Lampitt Rail & Dalfaber Level Crossing - week ending 25th february 2023

Mike Tough reports - Last week Lampitt Rail Services Ltd were contracted in, to continue our re-sleepering effort on the Kinchurdy Straight between 87 1/2 & 3/4 mile posts. 

Reputedly 105 were changed on the first day! 

On completion, a total of 270 were done and with Georgies assistance the old ones (above right) removed from site,  

ballast dropped and spread and there was even time left for Georgie to get them to do some Measured Shovel Packing (MSP) at Boat of Garten Station! see Lampitt Rail Facebook page from where I borrowed the first two photos (above one taken by Mike from back of moving P'Way train yesterday). Many thanks to them as it would have taken Volunteers many many back breaking Weekends to get to this stage.

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Again Mike reports - Yesterday that he, David, Fergus & Michael met at Boat and joined Georgie"s P'Way train headed for the yet to be formally commissioned new Dalfaber Level Crossing. Now that the proper specialist fishplates had arrived ( below looks like worn bullhead to new flatbottom rail) the temporary clamps were removed, rail joints drilled eventually after a faulty drill delayed matters.

Having lifted the track either side of the crossing to carry out MSP, Georgie drove the train over, whilst Signalling & Telegraph team on site supervised road movements, to squeeze the track down before all headed home after another fruitful but tiring day.

Thanks to all involved

MSP 92 MP - 18th February 2023

Saturday saw an unwelcome overnight fall of snow at Boat of Garten, where we met and the train was readied and shunted from PWay Depot onto the mainline heading for milepost 92

fortunately less snow on the ground nearer Broomhill but a bone chilling mist (can't have everything!) 

Primary task was Measured Shovel Packing (MSP) but Mike spotted a minor off-track issue with a culvert being partially blocked, so this was cleared and the drainage improved. 

Georgie had noticed a elongated dip in the track at this location and it was confirmed using the sighting boards, after a lot of digging out of ballast in many alternate beds we were ready for a break in the warmth of the Brakevan! By Lunch task completed and Georgie wanted the dipped joints in the area attended to, more sporadic digging required! Michael graduated to the measuring can and Mike with the special MSP shovel above.

Thanks to Mike, Fergus, Andrew, Michael and Iain & David who collected 100+ redundant chair screws that were to be used securing the oil pipe along the line (the brackets are less urgent still to be seen as per top photo)  

Broomhill Cess & Boat maintenance - week ending 11th February 2023

Midweek saw us without Georgie, task set for us was to neatly spread the dropped ash in the cesses 92 1/2 milepost near Broomhill.

We first of all had to go to Boat of Garten to find the grapes, the toolvan was bereft of them except one very heavy one above, other dilapidated ones were got and when we arrived Broomhill Mike found a small rake.   

Task was completed quite rapidly and lunch was had in Broomhill Porters room as it was decidedly windy.

 

The plan was to lop lineside vegetation Milton Level Crossing but guessed all the decent tools were in the brakevan, presumably at Aviemore!! Angus fitted a new blade to to a handsaw and others found older/blunter implements. We walked from our PWay Depot and in the end cleared the down embankment and round to Milton Bridge as above.

Thanks to Angus, Mike and Roddy (latter two photos)

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Mike reports - Yesterday saw a small but very capable squad meet at Boat of Garten expecting to be whisked away to milepost 92 for Measured Shovel Packing, alas no locomotive was available, so Georgie's plan B swung into operation -

  "renewing a few ferrules and screws" near Boat South signalbox. Georgie had got a load of M screws when she was South during the week. Mike removed screws, possibly David and Kevin did battle with old ferrules and above foreground John screwed them down using wrench.

In the process flattening six batteries and a mere 450! screws, meant for four very tired volunteers. The redundant material tidied into piles then thrown in the clamshell bucket and taken to the recycling skip.

Thanks to all mentioned (Mike for info/photos) 

Jacking & Packing Kinchurdy - 3rd February 2023

 Friday 3rd February saw small squad head out to Kinchurdy with Ian operating the recently repaired Jacker Packer to lift track and pack (as below and repeat many times!) - to facilitate the renewing of sleepers.

Alas sleepers either side of the joints still needed hand packing, 

ably done by Mike and Andrew above (who is not rolling a joint, I trust!) anyway the 87 & one half mile post was reached without incident, as asked for by Georgie, who was loading a spoil train at Aviemore.

