Switch & Crossing in eventually - two week ending 16th March

Saturday 9th saw a good squad assemble in anticipation of much visible progress with our 12 tonne Rail Crane, alas it broke down almost immediately, necessitating Nathan to make a wee trip to Inverness to get a part sorted/made. 

Mid afternoon recommencement of the big lift 

and this was the scene at close of play at a late 6pm!

Thanks to John for photos and of course all that attended.

By Thursday 14th Georgie and I believe Fergus had been busy rebuilding the switch recorded above at the start of another mid week day with a good turnout (no pun intended!)

Our aim to insert closure rails - which inevitably meant dealing with Mike's favourite fixing - elastic spikes! Martin doing the easy part hammering them in, although as it transpired all 6 holes in the baseplates had to be spiked to give them a good grip on the sharp curve. 

Georgie doing the technical as always - measuring, cutting and inserting the rails. Angus and Roddy fishplating up and myself any labouring. Job complete to Georgie's satisfaction by 4pm.

Saturday 16th saw the 4 length gap closed up with concrete sleepers, rubber pads, biscuits, clips and newer rails.

 

Possibly a bit of slewing still to do! But essentially stringy bits all joined up again.

Hate to think the number of man/woman hours put into this time critical project but we were certainly helped by dry weather. 

 

Broomhill progress to 8th March 2024

Sunday 2nd March saw a brave John doing his second day in a row and Richard his THIRD on the PWay 

John reports - 3 hours of digging out more ballast and another two lengths of removing the dreadful elastic spikes all but killed them, so they were very grateful to see Rob turn up to assist. Alas the Colmar Road Rail machine wasn't able to slew the track, even under Georgie's expert handling

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Wednesday saw Fergus and Georgie in a bitingly cold but dry wind, coax the trusty
Muscleman (above) back into life to continue slewing, alas it did burst a pipe three times! But it did what it is designed to do to Georgie's satisfaction.

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John reports of Friday's shenanigans - More slewing today with the muscleman which only broke down twice (which is at least an improvement!) and manually with rail jacks, bit of digging sleeper ends out for another 3 lengths towards the station. Stripped 6 sleepers of the new point panels to lessen weight for the crane.

Then we swapped 6 sleepers under the newly re-located catch point, 1 rail end cut to length.

Thanks to Georgie, Ian, Martin, Angus and Iain for the assistance.

(thanks to John for all the photos)

 

More digging and much more at Broomhill - 1st & 2nd March 2024

A few of us had a Friday off work, so where else would we go for fresh air and exercise!

Rare photo above (Richard, Ian, Michael, Roddy) Michael actually working!!! Possibly with the encouragement of Ian. In the glorious sunny morning digging out the switch and crossing was completed.

And after a rather smoky lunch, we had digging out the remainder of the plain line to look forward to, in the event it was easier than anticipated, as the wee clamshell bucket saved us a lot of heavy digging, although we were getting rather tired, Ian and Richard with Georgie sighting marked out the new alignment. Roddy took above arty photo - showing the soon to be replaced naked wooden Mills Clip track panels

 Richard above then finessed the new rails into position with the help of the Colmar and Georgies skillful operation. 

Thanks to all that attended.

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On Saturday, 2nd day of meteorological Spring, the drive up the A9 to Broomhill didn't exactly fill us with glee!

As captured by John in Ian's car, who met up with  Angus, Mike, Martin, Fergus, Richard, Iain, myself and Georgie at an altogether more balmy worksite.

Above showing existing alignment, proposed is just visible - red ground mark and new rail will be the position of sleeper ends. 

Think it was two plain lengths of Mills clips removed, rail dragged out, then sleepers man handled so that Georgie could reach with Colmar. 

Then unscrew catch points and remove to PWay train in loop.

Then a couple of lengths of the dreaded elastic spikes, each time Georgie went to the train with redundant material, she came back with required components in the grab.

A lot of unscrewing required on actual switch and crossing, which was finally dismantled and removed after half of us had left site.

Yet again thanks to the many that turned out and I hope Georgie was pleased with progress!