Moorlands and City Railway

Yeah me too! It save a fortune as well

 

Jim, I stand corrected on the bird watching front, but what is up with train spotting, still take the grandson. Gav, I know nothing as to whats going on with the MCR, but because of the wildlife problem, perhaps they dont want to take responsibility of the line before they can actually work on it.

 

Sorry, I didn't meen to come across judgemental or anything. Nothing wrong train spotting, just making the analogy of people outside of the railway world refering to everybody inside it as been a train spotter, when thats just a small part of it.

 

We had a hard day at Cauldon today, with the old loop now disconnected, we had to remove 2 long crossing sleepers from the end of the last panel by the old bridge. To do this the road railer had to go up the headshunt, unfortunately there were 7 tree stumps that were between the rails, hard up against them and had been cut at rail height. No chainsaws, just a bowsaw, 1 axe, chisels and hammers. Very little progress after 2 hours so in the end we had to use the roadrail to get rid of them taking him away from the repositioning of the point. Even it took 1 1/2 hours of valuable time to do it. The sleepers were then removed taken down to the point ready for another day. A very tiring day by all concerned.

 

Is the main running line reconnected now, just the loop to be reconnected then Jeff?

 

At least he is out of the air con landrover/roadrailer jim lol. How many went down today?

 

The main line is connected but 4 fishplate holes are needed to be drilled in the rail that was shortened. Gav there were 7 of us down today it was very quiet without you. Hope to see you both next week.

 

Hang on do i talk that much?? on facebook iain said i dont stop. havent noticed really. must be my enthusiasm haha

 

I reckon it's the sugar rush from all those French Fancies Gav!

 

Captured 5199 up Cauldon Lowe today (26/2/11) at Threshing Barn.





More here http://unofficial-mcrailway.weebly.com/
& http://www.flickr.com/photos/fjr-47524/

Thanks.

 

CVR have announced a list of additional running days over MCR metals:
http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk/main/news.php

 

Last Wednesday we shortened back the line to Tarmac to allow for the buffer stop to be installed, and in doing so recovered a 60ft length to complete the run-round loop point. Whilst we had the road-railer there we had him uproot several more tree stumps from the four-foot too. The closure rails were then cut to length and the point formation completed. Just requires several fish plate bolt holes drilling, then ballasting and packing.

Installing recovered 60ft length to complete point layout .......


Close of play - point virtually complete ......

 

Another good turn-out this week, though your normal correspondent, under-gaffer Jeff, skived off early for a spot of surfing in Cornwall - he'll look cool in his H-Viz wetsuit

Anyway, another sunny but windy day spent at Cauldon Low. We split into two gangs, one progressing the new point, checking the gauge and drilling sleepers/screwing down chairs, whilst a splinter group of 3, (led by a tank regiment officer no less), exhumed a buffer stop from under several tons of muck and a substantial tree. After 3 hours digging I suggested he call in an air strike, but having seen a few, he pointed out the collateral damage to the buffer stop might be counter-productive. So another 2 hours digging later, we finally unearthed it ready for lifting and transplanting to the end of the run-round loop.

Before .....



During ......



And after .......



Easy week next week - track inspections, blizzards permitting!

 

Thats on mighty pile of turd you got rid of. I should have wandered over and took a look at what you were doing.

 

lol sounds like a good week. and at least someone was putting on the pics lol. i wont be down for at least two weeks due to the new store, re opening the onlinedept this wednesday. but i have the wed off after that, so will be down then. any news on what our next job is after this point? is it the point on the waterhouses branch?

 

Looks like I'll have to skive off again if you work this hard without me, or perhap we'll get the tank commander back again to keep you all in order. Geat work on the buffer stop and good photos Iain. See you next week, track inspection and tidying up at Cauldon and if we get the roadrailer in we'll move the buffer stop.

 

How's the surfing going? Looks like you're only into the PC version to me . So you reckon Simon's up for a bit of off-rail action, or is he going to dig his way all the way down the old siding to get to the buffer stop?

 

I am just doing a bit of silver surfing it's rather cool down here at the moment. I thought we could lay some old sleepers down ( not me or Syd) to alow Simon to get on and off the rails. It woud take to long to clear the rubbish from the siding and it is not a priority at the moment. The work would depend on how many people turn up as of the gang would be needed for the track inspection.

 

GWR Large Prairie 5199, Illegal Crossing, Cauldon Lowe Branch, 16th March 2011.
Heres the photo of 5199 working hard once agen, with class 37109 banking!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fjr-47524/5532477766/

Ta Frank.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fjr-47524/
http://fjr-47524-photography.weebly.com/

 

Busy day today for the gang, we split into two groups, one doing the 5.5 mile CVR line walk, the other cotinuing the work at Cauldon. The Cauldon jobs were mainly getting everything ready for the roadrailer next week, in order to finish, hopefully, the points for the runround and headshunt. The buffers uncovered last week were jacked, lifted and packed to allow the roadrailer a quick lift and 150 yd. positioning run to the headshunt. Tree stumps removed in the headshunt, old siezed lever arm cut off, flanges cleared out on the siding to allow the roadrailer access on and off the track. So should be all systems go next week and hand over for testing and ballasting in the near future.