Not quite as hot but still very hot!

We decided that install of tackling the 60 odd sleepers to get to marker post 125kms, we would tackle only 20 more timber sleepers on the Melbourne side of the road bridge, which ended up being a little too easy so we extended that by another 12, making today’s total 32 concrete sleepers installed. Certainly not as impressive as when we’re out in the bush, but given the heat, conditions and rather awkward nature of the work, it was pretty good going.

Infact we did achieve quite a bit more today too, with V/Line safeworking attending this morning to allow us to refit and test the point lever we removed to replace point timbers yesterday.

V/Line took the opportunity to get their turnout lubricated and serviced while they were there – a bit of a win for everyone, thanks V/line for making the time to attend it certainly saved us a lot of guess work.

The 32 new sleepers don’t actually stretch very far around the curve, however it’s 32 less that we need to replace next time.

This afternoon, after the crew had packed up and went to have a well-deserved break from the heat, all of the recent replacements received a tamp, there’s a few small top issues we’ll correct in the morning however on the whole it’s looking pretty good.

We’ve even managed to get stuck into that foliage that was ridiculous close and flicked it out of the way – we’ll get a good dose of weedspray onto that tomorrow, which should hopefully arrest its return.

One feature of this week’s work which hasn’t featured too heavily is the use of the civil train, parked up in the platform as a portable store, it’s saved us many many miles of running back and forth for items.

Tomorrow’s crew will be starting at Castlemaine Depot tomorrow from 7.30am, out on site shortly after.

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.