Oswestry Update

These native species that people are so concerned about cause time delays & additional costs to railway restoration projects . Some of these creatures are never seen on trackbeds / tracksides, but these idiots insist on expensive surveys. To the best of my knowledge , when a creature's habitat is disturbed it will walk/fly/ swim/slither to a new one.
My policy is ' no trees between the fences' ,which is for safety reasons, sighting for drivers & also less chance of trees falling across the track.

Bob.

 

There is a balance to be struck and some leeway should be given where the end result is a habitat improvement. What surprises me is the different approaches taken in different projects.

http://www.shropshireunion.org.uk/montgomery-canal-restoration/bridges84-85/274-mcr-report-2017m08




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A trial dig has taken place to locate the victorian sewer carefully hidden under the track by the propped bridge. The investigation showed that there is sufficient depth to allow the track to be lowered by the 18" necessary to be able to pass under the bridge. Now comes the fun part to dig out and regrade the running line.

 

Thanks for the updates, only way non members can stay in the loop now that the CHR forums been closed to outsiders, keep em coming!

 

Yes

Probably. You would need to survey to be sure they are not there when people aren't about. So...

Yes

Google variations of "population AND habitat" and there is a lot of material on loss of population by loss/change of habitat. It should also be borne in mind that, for example, drainage of track bed can affect water levels elsewhere and so habitat. It will also depend what the environment is around where you are looking at restoring railway that has returned to nature, which is a further reason to survey.

Patrick

 

There is the Facebook page if you want. I know not everyone likes or uses it so I will keep updates coming here
The photos of the work on the extension are at:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/cambrianheritagerailways/photos/?tab=album&album_id=989795057740701

 

For those like me who "don't do" facebook, the CHR facebook page is open to all.

Steve B

 

It was reading the forum page that has encouraged me to visit the Cambrian on each of my three recent visits to the UK. The forum page kept me well informed about progress and the enthusiasm of the people involved in the restoration of the line.

Now that the forum up dates have departed from my laptop; it is more than likely that the CHR will be departing from my 'Railways to Visit List' when I'm next in the UK ,for seven days , starting at the end of this month. The Gwili, the EVR, the Bluebell and the WSR all put out progress reports and information that gives me the desire to visit their lines. The latest effort by the Cambrian has had exactly the opposite effect as I plan my vacation itinerary.

 

Yes I wish they'd have a blog spot to post photo updates, it's a far nicer format than facebook IMO, but then someone would need to take charge of it and regularly update it, facebook does in fact have more or less the same info on it that the forum did. Just because you can't see the forum anymore doesn't mean the railway is less interesting, I'd still visit, you'll regret it if you don't

 

As the forum is now closed to non-members perhaps they could consider expanding the 'news' section of their website with regular updates? Living too far away to visit Oswestry regularly I enjoyed reading the forum - any idea why it was closed?
Ray.

 

No idea, perhaps to encourage those lurkers to become members, it's not as if it had tonnes of photos of progress updated on a regular basis, just sometimes it had the odd photo that the facebook page didn't, other than that it consisted of working party meeting times and snippets of local news concerning the railway, you aren't missing much really. I agree their main website has been sorely lacking attention in the last few years.

 

Sorry I have been out of the country for a while (I am so looking forward to not having to work for a living but there are still 15 years to go...)

The main issue is the number of active, working volunteers being divided between so many roles. There have been a number of health issues which have not helped on the admin and information side. Things are moving to get a better way of having regular updates. Let's see in the next couple of months how things change.

 

The new ballast screener has been flexing it's muscles and has created graded piles of ballast and earth ready for the relaying of the next part of the extension to Weston. Pictures are on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/cambrianheritagerailways/?ref=br_rs

 

A useful piece of kit. That'll make life much easier all round.

 

With a few miles to restore a machine like this was sorely needed. We are in the relatively lucky position to have nearly all materials on site for the extension. The cleaned ballast can be reused and there are replacement sleepers for those which are life expired. More hands will make the progress faster. You know you are making progress when you have to walk for 15 minutes before arriving at the railhead, or these days take the car and park closer.

 

There is now an album available on line which is being updated with the latest pictures from the extension. The ballast screener has been busy and the Thursday gang have been preparing sleepers. You can also see the trackbed clear for the next push.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/36222884@N07/23668442828/in/album-72157682019914465/

 

Flickr won't let me look at these, not sure if it's my settings or the album set to private or similar?

 

"403", Looks like you have to sign in to Flickr.

 

Ahh. OK let me find a way to view these... Sorry about that!

 

I am having the same problem.
Chris.