Lineside Pruning Dalfaber - 13th January 2018

A few of the Squad slipped in a productive extra PWay day (to burn off a few of the Festive calories maybe!)

 

 

As can be seen from the above photo, the ever growing vegetation is again beginning to encroach the telegraph wires on the Up approach to Dalfaber Level Crossing.

 



Mike here attacking it the traditional way, whilst John Wood and Ian Stanworth put their chainsaw certificates to good use. John by using his trusty Stihl chainsaw waded through 200+ small trees and saplings, whilst Ian got to grips with John's new battery powered pole saw for removing high and awkward to reach branches. Mike followed up by neatly stacking the brash lower down the embankment.

 

Thanks to John for photos and info. 

Spey Lodge Level Crossing and No 3 Road - 6th January 2018

Good turnout for the start of 2018 in Arctic conditions - John, Roger, Ian, Andrew and Georgie turned up on time and the first task was to make the worksite safe by scraping the snow and ice off Spey Lodge level crossing, as over time some of the timbers were beginning to work loose.

 

 

Eventually Angus, Mike & Martin turned up having had Morning Coffee and Cake! in the warmth of Spey Lodge. Four timbers lifted and four safety screws fitted into web of the rail, another four lifted to asses damage and dipping/unevenness and repeated, ballast packing proceeded under the longitudinal beams to level everything up.

 

 

54 coach screws (12x200mm) removed and new holes bored and countersunk and replaced with new. Job done we thought!

 

 

Georgie summoned class 08 Diesel hauling a wagon with some small ballast to fill in dips on the approach ramps.

 

 

Finally job done and onto the next minor task....

 

 

Road 3 in the Aviemore Engine Shed needed some TLC - broken chair replacement -

Easy - Oh so Wrong! to unscrew chairs, remove/move and make new wooden keys and chair packers (Many Thanks to Willie Dodds of the C&W Department), in the process we broke another chair, eventually found a suitable replacement after much searching of Aviemore Yard.

 

 

Then re-assemble, re-key, pack chairs bolt up, level, re-drill holes and tighten screws took a mere three hours!

Thanks to John Wood for all photos and Info.