NYMR Winter works 2017 - 2018

It's come round to that time of year again, when Nigel Trotter the NYMR Civil Engineer starts issuing his news updates on what is happening around the NYMR from a CE point of view.
Here is the first for this season.
I and a few others will drop other bits and pieces in as well.

https://www.nymr.co.uk/blog/civil-engineering-diary-september-2017

 

Always look forward to Nigels blogs which should remind all that without infrastructure you have no railways, forget about all the rubbish written re steam or diesel paint frothers etc - One of the most enjoyable reads of this forum thank you very much for posting.

Brian

 

K4 spotted, thread closure imminent

I really enjoy the civil updates. Iv spent hours going through the archive ones before

 

Once all the photo charters and Velocipedes had got out of the way, track uplift at Farworth got under way.
This site is about 34 lengths currently of BH rail on timber sleepers. The new will be CWR.
New Rails and steel sleepers are already placed out on site, once all the old material is out of the way then the relay will begin.

Today's job was to uplift 8 lengths of track.
Stack the 60ft rails in heaps of 6 rails.
Load all the sleepers to a wagon and then recover the wagon back to Newbridge.
All plates, keys and Bolts recovered and sorted into scrap skips.

This should leave the worksite clear for the relay to go ahead with nothing left on site except the old rails which will be picked up on completion of the relay.

Arrival on site propelling up to the rail head.

First remove all keys and bolts then uplift the rails and stack.

Load all sleepers to wagon.
Note the essential site facilities complete with smoke out of the chimney.



Unfastening the bolts. Big spanner already been used then finish off with a nut runner.

Sleeprs then loaded in batches of 4 at a time to the Weltrol.
We need to be environmentally aware on this worksite as we have a number of SSSI's and one is indicated by the white posts right of centre.



At the end of the day 192 sleepers loaded on the Weltrol about 22 tones worth.

Ready for a repeat performance tomorrow.

 

Nigel has finally caught up with events.
https://www.nymr.co.uk/blog/civil-engineering-diary-6-november-2017

 

As Nigel mentions the wood sleepers from the current relay have now been returned to New Bridge, are currently being de-chaired and are available for sale. It is not often we have wood sleepers for sale, to anyone who may be interested.
The sleepers are priced at £10 +VAT and are available for collection from New Bridge Yard by prior arrangement. Assistance with loading is available. The funds raised will go towards off- setting the cost of the replacement materials.

I can be contacted on 01751 475302 or 07967 971192 or martyn.cannings@nymr.co.uk.


Many thanks

Martyn Cannings

Permanent Way supervisor

 

Latest issue of Nigel's News.
https://www.nymr.co.uk/blog/civil-engineering-diary-16-november-2017

 

Just a quick update on the Farworth Steel Sleeper 35 length relay.

The last bit of the new FB on the Bridge 12-13 relay was clipped up today.
Welders are a bit behind.
The first two road deliveries of ballast from Redmire were tipped in New Bridge yard this afternoon.

 

Nigel's latest issue of his update from around the NYMR.
https://www.nymr.co.uk/blog/civil-engineering-diary-27-november-2017

 

A day out in the valley on Thursday continuing the replacement of worn out Mills clips near Newtondale S Box site.
8 1/2 60ft lengths completed.
The condition of the existing clips was not the best.
Jim and Alistair doing the posing for the camera.

Looking out of my window at the moment I am glad I went yesterday and not today, the snow is coming down quite heavily.

 

The rest of the railway may be shut but we made it out through the ice this morning.
Frozen roads got rained on about 08.00 this morning turning everything to glass.
Took a while to get to Newtondale though, left Newbridge at 09.15 and arrived Newtondale 11.00.
Had to wait for gritters to open up the road through Newton on Rawcliffe to get to the access through the forest.

All the old track is now out and placed to the side, today we had to relocate the old rails and condense them into a few stacks to make it easier for loading away at a later date.
Ballast profiling should start tomorrow and relay of sleepers and rails should be underway by thursday.
Not a bad looking day.

Moving rails into stacks clear of the relay area.

 

Latest issue of Nigel's News has been released.
Using my photos again though, mind you it is a fair trek into the forest.
https://www.nymr.co.uk/blog/civil-engineering-diary-11-january-2018

 

Been busy with relay site number 3 this weekend.
The weather was a bit variable to say the least.

 

Latest installment of Nigel's News is out.

https://www.nymr.co.uk/blog/civil-engineering-diary-22-january-2018

As of Thursday 1st all the track is back in at Newtondale and Trout Farm relay sites.
DB Ballast train tipped stone on the Newtondale site last Wednesday the 31st, this should be tamped today Monday 5th
Trout Farm had an initial stone tip yesterday 4th with stone being run by hopper from Newbridge yard.
Tamping due later in the week.

 

Latest issue from Nigel of his news blog.

https://www.nymr.co.uk/blog/civil-engineering-diary-7-february-2018

 

The latest issue has appeared.
https://www.nymr.co.uk/blog/civil-engineering-diary-22-february-2018

Slight update to this as 5 lengths were relaid over the weekend leaving 7 to go.
Will the weather hold as relaying is planned Mon - Tues with Stone tipping Wednesday and Tamping Thursday.

I believe that some engine or another is meant to be running over this bit by Saturday.
Once it has gone then we can have our final little 12 lengths relay before the running season starts properly.
Time for a bit of feet up time then.
Or more likely catch up on those little jobs that the domestic management want completed.

 

Slightly OT, but:

Channel 5, Friday 2nd March @ 20:00 -
The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard

http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-progra...steam-railway-all-aboard--series-1-episode-1/

 

Latest issue of Nigel's News.
https://www.nymr.co.uk/blog/civil-engineering-diary-7-march-2018

Last installment of the Yorkshire Steam Railway tonight.

 

That's another season over and done with.
Partly successful in that the main relays were completed but some of the additional tasks did not get done for a variety of reasons.

Renewals were, with approximate lengths:-
Farwath - Steel sleeper relay and CWR. 550m
MP16 reverse curves - G44 Concrete sleeper, new FB113A rail. 650m
Trout Farm Dig and relay Part G44 part F28 new rail. 600m

Recovery of rail and sleepers should have been completed but time available ran out.
Snow may have had some effect on this.

Photo below -
The last daylight tamping session of the PW year. Friday 23rd March north of Newtondale halt in the relay.
Any further tamping will be early evening or overnight.

For next year we are hoping to add to our fleet of machines, currently Plasser 12t Crane, Tamper 73250 and Regulator GR5077 but more on that at a later date.

If anyone is interested in joining us we are in need of more operators.
Training courses are an on going item throughout the year.

 

That's 1800 metres by my reckoning. Pretty impressive given the weather and small PW team involved Well done to all.