Churnet Valley Railway General Discussion

Any ideas why as to why the work seems to have stopped ?


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It's great to see this work taking place, can't wait to travel to Leek!

Any ideas on what the stock is in the background of photo 3? Is it the Mk3 that was being stored?

 

Work has continued on some areas that are not seen in the photos. However it is possible to note further site clearance, more work in the creation of the footpath as well as ballasting on the north-east curve part of the triangle taking place.

 

There are 3 Mark3s stored there until required elsewhere.

 

Great to hear, is there any news on timescales for completion? I’ve heard September.

Also how is the progress at the platform?


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Sorry I don't know any more.

 

Another update, pictures courtesy of David Gibson


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It's nice to see some progress made but looking at the work it doesn't look like those contractors have any Pway experience, they seem to be digging out a wide trench and then dropping in some sort of Terram and covering it with a few inches of stone; this will have holes punched through it on the first pass of a tamper. They should have done something about drainage and included a 1:20 crossfall, it is very wet down there after all.

 

Maybe following the example set by the contractors working on the new East - West rail link Oxford to Bletchley
They are laying down G44 Concrete and new FB rail direct on to Terram with no ballast. using the Balfour Beatty NTC train with its cat tracks also running on the Terram.

 

The photos you refer to are of the footpath beside the line aren't they? Laying Terram under there to stop the weeds would be entirely appropriate.

 

I think @Martin Adalar is referring to the first photo in post #1687 by @Ash-SOT, a couple of posts ago. Yes, there's a membrane down under the footpaths, but it also appears to be one under the thin layer of ballast.

 

Doesn't it depend on what the final design is for ballast depth? I'm pretty certain on the Bluebell that our standard method of track laying now is terram first, then a layer of sub ballast, then the top ballast. The overall depth of ballast is deep enough that puncturing the terram with a tamper is not an issue, as they don't go down that deep. So a picture of membrane + thin layer of ballast - obviously depends on how much more is planned to go on top.

It depends on local conditions; I think we use it in areas where mud pumping up through the ballast is a potential problem.

Tom

 

Noticed a new Summer Saturday Special is planned.
Class 47 joins Churnet Valley Railway for summer services (railadvent.co.uk)

 

It would be helpful for each picture to be captioned as to where it is and looking in which direction.

 

It is preferred that Ballast is laid on top of a layer of TERRAM or similar material when needed, but not essential.
The formation layer should be graded to a crossfall of about 1 in 30 with the fall being towards any drainage system in place.
If possible ballast should be laid to the designed depth or an absolute minimum of 100mm covering the material.
It should be laid by tracked machines and not wheeled loaders due to the greater wheel loading and resultant rutting and eventual creation of wetbeds.

However there are times when the only option is to lay track directly on top of the material or on to the bare formation before laying ballast.
If that is the case then the only use of a tamper should be to pull the track up through the ballast without use of the tamper tines.
This may mean using another machine such as a Jakka Pakka or as a last resort use manpower and jacks. Not very popular on long sites.
Once you have the track with a minimum layer of 100 mm under the sleepers, then you can use the tamper to complete the lift and lining as normal without risk of puncturing the membrane.

 

I'll have a stab - working from top to bottom:

1. Top end of Leekbrook Junction looking north towards Birchall tunnel - note the footpath is on the eastern side of the line, which helps with the orientation of the photos.
2. A bit further north and you can see through Birchall Tunnel - I think it's about 66 feet in length.
3. This is the footpath looking north (line above and to the left) near Birchall Playing Fields
4. Ditto a bit further north.
5. Not sure but looking north - the line is on an embankment here so certainly north of LBJ
6. & 7 similar location.
8 & 9. Back to LBJ looking south with the footpath and the Leek - Ipstones chord going off to the left (south east).

All photos by Dave Gibson

Subsequent Edit: just looking at no 7 again - tracked excavator with the footpath down to the right below the embankment - if you look at the left hand side the metal fence line is, I think, the dividing line between our line and the Barnfields site which is to be developed separately and which will include (in due course - no guarantees from me about how soon) the new Leek station, car park and North Staffordshire Railway Museum.
Happy to be corrected on any of this.

 

The contractors are working off guidance given by the Permanent Way Institute. If the PWI can't advice correctly what chance do the rest of us have?

 

1, 2, 3, 4 correct.
5 is view 4 looking South
6 is looking North opposite former Britannia building (adjacent to Birchall field).
7 is view from above 6.
8, 9 correct.

 

I was referring to the fact that they have dug out a channel where the track is going to be and are going to fill it with stone.

 

Another update courtesy of David Gibson


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