
September 2007
article by: Paul Fuller
September started with the gang continuing to work on the new
pointwork which is being constructed just north of Toddington as
part of the re-modelling in connection with the opening of the
extension to Broadway. The crossing nose was lined up and bolted
into position on the crossing timbers. One of the two closure rails
was laid in position as well, but it was discovered that the actual
rail was bent so was removed and will be either cut into a smaller
length for re-use in one of the sidings, or sold for scrap.
On the second weekend of the month, the gang were back to bolt
the straight-road check rail into position. Further crossing
timbers were laid out (and plenty are needed for this long 1-in-15
turnout) and baseplates for the stock rails and switches were laid
out in their appropriate positions.
The 15th of September was the date of the Steam Gala. Our
GW-liveried tool box vans were borrowed to form part of the
demonstration freight. Only a small gang was in attendance on this
day, so with the limited tools we had available, we worked at
Winchcombe attending to some repairs to a buffer stop in the middle
siding on the P-way side of the running line and we also attended
to a set of points in the Carriage and Wagon sidings which needed
slight re-gauging. Hopefully a few less hair-raising moments for
Phil Salter in the future during one of his many shunts!
With our tool vans back in the P-way train, work continued
on the turnout at Toddington for the final two weekends of
September where once again we have now had to stop work there
whilst we wait for the appropriate pair of switches to arrive,
which we hope will be soon!
Midweek - Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 September - a small gang
met at Dibrook Two with the aim of removing the dangerous twist
that had appeared in the track formation near the bridge. The
inside rail of the curve was raised to it's correct level and
packed with new ballast, then the outside rail was lifted to it
correct level (19mm higher than the inside rail to give the correct
amount of cant for 25mph running) and again, this was packed with
ballast. At the end, two Dogfish loads of new ballast were dropped
and Sharked making the area a lot safer now for trains. We need to
re-visit the site in the near future to sort out the formation
problem which will probably happen over the closed season when we
can get a line possession and do the work on the weekend rather
than midweek.