Bluebell East Grinstead Open Weekend

I believe the actual cost is a bit less than the £40 per ton implied by the tenner for the tip certificates; that was the original estimate but since then improved working practices have bought the cost down a bit (but not by enough to imply "job done" - chequebooks out please!)

Regarding the potential October dig, I believe one factor counting against this is that what we need to remove is a given volume of waste; however, the trains can only remove a given mass, due to limits on the viaducts north of EG etc. So if the density of the waste goes up, each train removes a smaller volume so that the mass remains the same. At the moment, the waste is potentially saturated with water, so in effect we'd be paying to remove thousands of tons of water. Hence I believe it is more cost-effective to wait for a prolonged dry spell so the waste is less dense.

Tom

 

Update on the Bluebell website today - http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/whats_new.html

"Update to the web page for our 4 Vep unit. This is currently stored at East Grinstead, but on Friday it is planned that the unit will move off-site again, to enable access for further track-laying south of the viaduct and an incoming ballast train."

More track laying? I'm guessing that is just going to take them a little closer to the tip.

Does anyone have any photos of the 4 VEP being "stored" at East Grinstead?

 

There will be double track laid to the tip face.

 

Really? I must say that is very surprising. What's the thinking behind that? Where will the double track start?

 

Thanks Tom for the info. I don't know how much it costs to hire the digger, or even if the railway owns it, but it might be cost-effective to use it over the winter for decompacting the waste, if no spoil trains run. Better to break it up into chunks than spread it around in little smelly bits though. That should allow better runoff of water and some evaporation when the weather warms up. Otherwise you might find yourselves with a very short summer season for removing dry-ish waste, and adding a couple of years to completion date.

 

It'll start somewhere south of the viaduct, I assume it's so that the spoil train can be broken in half and make it quicker to load the train.

 

As I understand, this is a temporary measure for the duration of digging the tip out, the idea being to make movements at the tip run more smoothly. There is no intention AFAIK to have a double track running line once the line is fully open.

Tom

PS - quick plug for Giants of Steam this weekend - there will be shuttles up to the south end of the tip from Imberhorne in the 1913 LNWR Observation Car, price £3 I believe - well worth it to see the scale of the issue!

 

Maybe they will leave it in as a siding or potential passing loop, allowing greater possibilities for movements at East Grinstead (similar to Alton on the Mid-Hants).

 

Unlikely - the signalling implications of a loop that can be used for passenger movements is considerably more than an engineers siding. I don't think the signalling installation at EG is being designed - or is even capable, given the facilities available at KC box - to have anything other than the single loop at EG and single line from there to KC.

Not to say it couldn't happen in the future, but it is a major piece of work - look how much work the Mid Hants had to do to lay in the loop at Alton.

Tom

 

Might make sense to leave it as a siding for any incoming charters, im struggling to think of anywhere to put a 12 coach rake out of the way.

Chris

 

The rear cover of the latest Bluebell News is an aerial photograph showing the 4-VEP berthed on Hill Place Viaduct. The magazine can be obtained either in person or by mail order from the shop at Sheffield Park.

Being pedantic, a "siding" is to be provided off of what will be the "running line". The two roads together will allow the spoil wagons to be divided into two halves, thereby making loading easier and quicker. The siding will eventually be removed when the waste tip is cleared.

On the south side of Hill Place Viaduct.

Horsted Keynes.


Chris

 

A selection of photo's from open day with the Hastings unit can be found at http://paul-simpson.fotopic.net/c1913804.html The Hasting unit and the 73( parked in the loop) both had the head code 77 for East Grinstead to London Bridge trains.

 

Went up for a couple of hours today between work and watching football, missed the tour arriving from the main line but got a shot of a shuttle arriving and had a ride on one down to Imberhorne North. Some photos, video to follow...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/5152497586/

http://ashleysmith355.fotopic.net/c1868998_125.html

 

My efforts from Saturday are here: Saturday Photos

 

My video from Saturday...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4tUWdc1Zzk

 

Did anyone who visited East Grinstead at the weekend get any further news on the progress of the excavation (laying of the siding, plans for spoil trains, etc.)?

 

The additional track to extend the running line right up to the waste tip, along with the new siding, should be being laid this week. It is unlikely that there will be any trains transporting waste material out to the north (via East Grinstead) until March or April 2011.

At the southern end of the tip, there is no decision at this time as to when the next spoil trains will convey further inert spoil down to Horsted Keynes.

While I'm writing, my photos from both days are online at: http://gallery74781.fotopic.net/c1893320_116.html

Chris

 

No trains to work to the tip until after christmas it seems according the Bluebell site because of engineering works on WCML and may not run until new year. There is a picture showing preparation of track laying to nearer the tip. They also say they need a lot more money to dig out the tip. Its says track is being laid under the bridge. How does that work?

 

Just found a high quality video of the previous excavations - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_GzV1YB3jk

 

Previous waste removal has revealed Hill Place Bridge and a few yards more trackbed towards Kingscote....

http://disusedrailwayphotosbyashleysmith.fotopic.net/p61533178.html

More has been removed since that photo. So the track will be extended from where it ends now to just under the bridge I believe.