Steaming to Ironbridge

Steaming to Ironbridge Appeal
Horsehay & Dawley to Lightmoor | Lightmoor to Buildwas

Stage 1 : Heath Hill Tunnnel to Lawley Common

The first stage of the development plan is therefore to establish passenger train operations within the boundaries of the 'self-contained' TSR system for which a Light Railway Order is not required.

Immediately north of Heath Hill tunnel the original track formation was obliterated by open cast coal workings. This left thousand of tons of spoil blocking the exit from the tunnel with no route onto Lawley Common. To create the northern extension we have cleared this spoil and remade the track bed for some 250 yards beyond the tunnel.

TSR started excavating the infill in 2001 and removed sufficient material so that the remainder could be sculpted to form the necessary embankments, cuttings and base for the trackbed. This work started late in 2006 when contractors arrived on site with earthmoving equipment. Boundary fencing and drainage for this area was completed as part of this process.

Update 27/1/2009

Lawley Terminus Progress

The photo was taken during the snowy weather in early January. The snow was 2 to 3 inches deep. Later that day another 3 inches fell. Preparation for, and running, the Santa Season means that all hands are diverted from development work to Santa work. There has been almost no work on site since the end of October. The board have now released funding to enable further ballast and crossing timbers to be purchased. In the yard at Horsehay the switches for the two points that form the engine release have been dragged out from the stockpile and one pair have now been refurbished. It is hoped that they, together with the timbering we already have, will make their way to the site this coming weekend. Moving these will also allow us to get the crane into position to move the required crossings from the stockpile for refurbishment.

Update 12/11/2009

Lawley Terminus Progress

After the last visit from the RAF all plain track for both platform roads is now in position, on sleepers, with the exception of the engine release point work. There is some keying and fish-plating required but essentially the plain trackwork is complete.

Work on sorting and preparing the crossing timbers and point components has continued in the yard at Horsehay in readiness for moving them to Lawley for laying. The replacement chairs for the entrance point have been bought and delivered from Balfour Beaty Rail Two of the chairs had only just been cast and were delivered in shiny metal, i.e. had not rusted as we are used to seeing chairs; many members asked why they had been painted silver, not believing they were new metal!

Work has started on installing concrete troughing for the signalling system wiring. Logistics of bringing electricity to site has been looked at and options are being costed.

There is much still to do before we open; the next tasks are track alignment, laying the cross over points and ballasting the whole ensemble. Work will then turn to building the first section of platform and point operation.

Update 15/10/2009

Lawley Terminus Progress

The photo, taken on 4 Oct 2009, shows the eastern platform road. The buffer frames are in, but need top timbers. The sleepers in the foreground are the engine release. Then there is a gap where the engine release points will be fitted. In the middle distance flat wagons loaded with plain rail sit on the end of the track. In the far distance the western side platform road sleepers are going in.

A year later and a great deal of progress has been made. Remember during the summer months most weekends are taken up with providing a service on Sundays and Driver Experience on Saturdays, work is confined to mid-week evenings and the odd weekend when Saturday is free. Our biggest asset however is the regular turn out of RAF trainees from RAF Cosford. They spur us on, as we know if we are going to make the most of their visit then we have to get material to site and the site prepared.

Photos of the progress have been posted regularly on the Photos website. However here is a summary of the work since the last 'update'

• Ballast completed through the tunnel and through both bay sidings to the buffer stops.
• Plain track put in all the way through on the platform road.
• Point where the two bay sidings merge installed, only eastern side complete.
• Replacement special chairs for the crossing purchased. These arrived early Oct 2009.
• Buffer stops put in place.
• Design for the engine release points completed and all the required trackwork and crossing timbers located.

The RAF are on site again very shortly and we expect to get all of the plain rail in the western platform road completed. Work still required (I don't expect this is a complete list) before the trackwork can be opened.

• Purchase long crossing timbers.
• Clean and refurbish trackwork for engine release points.
• