Permanent Way Update

by Ben Brotherwood

Tea/coffee breaks have propelled the permanent way team through a busy schedule of tasks this winter. The biggest, renewing 3/4 Mile of track along the eastern end of Capel Bangor straight and Lovesgrove, equating to: - 94 Panels of track - 1435 sleepers - 5740 Screws/clips - 380 Fishplates greased - 760 Fishplate Bolts tightened Every year requires an extensive effort to be made to keep on top of the condition of track to ensure safety and where possible improve ride quality. Similar lengths of work are planned for the coming years and so the general approach to relaying track has been modified. For the first time very few sleepers were lifted by staff as a fork attachment was designed and built by our workshop for our contractor’s digger (E. Jones Plant Hire). The extra spare energy for the staff could then be channelled into laying track, or eating more biscuits. A different method of working has also largely removed the need to shovel pack the track to achieve the correct level as now the digs are guided by a laser level, which can then be set up to guide our tamping machine’s operator to lift the track to its correct height and cant. Changing sleepers has not been limited to the two relays either, approximately 200 more sleepers were changed at 3 different locations in situ. The Garratt has drawn an incredible amount of interest but before it can achieve its potential of pulling 8 carriages to Devils Bridge, the run round loop needed to be extended to provide sufficient clearance to pass the train. This work took place in December in what felt like a perennial storm. Only once did

the team go home dry over a two week period! Since the relay, the opportunity was taken to fence off one side of the headshunt to improve the appearance of the station and demark the coach parking area. The fencing work was carried out by the same contractors responsible for the replacement of fence line along Lovesgrove straight; work that has made a massive improvement in the appearance of the line and a noticeable decrease in woolly train spotters on the track. Not all tasks involved track work. The railway is boarded by many miles of woodlands that houses much life. Unfortunately, if left unattended the branches grow over the track, posing a risk of falling limbs, damaging paintwork and creating a green tunnel effect. Over the best part of a month we methodically worked our way up the track, using a pole saw and tower mounted on our flat wagon to cut all the branches reachable. The end result has made a massive difference in light levels and should reduce the amount of branches falling onto the track after bad weather. With the much anticipated start on remodelling the old engine shed, the P-Way team can expect an equally busy summer of work to keep them out of trouble.