In what can only be described as a miserable rainy day, we seem to have experienced every possible setback known to a track gang, but hopefully that’s behind us now and tomorrow will be a better day.

Despite contending with a flat tyre, hydraulic failure and fuel system trouble, we did manage to remove a good number of sleepers from the road bed and transport them to easy collection points. Unfortunately the job is made a bit harder by the incredibly poor timber condition, but that’s the nature of the beast.

Tomorrow’s weather is predicted to be far kinder, and all going well we’ll break into a couple of groups. One continuing with the sleeper removal and the other removing anchors for the next section of sledding.

Meeting at Donkey Gully Rd from 8.15am.

Another day of towing rails over Fryers Rd has seen us completely fill the 5 foot between Fryers Rd and Stephen Street, approx 80 rails, which doesn’t sound a lot, but it certainly looks a mountain of rail.

We’re quite proud of our efforts.

Given the somewhat dramatic weather forecast for tomorrow, chance of heavy rain from lunchtime and the need to catch up on a bit of machine servicing, there won’t be a workday tomorrow.

Thursday is also predicted to be wet, we do have a lot we can do in the rain but it’s more machine work than gang work, so we’ll update you tomorrow on the status of Thursday once we see how the weather situation pans out.

Well after what has been a pretty big week, we are now proud to say we’re over half way through the recovery project, still a lot to go, but we’re making significant headway.

We spent today towing a good number of rails over Fryers Rd, with our new and improved ski jump.

This very short section before the crossing must have been resleepered just before the line closed, as it’s the only section so far that has been good enough to jack and pack up! This version of the ski jumped proved to be ideal, giving us heaps of clearance.

On Monday we’ll be back here, moving the dragged rails up to Stephen Street and bring the next lot up to Fryers Rd, ready for more over the roading on Tuesday.

We’d also like to put out a small plea for assistance…. Given the enormous amount of grass growth this season, all of the road and pedestrian crossings around Castlemaine are in serious need of a whipper snip. If anyone in the area feels inclined to help us out a little, so we can stay focused on the rail recovery project, we would be extremely greatful. Please contact ganger@vgr.com.au if you’re able to help.

A very bad picture from today, but it does sort of show what we have achieved. All the remain track fastenings from Donkey Gully Rd to Guildford have now been collected and stockpiled at convenient locations.

But that wasn’t all, we’ve even prepared Fryers Rd crossing for rail towing, a ramp has been installed on the south side and a dip in the track just on a bit has been patched up, ready to start towing rail down to Steven St. tomorrow from 8.15am.