Work in Progress - Thursday 12th August

posted by Nigel Thompson on Wed, 18/08/2010 - 12:09

A very full turnout of all the usual Thursday gang today at Woody Bay. General Manager, Martyn Budd decided to continue the ongoing track maintenance by tasking us with working on the loop line at Killington Lane which will of course see the heavier locomotive LYD using it on run rounds during the forthcoming Gala on 25-26 September 2010.

Commuting to work - 1. John Villers and Graham Bendell await the departure of the 1030 train to Killington Lane.

Commuting to work - 2. Dave Blencowe and Richard Willey sit comfortably on the train.

3. The first job was to slew the loop line straight. (After several years of the locos running round this line is now "all over the place" (not straight and with dips) Martyn Budd supervises the gang barring the track in place to achieve the required straightness.

4. With the next train arrived, Martyn shows off to the watching gang how to hand-tamp the sleepers in places.

5. Standing back as AXE runs round.

6. Packing ballast under the sleepers on a low spot as observed by the visitors off the train.

7. AXE gets ready to leave as Dave puts the jack back in on the loop line track.

8. The gang stand back in a line as..........

9........Martyn almost lying down eyeballs the alignment of the loop line alongside AXE.

10 AXE departs for Woody Bay with the 1130 from Killington Lane.

11. A zoom lens low level shot of the loop line. As good as we managed to get it today. As part of the upgrade trackwork next winter, some longer rails released from the main line will replace these short rails originally laid in January 2006.

As can be seen maintaining the L&B trackwork is a continuing and ongoing process.

Photos and Text Nigel Thompson