Thanks to Ian, Andrew and Mike who supplied info/photo/clip.

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No PWay progress Saturday 4th as a carriage was partly delivered by contractors.

Dalfaber and Kinchurdy - two week ending 28th January 2023

A chilly midweek day recently saw us meet at Dalfaber level crossing - to regulate the rails on the up side of the crossing,

to considerably close the gap between old and new. The less said about elastic spikes the better! But we managed and Georgie will fit the required fishplates in due course.

After a warming lunch was had in Spey Lodge we headed to the Down side of the crossing with the required tools and two new insulated fishplates required for the upgrading of the crossing. Angus and Mike removing the old plates above.

Georgie warming up the oil, prior to removal with rags - apparently to prevent erroneous track circuit failures.

Plates finally fitted in worsening snow conditions, as both Mike's and my wifes had phoned to say "get home" as in Inverness was snowing heavily, of course we did what we were told!

Thanks to Angus, Mike and Georgie. 

(more exhaustive news re Dalfaber can be found in brother blog)

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Yesterday saw cool dry weather and again as requested a good sized squad met at Boat of Garten. PWay train eventually departed for worksite.

Some unusual, unwelcome trespassers were corralled off the premises, our fencing contractor (Fergus) was dispatched to find their access point - bit of a mystery, as fences all good.   

Transpired there were two worksites - measured shovel packing at the strap rails near Kinchurdy Cottages, attended to by Angus, Fergus, Roddy, David and Georgie. Big numbers were encountered but Georgie said it was about tens years since last done.

This left Les, Mike, Ian and myself to finish off the previously reputed record breaking 74 changed in one day! It took us the whole day to properly complete - squaring, gauging and screwing down everything, maybe we should half the record number?  (true to say maybe, 74 sleepers were inserted) Anyway thanks to all that attended and some photos from Mike and Roddy.

 

First two Saturdays of 2023

First Saturday of January saw a small squad meet at Boat of Garten, PWay train went to Milton to pick up felled trees and further on towards Broomhill redundant timbers that had been used by a local oil company Raptor Oil which had been doing acoustic testing on pipelines laid horizontally in our four foot for some years.

Thanks to Angus (above) Michael in background and Mike who took photos/Info.

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Georgie requested a good number of Volunteers for Saturday 14th January and the guys didn't let her down. The task is a continuation of the re-sleepering on "Kinchurdy Straight ".

P'Way train parked up clear of Kinchurdy Level Crossing, 33 sleepers readied for changing.

 

Slight widening of gauge required on curve behind train (only one end pre-drilled in advance to allow such fine adjustments)

Luncheon was taken in the warmth of the Brakevan (much warmer than the Messvan which wasn't in the train consist)

Almost certainly a record for The Strathspey Railway - 74 sleepers changed in one day!

 The complete pre-drilling to gauge of all sleepers on the straight definitely helped get them in quickly and above photo was taken by Strathspey Railway Chairman - Doug Scott who came to see the excellent progress.

Many thanks to Georgie, Martin, David, Fergus, Kevin and Ian & Mike who took the other photos/info.

Milton Lade - 31st December 2022

Mike recently did a Track Inspection and checked that the water was going into the water tower at Boat of Garten and spotted passing traffic below!

Only Ian and me managed another extra P'Way day (Georgie was otherwise occupied - de-icing switches and salting platforms etc) on a cool sunny last day of the year at the Milton Lade, close to Boat of Garten. Task self evident from below

Before

After

Seems there is an old crack on the spandrel wall, more or less below Ian but we can't blame him! - It appears to have been repaired in 1961. We also cleared the vegetation and debris from the lade - glad to report that our wellington boots did not leak. 

Before

And similar for the other side, note the few Inch drop in water level by clearing down stream first.

There is a lot of silt and fly tip debris still to clear but with no where to dump it and more pressing Ian couldn't feel his toes! We decided to leave it for another day, it is possible that it  also has a smooth stone bottom..... like below 

at Lynchurn burn back in January 2015 after more extensive excavations. 

I would like to thank our P'Way Volunteers for all the work in 2022 and wish them a Happy New Year and good health for 2023 as Your Railway Needs You!

Any prospective P'Way volunteers please get in touch or press the donate button!