Network Rail work at Aviemore and PWay near Boat - 20th October 2018

Network Rail are shortly going to be extending the length of the Mainline loop at Aviemore by 350 metres to the North and full re-signalling and re-control of the Signalbox to Inverness Signalling Centre. Strathspey Railway are assisting Network Rail and their main contractor, Bam Nuttal, where ever possible -

Below, on Saturday night, possibly at "closing time"? Davy Dow (who took the photos) and Colin Stirling (who supplied info) came across

 

 

lifting long lead switches (points) by 25 tonne Kirow Crane in from Strathspey Railway Car Park at Aviemore to a bolster wagon on our run round loop in advance of running into position on Mainline.  

 

 

Stretcher bar used to prevent load "hog backing" and overstressing. In all 10 lorry loads were planned overnight (stretched into a second night apparently). Each standard concrete "sleeper" weighing at least 1/4 tonne, with larger cross members being heavier.  

 

Earlier in the day, our own PWay squad consisting of Ben Tyrell, John Hornby, Peter Muff, Ian Stanworth and John Wood were tasked to change and lubricate 17 sets of the old fishplates. With the newer heavy duty type of fishplates replaced on the rails from Morley’s Mansion down towards Broomhill, in connection with part of plan to allow Broomhill section of track to be inspected less frequently in the future. The gents made good time and the job was made much easier by the recently purchased two battery impact wrenches for removing and re-tightening the fishplate nuts, the task completed by 3pm, then it was tidy up time for the tools as they/us were covered in track lube!

 

 

 John was again working too hard to take any photos but the previous Saturday him and Ian spent 7 hours working replacing the hydraulic lever control block on the jacker packer, it was an onerous task as probably hadn't been taken been off since the machine rolled out of the factory, eventually got it done, but ran out of time to test it.

 

 

 

 Video clip above of jacker packer test runs this Saturday,(re-fishplated track in background) the refurbished control block seems to have helped but we think one of the traction motors still needs attention also.
Thanks to all in the production of this particular blog.