Today was all about preparing the various components needed to build the turnout next week.

Of course, all the point timbers we needed were at the bottom of the pile! So, most of the day was dedicated to sorting them out. However, we got there, and now the piles look much neater.

We also laid out all the bits of turnout we had on hand, to begin working out what went where.

We didn’t lay it out exactly, but we determined which rails will be used where in the turnout. We had everything we needed – you’d almost think we’d had a bit of practice.

The view from the platform shows the headshunt taking shape.

We’ve had an extremely successful week in our fund-raising efforts through the buy a sleeper campaign, raising around $40,000 of that this week!!!

To ensure we can continue getting these sleepers installed, we still need to raise a bit more. If you’re able to help, in any way at all, we’d get there in no time!

Donations can be made securely on the official VGR website https://www.vgr.com.au/product/buy-a-sleeper/406?cs=true&cst=custom

Next week’s crew will be installing the turnout in Maldon Yard. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday meeting at Maldon from 8am.

This was on the back of the truck to greet us this morning.

So we set out to just past Pipeline Crossing and continued on with the fishplate changes.

We got quite proficient at the task, and we’re now about a third of the way to Donkey Farm Track (we’re probably not quite that far but it makes us feel better to think we’re that far through!).

We’ve decided that a pallet a day is quite enough, so just after morning tea we picked up the removed plates and headed up to Maldon.

Once back at Maldon, we set about doing further work on the headshunt. First job was to remove our temporary buffer stop.

This was all to aid us in getting in additional fill to complete the levelling of the ground beside the shed – getting in by road wasn’t an option given all the other stuff we had in the way.

After a bit of additional dismantling, so we could level the bit we didn’t quite get to last time, we set the laser up and worked the fill back until we had a nice even surface.

Some important measurements to locate the turnout and plain track were made. Followed by the marking up of the sleeper spacings.

The disassemble bit was quickly reassembled, to help in bringing in the sleepers.

As the only real opportunity to drive a digger along the roadbed is now (as once the turnout is built we’ll loose all access) we set about dropping them out.

It was a good few trips back and forth to drop out the sleepers, however much quicker than carrying them in by hand.

A trolley load of sleepers got us to this point, needing only 4 more to complete the plain track. From this point, the turnout begins.

As part of this process, we needed to move a pile of gravel we had stored exactly in the way of everything in the compound, whatever we did it was in the way. So we set about spreading it, Will managed to make a total hash of it with the digger, thankfully John’s effort of the Telehander improved the situation greatly.

By the end of the day, it was a massive improvement, much less lumpy and a lot smoother to walk over.

Tomorrow’s crew will be continuing with the turnout building works, we’ll be organising the timbers, rails etc.. ready to get it all built next week. Meeting at Maldon from 8am

A very exciting day was had today, changing 6 hole fishplates for 4 holers, all in readiness for concrete sleepers to go in in March.

We’ve decided that doing a pallet’s worth a day is quite enough, as it does involve a lot of bending and lifting. A pallet’s worth got us from Pipeline Crossing to a few rail lengths into the curve, certainly a lot more to go. However, each one we do is one less later on.

The afternoon was spent doing a range of tidying up and odd type jobs at Maldon.

Thursday’s gang will head out to do another pallet’s worth of fishplates, before heading up to Maldon to get back into the turnout building. Meeting at Maldon 8am

We had quite a successful day today. Various off jobs around Maldon Yard were completed.

The stock rails for the turnout were soon to install for 3 Roads, didn’t have point chairs fitted. However, these were on hand and before too long both stock rails had chairs fitted and bolted up.

As part of the point chair fitting we needed a few chair bolts, of which a supply was in one of the disused trucks, upon having a proper clean out of the truck we found all sorts of goodies, a whole bucket full in fact!

We’ve been on the hunt for a while for suitable undercover storage option for our bolts and bits that aren’t necessary precious, but are definitely not suited to the outdoor life. As such, we’ve grabbed thia louvre van at Maldon that wasn’t doing much, we’ve got a plan to knock up some cheap racking and it’ll probably house just about everything we need it to. Today saw us get the doors running and locked shut. Our plan has made sure the wagon will still be movable if it is ever needed in traffic. We’ll be working on that between other jobs over the next few weeks.

A works train, with the dual purpose of removing more items from Maldon Yard and a load test of T333 following recent works also occurred today. Both seemed to be quite successful.

There will be no workday tomorrow, due to illness. All being well, things will be back to normal on Tuesday.