Lots of odd jobs took place this past week  with some new grab plates for the little digger installed – to replace the original and extremely worn out set.

Unfortunately, they look too nice to use.

Timber sleepers were bundled, strapped and stacked at Maldon, as we had ended up with quite a few half packs that needed combining.

A bit more tidy up, and we even got a rare glimpse of the partly painted F class while we were moving other items in and out of the shed.

Other jobs completed included the Big Digger receiving some maintenance, a full track weedspray was completed on the only day that was suitably dry and still. Lots of little tidy up and odd jobs occurred and that theme will continue this coming week, however due to other obligations, there will be no workday on Monday, however from Tuesday it’ll be back to usual, meeting Maldon from 8am.

Well, after a big effort, we’ve now completed the installing component of our resleepering program for 2026.

As with the last section of fastclips we did, we’re yet to come back and clip ever single sleeper up, however the hard yards are complete and once the bits are on hand it’s only a day or two to knock that over.

Today was all about tidying up and getting the gear back home.

We’ve bundled up all the loose sleepers and loaded them onto a wagon at Muckleford.

We even recovered a concrete sleeper that found its way a little too far down the embankment!

Next week will be a maintenance week primarily, centred around Maldon, meeting there each day from 8am. The roses at Maldon are looking very impressive. Well, worth a look if you’re passing by.

Although we forgot to get a finished photo… it’s now concrete sleepers all the way to the bridge!

140 we installed over the past 2 days.

This pics shows how much we’ve actually lifted the track, although at a glance at the finished product, you really can’t tell. We spent a lot of time graduating a long ramp down to the bridge, using increasingly thinner concrete sleepers to achieve the bridge height.

It was all pretty regular stuff, just with a few VR type and low profiles towards the Bridge.

Since these pics we’ve done a bit more lining and it’s looking very smart.

Tomorrow we’ve got some other activities to attend to up at Maldon so there won’t be a workday, however Thursday will be workday, meeting at Maldon at 8am.

Today was helping out the mechanical branch down at Castlemaine. To facilitate some concrete flooring that’s shortly being installed under the oil store, the current oil store needed moving to a temporary location.

A plastic lined bunded area was prepared at the north end of the loco shed.

This will hopefully only be needed for a few months, until the concrete is down and it’ll head up to its new permanent location.

While at the depot, we assisted in changing a set of batteries in the blue Y class.

The Y is having some heavy maintenance work, which is almost complete. However, to test it properly, it’s much easier if the loco will actually start!

Loco batteries are big, heavy things, so needless to say, the digger did a lot of the lifting wherever possible.

We’ve rotated the water column currently being repainted.

Separated and stacked up some scrap steel for disposal.

Did a few running repairs to the flail mower, which was out in action to knock down the really long stuff around Castlemaine.

And enjoyed a few cuppas under the accommodation hut veranda.

On the whole, it was a very successful day.

Next week, we’ll be back into concrete sleepers to Muckleford Creek Bridge, meeting at Maldon on Monday at 8am.