After a long day in much nicer, but still a little wet and windy weather, we have one end more or less installed.

It’s been quite a learning curve, as this turntable has a very different setup for securing the rail at the end than we’re used to.

After much debate and working out how to make it work, we decided we could do a far better job than the way it was, so we have changed fishplates and installed pandrol plates to hold the rain ends with no chance of movement.

It was a bit of a learning curve as we had to check out sections to allow for the pandrol plates. But we’ve now got a system for the other end and it should go like clockwork.

We’ll be back here Monday, maybe Tuesday next week and should knock the job over then.

Tomorrow we’re back into it on our Railway, replacing sleepers near Donkey Farm Track. Meeting Maldon 8am, site from 8.30am

Another day at Newport (well half day, thanks to the torrential rain!)

One end is almost ready to be inserted, with the arc cut, checking out completed and only bolting up to go.

We’ll be back there in force tomorrow, hopefully to get the job 99% done. Time will tell but if we can get enough helpers, we might just be able to clear the job site tomorrow afternoon. Starting at Newport from around 8am.

We’re down playing Turntables at Newport. A job we’ve not done a lot of, but it’s essentially bridge work which is a task we can handle with great ease.

The end timbers, where the locking mechanism sits are less than ideal, so we’re replacing them.

After a very late start and some minor truck trouble, we have done all the unbolting and even removed one timber. We’ll use this as the guide for preparing the new timber tomorrow and hopefully (if the rain holds off) get one if not both installed.

Meeting Newport from 8.15am.

What started out as a very productive day of dogging up sleepers, turned very wild and wooly, fast.

Before the storm however, we did manage to fasten up the majority of the sleepers up the straight, with only about 40 sleepers on one leg to go next week.

Unfortunately we ran into some trouble with the tamper, but while trackside assistance remedied the issue, the grabs deputised for lifting ready for drilling and boxing up duties.

It was very wet though, with one nearby property reporting 37mm of rain in an hour! A nice change to the hot dry of summer.

The storm was obviously very localised as the section near Pipeline Crossing has had the drains scoured, thankfully with no damage to the track.

There will be some drain cleaning required over the next few weeks to ensure we can handle a similar event should it occur.

Monday & Tuesday next week (possibly Wed if needed) will be at Newport Workshops, working on the Turntable. Start time for Monday will be a lesurly midday at the workshops, where as Tuesday will be normal time at the workshops.

Thursday and Friday we’ll be back out working on more sleepers.