Hot, that’s about the only possible word to describe today.

The day began by capturing what little shade we could, driving spikes into point timbers.

Before too long we’d completed one turnout and moved onto the other.

It was quite a tedious job for some reason, however 11 point timbers have been replaced in the V/Line cross over turnout, with everything except the point lever tied up.

We ventured up to check out what Vline were up to today, it’s certainly one big hole, which they were busily filling when we arrived. This is to correct an issue with the abutment, and the lack of track is why we’re not running any trains until the 7th March. We’re very thankful Vline is taking on all responsibility for this work, as it’d be well and truly beyond our means to this.

A few pics showing off today’s other task, which was removing as much vegetation from beside the track as we could.

A comparison with other recent pics will show just how much we’ve removed.

Especially in this area, we’ll hopefully get the mower over this on Friday to tidy up all the little stuff, however it’s an enormous improvement over what it was.

Tomorrow’s crew will meet the Castlemaine Depot at 7.30am, before heading out to get a bit more done.

We had another very successful day today, with another 30 or so concrete sleepers installed, typically in quite awkward locations, in 3 and 4 roads, however everything between the Vline Crossing and the fouling point in now 100% concrete and clipped up! (with the obvious exception of the turnout)

We had 14 left to install on the Melbourne side of the outer home signal, which was achieved comfortably, as was the spike pulling in the V/Line connection turnout ready for timbers to be replaced there tomorrow.

We still haven’t quite got around to getting out to the bridge to see what’s happening, however a keen eye will see a big orange digger on the job up there, from a distance it seems like lots is happening.

Tomorrow’s crew will start a little earlier to try to beat the heat, we’ll kick off at 7am in the depot, out on site not too long after. It’ll likely be a short day tomorrow with the predicted high temps, as the weather, even this afternoon, was far from enjoyable.

We had a very successful day today, with around 75 concrete sleepers inserted under the track for tomorrow’s crew to clip up.

We’ve still a few to install from the outer departure signal to the Vline Turnout and good few to install into 3 road where we’re close to Vline.

Quite a bit of the messy foliage beside the track has been attacked. Typically we can’t get out there to do this work, however, while it’s all under occupation with no trains it’s an ideal time.

Vline is undertaking lots of work during this shutdown, with lots going on at two of our shared bridges. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to grab a few snaps tomorrow to show off the works.

There is plenty of work for tomorrow’s crew, we’ll be meeting at 7.45am down in the Depot at Castlemaine before we head out on site to continue inserting and begin clipping up.

It was such an amazing and action packed day of moving stuff around ahead of the works next week that we forgot to get pictures!

It wasn’t really all that exciting unfortunately… however everything is well placed to hit the ground running on Monday Morning.

We’ll be meeting at the Castlemaine Depot around 7.45am on Monday, and out on site from around 8.15am (roughly). There will be action at Castlemaine every weekday next week so please feel free to come along and check it out.