On going concrete sleeper refurbishment

 Back at the start of the year we were donated track panels by Network Rail from sidings on the West Highland Line. Georgie's aim is to refurbish enough good concrete sleepers (546!) for us to replace the ageing wooden ones on a 1/4 of a mile of track towards end of Dalfaber straight, over the closed season this coming Winter.

Below brief outline of the process -

Dab of track lube

Unscrew sufficiently to check if any pad still exists (some are horse hair) between chair and sleeper using power tools thankfully!

"Gentle" persuasion for those nuts that are seized, usually three strikes of hammer cracks them free or shears rotten bolts! 

New rubber pad inserted if required, by deftly lifting chair.

Another dab of lube before tightening nuts up again, those that will not loosen or bolt spins below sleeper or other reason as deemed by Georgie are condemned (yellow X) for future use in sidings. 

Thanks to Richard (photos) Mike above (info) Andrew, Georgie and the Station Master who kindly supplied cold tins of soft drink as it was a roasting day.    

 

Change of scenery/task near end of line

Saturday 24th May saw an extra PWay day (away from the fishplate oiling of late)

Having previously been flailed, the short siding near the river Dulnain, was further attacked with loppers, bowsaw and battery chainsaw, to get it back into a useable state for occasional use.

Thanks to Iain, David and Ian for efforts, info & before/after photos. 

 

An extra day squeezed in completes two projects - 14/15 March 2025

An extra PWay day was arranged for Friday and thankfully a big squad responded.

 

Location - Broomhill Loop, task - install Trap Switch.

Beds dug out, fishplates removed and not least the notoriously difficult to remove elastic spikes (thanks to Fergus) 

Sleepers/rail removed (by machine) bed lowered by an inch

to accommodate thicker timbers, some of the squad were detailed to retrieve all scrap materials from the North end of Loop. 

Meanwhile Mike and Ian (above) filled with concrete, their previously constructed shuttering on the four legs of the watertower at Boat of Garten.

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Saturday saw a smaller squad continue in warmer weather

Above John on rail drill and Andrew exercising!

The finished product, fishplate securing it Out Of Use, until such time as through running achieved beyond Broomhill and it would effectively become a siding (S&T would need to connect it all up and obviously move the Stop board!) 

Thanks to Mike, Michael, Roddy, Angus, Martin, John, Andrew, Iain and special mention to Fergus, Ian and myself who survived two consecutive days under Georgie's leadership.

 

Broomhill plainline complete - Saturday 8th March

Saturday saw a Broomhill meet, the February service trains compacted the hand packed ballast sufficiently to allow for Measured Shovel Packing to commence - 

although there were some big lifts and many chippies consumed, above photo shows Gang just prior to slewing 

and after much huffing, puffing and walking up and down, Georgie was satisfied with the result.

 Thanks to Fergus, Angus, Michael & Mike and Ian who provided photos/info.

Packing ballast Broomhill plainline - 11th February 2025

For mid-week, a big squad met at Broomhill,

unfortunately Georgie too quickly re-cycled the previously spent ballast back into the four foot using the JCB, sighting boards in position and track jacked up apparently 10mm high to allow for compaction and a 15mm cant, as apparently it is the tightest curve between Aviemore and Forres. 

We reluctantly left the warmth of the Porters Room, our first job to spread the ballast into the right places!

Then the hard slog came - clockwise me, Martin, Fergus & Angus simultaneously packing the ballast under each lifted sleeper, high rail first then back along the low rail, move jacks, sight  level & repeat, not sure Georgie was too impressed when she observed that we had managed to lift the track off the jacks with our obviously over exuberance! Eventually we where done literally and Mike & Iain had also pulled in all the pandrol clips. We left Fergus with Georgie doing a bit of slewing as it was getting dark....

Thanks to all that attended - track fit for traffic again.    

 

Broomhill plain lined - Week ending 8th February 2025

Mike reports with below photos - Wednesday 5th saw a small squad meet Broomhill

another 16 sleepers pre-drilled and PAN11 baseplates fitted, last of timbers removed using Colmar and Fergus in JCB.

Ballast cleared out, hopefully to the correct level, using GPS (a.k.a. Georgie) controlled JCB & the high-tech laser sighting boards !

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Scene at start of a chilly Saturday 8th Feb

and by mid afternoon!

Fergus further reports with above photo - Rails dropped in, fishplated and outside pandrols hammered in! (Pan puller missing) fun was had with the closure rails......

Thanks to Mike, Fergus, David, Andrew & Michael showed up after lunch 

 

Pre-drilling for Broomhill remodelling - 18th January 2025

I think this is the third time we have tried to restart the Broomhill Yard Remodelling, a good sized squad in dry temperate conditions met with the usual cooling Broomhill Breeze! 

The main task - to pre-drill mainline sleepers, using our new to us adjustable gauge set apparently 1/4 Inch wide, by the end of the day lots of flat batteries and 60ish sleepers drilled & requisite Pan 11 baseplates referruled & screwed down ready for use.

Also the turnout to be removed was mostly undone in preparation for the big lift planned first two weekends next month.

Thanks to Georgie, Ian, Fergus, David, Andrew, Richard, Martin & Mike who supplied photos and info.