Covid, but the gang managed very successfully without him, achieving the installation of 6 x 55m 94lb rails or 330m. (One of the rails may have only been a 42m rail, but either way it’s still a good effort)

Although things were a little slower, the gang is now well practised in the art of re-railing, so the progress was still impressive.

In this section the concrete sleeper count is well over 1 in 3, so regardless of the timber sleepers not being fastened up straight away, the gauge holding is excellent.

The last 2 rails still need clipping up tomorrow and the gang size tomorrow will determine how many more lengths will be installed.

The 6 rails mark half way along the straight. Its unlikely that’ll be completed tomorrow, but it’s very likely that’ll be completed on Tuesday next week.

Tomorrow’s gang will meet at Maldon from 7.45am or on site from 8.15am.

As predicted, a good sized gang was on hand today and we comfortably installed the last 5 lengths of 94lb rail in the UP leg of the straight. Another 275m of rail.

Between us we all managed to forget to take photos of the actual work, but plenty of the finished product.

Today’s progress is a good indication that we should be able to install all 12 lengths required to complete the Down leg on Thursday and Friday this week. On Thursday we’ll meet at Maldon at 7.45am or on site – Farmers Bridge – from 8.15am, there’s little to no need to meet at Maldon unless you’d like a lift to site.