Bluebell East Grinstead Open Weekend

There are some recent photos of the tip face and the track extending under the bridge here:

http://bluebell.fotopic.net/c1869133_13.html

 

If the waste being pulled out has in part degarded to soil is there any saving to be had in putting it through screens to separate out the hard waste (tyres, bricks, cans etc) from the earth? Or is the soil anyway considered contaminated and has to be disposed of in a particular way? If the paid for waste removal was only for the non decomposed lumps the weight/volume needing transporting via rail would be less. I can see all sorts of other issues with setting up such a system at a suitable location on the site but would it be any cheaper overall? The recovered soil would also need to find a home, perhaps selling at 50p per bag at the garden centre. Take home your bit of the tip... OK so the last bit was meant in jest.

 

I always imagined there would be some kind of screening prior to the material being transported away, with something like this. Maybe the material just isn't suitable, either due to contamination or size/type/weight. Or maybe it's simply not cost efficient to do it that way.

Does anybody know what the shunt movements will be next week, once the train has arrived at EG? I'm assuming that the half the train is left on NR, half the train reversed into the Bluebell platform, to allow the loco to run round, then push that half down to the tip for loading. Whilst half the train is loaded, the loco can reverse the other half of the train into the Bluebell platform, run around, and push it down to the other siding at the tip. Once loaded, both halves can be coupled together and the train can head straight back out onto NR.

Does that make sense, or have I overcomplicated things?

Wouldn't having an 08 to assist with shunting be useful (and much more fun)?

 

The first trials seem to show the material coming off the tip and being trasnported to the waiting trucks as is, without any screening.

 

I don't think there is any screening however I am sure I have seen photos of piles of tyres for example that were found and put to one side for I guess a possible different home. From what I have seen the waste taken out so far looks mostly decomposed (or whatever the correct word is). Perhaps as they dig further more intact things will be found worth screening!

As for the movements of trains some of it is explained here... http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/ext/extprog.html I think all the shunting is done on Bluebell metals and also a lot of it now is going to be the other side of the viaduct, using the double track to make it less annoying for neighbours. I have read about the movements in detail somewhere, it must of been the last Bluebell news as I can't find it on the extention pages.

 

I hope that things are going well with the spoil extraction and it will be nice to see some photos when available.

 

Just found some video of the ballast being unloaded from the first spoil train.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_7f7h9DwCM

 

Try here: http://www.philpot.me/collection2.html (scroll down for most recent photos).

Tom

 

The images are fine on this website, but take Mr Philpot's remarks about the apparent unexpected events and delays on the first day with a pinch of salt. The gentleman has written up what he perceived to be happening, without knowing what was actually occurring.

Chris

 

Here is some video of the excavation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imjPyD7N480

 

Wow! You couldn't get those waggons any closer to the tip! I guess that these are the first real trains under Hill Place Farm Bridge for many years.

 

There's an update on the Bluebell website: the first week of the current dig removed just over 4000 tons, making a total removed of 19,000 tons (in the original dig that was removed by lorry in late 2009, plus the one week dig removed by rail last summer, plus this week). There are three more weeks of digging scheduled in the current dig, after which, by my calculation, with any luck about 34,000 tons in total should have been removed. This would represent a bit less than 1/3 of the tip I think.

<GratuitousPlug>
Still plenty more money needed though - you can donate here: http://bluebellrailwaytrust.org.uk/supportus/6WF-1C4/donate.aspx
</GratuitousPlug>

Tom

 

fantastic videos and photos being uploaded daily; it's really all happening now. Hope the impetus can keep up. Are they planning to leave and cap that small embankment the loading digger is on? there doesn't seem much point opening it fully out to double track for the present. Just a thought; it would help the Southwards push by leaving it.

 

An excellent video about the extension, which was apparently made by a couple of young Bluebell volunteers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e9Y5jplaHA

Richard

 

Looks like great progress is being made, and being very well documented on the site mentioned below (http://www.philpot.me/collection2.html).

A couple of questions - there appears to be a reasonable amount of mud/clay cap being collected. Will this be moved away via the south end of the tip, as was done previously, for use in the embankment on the Ardinley line?

There is also a very large stack of tyres accumulating. I believe that tyres must now be recycled (and there are many different uses for them). Any idea what will happen to them?

 

That is the plan.

The tyres are being stockpiled for eventual recycling.

Chris

 

I made a quick visit to Hill Place Bridge yesterday on my way to see 35028, I have uploaded 9 photos and put them on in sequence with my photos before to show the progress. They are on this page...

http://disusedrailwayphotosbyashleysmith.fotopic.net/c1639547_121.html

 

Sorry, Ashley, but they aren't coming out in date order.

Regards

 

I see there has been an update. Nearly 4500 tonnes moved last week.

http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/ext/extprog.html#mar11

Real visible progress now.

It would be so nice to be able to see a current aerial photo of the site to get a real perspective of progress made.

 

They are not in date order on that collection, I have made it the sequence of a walk along the line from East Grinstead to Kingscote as I have been adding to the collection since the very first open day when the 4VEP arrived. So, give or take, there is a photo from each location each time something has changed so the progress can be shown. The collection is getting abit big now though and there is at least another couple of years worth of developments before an opening day!