Track Pack - October 2011
Hello again folks, and welcome to another edition of Trackpack, the best way to get a good night’s sleep if suffering from insomnia, take it to read in bed and you will be away with the fairy’s in no time at all!
After another hectic summer of constant running we have at last had a few non-running days to get on with some of the bad areas of track. A full month has also seen lots of activity on signal work more of which later. We are now into working out budgets for this winter’s work programme and next year’s routine maintenance. As we all know the economic downturn has started to bite and I guess money may be very tight in 2012, so it could be another lean year folks, brace yourselves. I will keep you all posted on what happens over the next few weeks and if any major projects are given the go ahead for the Jan/Feb period. Wootton and Griffins may get given the green light and we could find ourselves with a lot of work to do in a short period of time, so any help will be gratefully received should that happen.
Right, on with the news then guys, hope you can stay awake for the next portion of prose about the next working weekend….. stop yawning now!
November Working Weekend – Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th
A packed programme of work is planned for the November weekend with a BLH lifting and packing day on Saturday along with a full S&T clean, oil and grease around Havenstreet. If numbers allow we will also take the big leaf clearance machine out for its first autumn bash of 2011, so lots of entertainment for all our volunteers on the first day of the weekend. Then on Sunday we will all huddle round the computer to have a refresher course on Personal Track Safety where you may gently nod off with a power point presentation by yours truly. This will be in the Calbourne room with a 9am start, coffee and biscuits will be provided to try and keep you awake till 11am ish when I will be handing out exam papers for you to fill in with all the correct answers…. hopefully. Afterwards we will be getting back to work on the S&T by completing the clean, oil and grease at both Wootton and Smallbrook during the afternoon. The usual arrangements apply, and we would appreciate your company here at our HQ on both days if you can make it and we look forward to your attendance. Usual terms and conditions apply, you may lose your PTS card should you not keep up the payments to my offshore bank account or attend the refresher course – a much cheaper option!
What’s been going on?
Shunt Signals Sited on Super Size Sleepers by Superb Signalling Staff
A great weekend was had by all during the October working weekend bash, when new signalling for the loops at Smallbrook and Wootton was started. The work commenced at Wootton when several sleepers were pulled out of the line to be replaced by timbers long enough to support the new dummy shunt signals. Once that was done a multitude of holes had to be dug for various concrete supports so many shovels were seen shining in the October sunshine as we enjoyed the 2011 Indian summer. Temperatures soared and sun lotion flowed as the sweat rolled off many a brow, isn’t the British weather fantastic!
The signals were fixed down onto the new timbers as the day wore on and work was started on fitting the various cranks, rods and wires needed to make it all work. By the end of play we had got much of the heavy work done leaving the final fitting out to the S&T team to complete the installation.
Sunday was yet another beautiful summer’s day??? and saw the team disappear in the opposite direction for another session of sleeper removal and timber replacement at Smallbrook, followed by fitting of the shunt signals and associated work. It proved to be another great day with much of the work completed. So much was done that we could even temporarily test the operation of the loop signal mechanism using bits of string! Thanks go to all our valued volunteers that came down and helped out with the work over the weekend, hope you all found it interesting and rewarding. Well done all.
What else has been going on?
Estates work has been much to the fore again this month with assorted jobs such as grass and hedge trimming and marquee moving yet again. We had a final fling with weed killer round the station area at Havenstreet as the greenery had started to really take hold again in many areas. Such are the weather conditions these days it seems the weeds no longer stop growing from one years end to the next. We will try to get a more comprehensive killer next year and much longer lasting if our finances allow.
Our volunteer bus fitter from Crawley, Brian Racher, paid us a visit in mid September again as usual and helped out with some titivating of the Wickham before its public appearance in the autumn gala. A swift coat of paint was applied to all outside areas and made the vehicle look very presentable. Those of you that have seen it since may be surprised by the natty colour, still green but a little different from usual and also sporting a freightliner logo and tongue in cheek number of 66 532. We do like to ring the changes on the Civils fleet and by the smiles and pictures taken at the gala, it seemed to go down well as a light hearted fun livery. We may go for EWS next time!
With the coming of the autumn we have a few days of non-running to start to put right the damage caused by weeks of running with little or no maintenance on track faults. Our priority has been bad sections of line and level, and has been centred mainly on the Wootton section so far. A series of bad joints and poor level was corrected at bridge 15 near Wootton first using the BLH machine. Then a lengthy bit of poor level round the long curve was given a good packing, much of the track being pulled out of the stone to correct level. A visit from the ballast train will soon be needed to replenish levels there. The usual bad section on a very soft bit of ash bank near the Forest crossing was done and just recently almost a quarter mile was packed around bridge 12 where levels were very bad in places.
Following on from the working weekend, the S&T gang have been busy finishing off the installation of shunt signals at both Smallbrook and Wootton. Wednesday 19th October saw them come into use in both locations, and all worked perfectly. The newly refurbished shunt signals have replaced the stop boards at the two locations and a clever system of driving the signals from the existing levers has made it a simple method to control run round movements using signals instead of green flags. Although nothing was wrong with the use of green flags and it has been the normal way of things for many years at Smallbrook, the introduction of shunt signals will enhance the safety and look more professional as a method of control. A big thank you to all who helped in making this project a success from planning to commissioning.
Our annual platform gauging was also carried out recently at all stations and recorded in the usual manner, no faults being found in any location.
Lineside cutting continues in earnest with the Friday gang, complete with two new brush cutters recording record amounts of lineside cut in single days. The speed of progress is outstanding now that the team have got most of the banks under control using good machinery and a large dedicated team. Such a great spirit in the gang continues to produce impressive work for all to see as the trains pass by our tidy lineside.
Well that’s it for now then folks, hope to see you soon.
Dave Pete Phil and Ian.