NYMR Winter Civils Works 2013 - 14

Thought I would start a thread about what is happening on the NYMR over this winter.
Some work has already been started and completed during the midweek no train periods.

Re signalling work has been going on at Grosmont this means that provision of new lineside cabinets is required but were they need to go meant digging out into the banksides and providing a retaining wall.
Cue the "LEGO" brick wall. Only trouble is these bricks are about a tonne apiece.

While this was going on using the 12t Plasser crane, another gang were busy retimbering the S+C layout replacing about 70 timbers fitting new screws and ferrules throughout.
The crane was used for for moving the old timbers away and placing the new ones when not playing with the LEGO.


Once the Grosmont work was out of the way, as far as plant use is concerned, work has carried on at weekends with clip replacement elsewhere in the S+C layout.
Meanwhile the Crane moved to deepest Newtondale where a 15 length rerail has been carried out.
The old rails are crippled due to dipped joints. As can be seen in the photo.

The crane worked its way along removing the old rails then returned installing the new rails.
The old rails being 45fts nearly all the old joint beds have been missed so the problem of ballast memory should be avoided.

Once all keyed up and plated all the old rails were loaded away and returned to Newbridge were they have been loaded away for scrap.



As part of the work a number of the joints have been welded up. Especially on the junctions between FB and BH rails.
The site was then tidied up and now requires a small stone tip and follow up tamp before next running season.



Next the big one.
A Mile and a quarter relay in the bottom of the valley between Levisham and Farworth.
The lads have been busy offloading sleepers and rails etc ready for a start in the new year.


Fancy volunteering anyone?

Happy Christmas.

 

Nice to see PWay getting featured - very interesting photo's

 

Will the kinky bridge (15?) get straightened, Bryan?

 

Indeed. Doesn't have the sexiness of engines, or even old carriages, but without the rails... no railway!

Yes; thanks to the OP for taking the effort to post them.

Noel

 

I think your route knowledge needs refreshing Steve.

15 is North of Levisham.

13 however is the start of the work but no it will still retain a kink but maybe not so much.
Needs more work than we are doing this time.

 

Couldn't remember whether it was 13 or 14 so I put 15! Don't ask me why because I don't know!

 

Presumably, fresh ballast will be needed for Levisham straight - so where does it come from? I know it is currently delivered to New Bridge PWay yard so it would be nice to think it comes from New Bridge quarry as that is on the doorstep but, if t comes from further afield, in view of the amount likely to be needed might rail transport be more economical (and save the need for transhipment?).

 

Led to believe that a couple of train loads of ballast are due to arrive by the Esk valley on completion of the relay work.

A certain amount is also delivered via Newbridge by road.

 

Not just the PW dept active over the winter but also the S+T.
However they did need our assistance in the form of the 12t crane.
Sunday 29th More progress on the Grosmont resignalling scheme.



3 Dolls installed on the Ex Seamer Gantry signal.
On completion of the scheme this will enable Nymr Traffic to use either platform 2 or 3 to access the Esk valley line.
Still a lot more work to do but installation of new IBJs, siding length alterations, new cabling, wire runs and commissioning amongst other items still to do.

Some slight alterations to the PW work are also now included.
Working with the Environment Agency there is also a short renewal of about 200 metres near Newbridge.
This is required due to a flood alleviation scheme to protect Pickering town centre from flooding.

 

Time for an update on progress.
Monday 6th Jan Work started in earnest, with 2 sites opening up.
Hunting Bridge where the Environment Agency are constructing flood defence works need the track to be removed so piling rig can get in and construct a dam wall across and along the trackbed.
20 x 45ft panels are to be removed totally from site.
Here we have the 360 excavator first removing the rails and loading to the MACAW then the sleepers are removed and loaded to the sturgeon. On completion the site is handed over to the EA for about 5 weeks.


The second site is our big one.
The length in total for Relay, Realignment and Sleeper adjustment is a mile and a quarter.
First job, the Flat Bottom rails that are to remain on site have had the bolt holes cropped off creating gaps.

These rails will then be moved back and cleared to the sides, all the sleepers are to be removed, ballast profiled then the sleepers are to be replaced at a closer spacing, 28 / length, Rails replaced and alternate joints are to be welded.
Reballast by lifting is planned before handback.
Not all the straight is to be treated like this, part of it is Bullhead rail on timber sleepers, these are to be replaced totally with new FB113 rails on concrete sleepers. Sleeper spacing and lift is planned throughout.


If you look in the distance you can see Levisham station, that is the far end of the job.


Further along the line at Fen Bog a regular team are gradually reducing the encroaching trees and bushes to ash.
This drastically improves the visibility both from the trains and of the trains especially for people using the Lyke Wake Walk crossing.

 

Link to latest update posted on NYMR website:

http://www.nymr.co.uk/2014/01/winter-civil-engineering-diary-part-8/

A more up to date diary has been distributed and will no doubt be appearing on the website shortly.

Steven

 

As predicted:

http://www.nymr.co.uk/2014/01/winter-civil-engineering-diary-part-9/

Steven

 

And the cameraman caught me.
During loading of sleepers.

 

Bryan, I was just wondering given this dreadful wet weather if that Pickering flood defence work with which the NYMR is clearly co-operating, has come in the "nick of time" ?

46118

 

Unlike the rest of the country we have tended to miss the quantity of wet stuff that others have had until today that is.
It appears that work has progressed roughly on schedule with Env Agency work progressing.
Track work is meant to start later next week relaying through the site, this to be done by NYMR Staff and volunteers.

Fresh from completing the relay work at Levisham South, all we are waiting for there is the welders to complete their work welding up alternate joints. 52 completed I think up to today another 50 odd to go, A ballast train to tip stone followed by tamping and it should then be fit for passage of trains at half term.



The 2 photos attached are from the site and show the initially scraped off area taken down to formation level, no evidence of George's work in the area was noticed.
The second photo shows the Drycell layer. (No idea about what that is, just its needed.)
The ballast depth will be about 400 - 500 above this then sleepers and rails. So the cut off level of the Sheet piles will be just above rail level.
The piles are approx 8 metres into the ground.

 

Thanks for the further update. Most interesting.

46118

 

It appears that we now have a complete railway again with a pair of rails end to end between Pickering and Grosmont.
The last rails were installed this afternoon at Hunting Bridge.
Still a lot of work to do though with Stone tipping, profiling and tamping along with any work that S+T have connecting block joints etc.
Tamping starts at Hunting Bridge on Monday probably late morning and continues for most of the week.

There may be another Stone train from DB Schenker again next week, probably Wednesday again, but nothing yet on Realtime trains.
However it looks like we will have to drop ballast by our own wagons for the majority of both sites.
Might take a few trips at 125 tonnes a time especially when Levisham alone needs about 2000 tonnes.

 

Latest update from the Civil Engineer.
http://www.nymr.co.uk/2014/02/winter-civil-engineering-diary-part-12/

 

A bit of video of the tamping is available here:


Edit: Why can't I post a link to Youtube? Anyhow, search for
Hunting Bridge NYMR Regulator and Tamper

 

The Civil Engineers latest update.
http://www.nymr.co.uk/2014/02/winter-civil-engineering-diary-part-13/