Oswestry Update

The one on the right is correct for steel. If the one on the left is steel and not timber, (which, looking closer, it is), it is wrong. Timber in compression, steel in tension. Having said that, I'd be happy with the steel in compression as there is less reliance on the weld and the struts are unlikely to buckle if connected to the spars. Are they?

 

The gates are all welded steel. As you say Steve there was a lot of debate about the tension or compression and everybody has an opinion!

Please note the next two weekends will be part of the National Heritage Open Days. Oswestry has many interesting events going on throughout the town and down at the station we will be joining is as well. Trains will be running as usual throughout the day

This Saturday the 8th there will be a showing of British Transport Films productions in our Buffers Cafe (recently awarded a 5 star rating) from 7:30pm
The films to be shown are:
A Study in Steel
Train Time
Signal Engineers
Down to the Sea in Trucks
Rail Journey to the Sea

Buffers will also have on sale the Cambrian Gold Beer from our friends at Stonehouse Brewery

So there is a bit of something for everyone, even if your partner or family are not railway orientated come along and discover another side to Oswestry, take a train ride and have a beer.

Details on the main CHR site front page

http://www.cambrianrailways.com/

 

Plenty of action during the Heritage Open Days at the station. Meanwhile work continued around the sites and the contractors working under the bridge are getting ready to pour the slab that will form the base under the trackbed.

It is hoped to have the contractors finish by the end of the month so that we can then access the main line to continue progress. In parallel work continues on sleeper preparation.

Details on the blog
https://ilvaporista.blogspot.it/

 

The blog might have been quiet last week but much has been going on. Most importantly the centre slab under the Gasworks Bridge has been poured and is curing. There are a number of smaller sections to complete in various places to cover services and create reinforcements but we are there, the bridge has been made suitable for the passage of rolling stock, though we will all be a lot happier when we see the stock actually pass underneath.

Details on the blog
https://ilvaporista.blogspot.it/

 

You certainly are cracking on and well done for keeping such a well updated blog!
With regards to track (and stock) under that bridge, do you have a rough guesstimate as to when that would be?

 

The timing to lay track will depend on when the contractor hands back the site. We hope to be well beyond the bridge by Christmas but weather could also play a part. Materials are on hand and the P.Way team are chomping at the bit to get going.

 

Brilliant, many thanks and good luck!

 

On the latest blog post about the open days you can see the stack of sleepers waiting to be relaid. There will be a big working weekend on the 22/23 Sept. but I feel that it is unlikely we will have access to the area before the end of September. Keep watching and we will bring more progress pictures as we crack on.

 

More work on the bridge. This week will see the ballast screener run flat out hopefully for three days to build up stocks for track laying.
Recent pictures on the blog
https://ilvaporista.blogspot.it/

 

It looks like this week will be the last one with the contractors on site for the bridge repair. The ballast piles are building up and plans are already in place to start track laying. The next big working weekend is the 20/21st October at which it is hoped to have some track laid. The actual location of track laying depends on a few things but we will know shortly.

 

The screener has run two days non stop now so the ballast piles are building up and are almost to the next under-bridge (the cattle creep). A couple of pictures have been added to the blog.

https://ilvaporista.blogspot.it/

 

At the end of the week there were 23 molehills along the trackbed and we are within a stone's throw of the cattle creep. The screener has done a great job. The feeding crew are now having a break. Latest pictures on the blog.

https://ilvaporista.blogspot.com/

 

The first section of the lowered trackbed has been handed back. Some work left on the bridge but heavy plant now gone.

https://ilvaporista.blogspot.com/

 

Thursday was an important day. The first rail was put back in place on the extension to Weston. It might have seemed that 'all' we have done recently was dismantle and prepare, now we have something back in place. OK it's only one rail...

In advance of the main track laying we needed to set the levels so that the surveyors can set out the vertical alignment. This required a fixed point. The cattle creep in effect sets the levels for the whole section as this is rigid. The Thursday Gang put the first rail in place and set the datum point. This will now be projected back to the propped bridge and the levels and gradients determined.

There were further preparations across the site for the Big Working Weekend that is coming soon.

The ritual tea drinking continued during the showers that broke the day up in to bite sized chunks. Details and pictures on the blog.


https://ilvaporista.blogspot.com/

 

This weekend will be a Big Working Weekend starting at Oswestry and continuing at multiple locations. Tuesday saw the delivery of the future volunteers' mess.

Details as ever on the blog.

 

Please tell me you are going to put metal shutters over the windows - you don't want some ne'er-do-wells nicking yer tea bags and kettle.

 

The plan is to reposition to a secluded space with adequate protection, spa bath and a la carte restaurant. Maybe not quite but it will have the same security features as the other buildings on site.

 

This weekend is a working weekend on the P.way. I will be away for most of the weekend so unable to post pictures. In the meantime I have uploaded various pictures from the Thursday session including some latest views of the coach under restoration


https://ilvaporista.blogspot.com/

 

For those of you that can't get to Oswestry here is a good overview of the current situation. You can see lots of material stored for future use. The down platform is hiding but will return.

Plenty to occupy the team. Fancy helping?

 

Lots of clearance done at the weekend. One niggle is the outside temperature is too low at the moment to finish the work on the bridge. The paint needs a certain period above 4 deg C to ensure adhesion, the cold nights at the moment are delaying things.