Making the new turnout part of the track, rather than just a fancy standalone feature, was the focus of today.

Joining the new build up to the existing, required a good amount of pre-work discussion, but in no time the action plan was formed and we were into it.

First up some ballast preventing the job was moved, followed by laying out sleepers and rail.

We’ve been able to make use of a few 80 to 94lb junction rails that we’ve had lying around, a very nice way of joining different rail types.

Given the timber sleepers we re-used were in relatively good condition, but had been spiked in a few locations previously, we installed the rail using the recently featured pandrol adaptor’s.

The day might come when rails magically fit into a gap without cutting… But we’re not holding our breath.

Once the rails were cut to length, everything just fell into place and straight away it looked like it was meant to be.

Thankfully we had enough people to have two tasks on the go, one lot fastening up while the other started lifting and tamping the turnout.

It’s amazing just how much more finished the turnout looks with some rock on it. The background view here is the slewing of the existing turnout track to line up with the turnout, which it did very nicely. A little bit of tweaking required, but it’s pretty good.

By day’s end the closures had been cut and roughly installed to join the turntable road up once more.

Tomorrow’s crew should comfortably complete the join up and final tamp of the turnout, ready for traffic.

Meeting at Castlemaine from 8.30am.

Today saw the last of the materials dropped off at Castlemaine to allow the turnout completion and track building. With a bit of luck, by the end of tomorrow, we’ll have the turnout connected back into the turntable road and largely ballasted.

Meeting Maldon 8am or Castlemaine from 8.30am.

Well we’ve made a good start on building 5 siding, starting at the carriage shed and working towards the turnout.

This point marked us running out of concrete sleepers on site (plenty more at Muckleford though).

The rail used here was the last of the 80lb still lying around the yard at Castlemaine, it’s not a bad spot to use up all the odd short lengths.

The main focus of today was to complete the projection out from the shed, and re-instate a crossing for fire access and our hi-rail access while the turntable road is out of action.

Once the gravel was spread, it was looking pretty snazzy. We did also tamp and lift as required (not much of a lift though as we put a lot of effort into getting the formation height right first)

It’s amazing how much more finished it now looks.

Next week we’ll be a bit all over the place. Monday is an odd jobs day, with no formal workday. Tuesday there won’t be a workday at all. However Wednesday will be a works train, moving the remainder of the required Materials into Castlemaine to complete the current works. Thursday and Friday should see the new turnout connected up and available for use (to the turntable at least).

After the short lockdown hiatus, we’re back.

The final bits and bobs on the turnout were completed today, just the connection with the existing track, ballasting and tamping to go now.

The last few dogs were the only real outstanding item.

Point lever, crank and spreader bars have also been installed.

Operating very nicely. As always we had to re-remember exactly how to fit these from new, we do it so rarely, but we got there!

Rolf even installed and tightened the last of the Heel bolts, with the patented heel bolt spanner.

It’s certainly looking the business now.

The first bit of track projecting out of 5 siding shed road was also started, a bit of excavation was required as we’ve inevitably built this up to gain access, but it’s all gravel and will be perfect as to go back as ballast.

The big digger is proving ideal for these larger concretes, no hesitation and no issues with reach.

In fact it’s proving very useful for this work as all this sort of lifting work is barely an effort for it, the poor little takeuchi will do it, but it’s a bit of a strain at a full reach, the combination of machines, while a pure luxury, is proving to be very benifical and saving a lot of wear and tear on the little fella.

We even assisted in a cleanup of one of the station building rooms, some water tanks were fitted years ago with the toilet upgrade, unfortunately the pump died some time back and the full tanks have started to cause subsidence to the floor (loosely paved brick on uncompacted fill). Hence they’ve been drained, disconnected and removed, they will no doubt be re-deployed to a better, more useful location.

Lots of old signs were stored in the room too, however they’re all of some significance, so to help preserve them for the years to come when in themselves that’ll be museum pieces, we’ve moved them to the carriage shed. Where they can decorate the rather boring tin walls instead of loosing a bit of our history.

The small length so far will be extended tomorrow when we get the levels sorted out beyond here and then we’ll back fill and tamp to re-establish the fire access (and our access).

Now…. A bold claim was made last week about not seeing snakes often… Sorry it was a lie. Another, slightly smaller brown, did an almost exact repeat performance of deciding to travel from near the mainline, through the middle of the gang (having lunch) and onwards to the creek! However right up by the carriage shed today.

Again, as calm as a cucumber, very interested in all these people, but a bit annoyed by the piles of dirt that probably weren’t there this morning!

He had a good few goes at this mound before deciding going around it was the better option.

Tomorrow we’ll be back here, building more track towards the new turnout, please join us from 8.30am. (might even see another snake!)