Cadeby to the Rescue

Last time, will left our heroes at Apedale puzzling on how to fit the points in at the new museum track fan. This is quite a difficult problem, since the tracks have to be aligned with what will, in due course, be the museum building doors. And unlike a Brio trainset, the points are heavy and difficult to move about. The proposed used of a Y point for the 3rd road didn't work out as was hoped  due to the huge length of said point - this only became apparent once extracted from the storage pile. Putting the Y to one side (just in case we ever need a point which can be used for a 110mph divergence), some serious thinking went on. The answer was to re-use a point which once formed part of the mainline of the Cadeby Light Railway (closed in 2005). When Cadeby closed, the track and most of the staff and rolling stock up-sticks and moved to Apedale. One of the ex-Cadeby staff was heard to look at the point in question and observe that he wished he done a better job of mending it when he last had the chance. So, after a little TLC, the point was craned into place and LO - the geometry works and all is sweetness and light. The point in question can be seen in the first photo supporting a well-known Bagnall steam loco - note the very long check rail - used to combat the outrageous curvature on the railway at Cadeby. The self-same check rail will also be noticed in the second photo. Perhaps thankfully, the point is not now to be used for passenger trains, and can bask in a gentle semi-retirement at Apedale. The third photo is just because it's nice. As ever, get in touch here. PS - just mentioning passenger trains - we start for the season on the 12th of April. We're starting the season with the Grand Opening of a new passenger station - beat that, Severn Valley!!

Museum Ladder

After all the drain works, this week was the chance to reap the benefits. Unfortunately, the timings went a little awry - the groundworks all got done as expected, but the ballast wagons were several hours late. Anyone who has worked on Big Railway civils projects will be somewhat familiar with this scenario. But eventually, the ballast did arrive and was duly spread and rolled. At which point, out came the Crane, and work commenced to lay out the ladder of points leading to the Museum site. On a model railway, one would do the initial trial using paper templates, kindly provided by Peco. We could have done with those for this job, but sadly we couldn't find a photocopier big enough. So, a certain amount of trial and error commenced. Trial and error can be quite hard work with full-size pointwork! But, after several attempts, much measuring and scratching of heads, the first two points were put in more-or-less their final places. The 3rd point just could not be made to fit, and Plan B - changing it for a Y-point - was evolved. Unfortunately, the Y is in the Bottom Yard, so a job for next weekend is to extract it and convey to site. It is fair to say that a few of us went home wondering whether "00" gauge trains had their advantages after all. As ever, get in touch here.

Drain Dream Team

A remarkably dry and sunny Saturday down at Apedale saw a good turnout of the Moseley Railway Trust's finest for a serious unglamourous job. There's no way to dress this up. The Drains. Specifically, the drains which will ultimately take water from the roof of the museum and into a storage tank, thence to replenish the steam locos. This is obviously a bit pointless, because the steam locos will then boil it, make it into water vapour and chuck it back into the atmosphere, from where it will land on the roof of the museum. One of the many advantages of diesel traction. But we digress. The drains are a critical part of the museum project. The race is now on to prepare the site for the Tracks to the Trenches event - September 12,13 & 14. The museum base needs to be concreted to provide valuable siding space, and the area to the north of the museum will become the fan of track from which the New Field Railway will head off into the wild blue yonder. The drains are Important and Urgent and Critical Path and lots of other things with capital letters. So, many of us spent the day shovelling, barrowing, sawing, levelling and the like. The fleet of wheelbarrows was augmented by two Visiting Wheelbarrows, making for a veritable Wheelbarrow Gala. Next time we do something like this, we really must advertise it in advance. So, after getting 20 tons of gravel shifted during the course of the day using three wheelbarrows, many went home for a Radox Bath. If Network Rail are reading this, we are open to invitations to come and have a go at Dawlish sea wall. Finish the job a week on Tuesday, if that's OK? Network Rail (and everyone else) can get in touch here