GROUND LEVEL TRACK REFURBISHMENT.
Update for November / December 2019

Despite the bad weather and heavy rain earlier in the November work has continued on relaying of the track. We found there was insufficient depth of ballast to allow for lowering the track through the station. A mammoth working party on Wednesday 13th saw the temporarily laid steel track lifted, ballast removed and between 50 & 100mm depth of soil excavated over a length of 20m, the spoil being barrowed to the far side of the ground. By end of day we had replaced the track ready for levelling and ballasting. The following Sunday & Wednesday saw the team carrying out levelling, ballasting and bolting up of fishplates. Our first milestone of the Winter achieved.
The remainder of November & the beginning of December saw the start on the run round loop. The space between the main line & loop is now wider to allow standing room between trains on both tracks. Again we needed to excavate to allow sufficient ballast below the sleepers. Hopefully the loop will be completed on the Wednesday 18th and ready for use at the traditional New Year’s Day steam up.
What will we be doing in January 2020? - Relaying of the link to the turntable with steel rail and following this work on the sidings opposite the station.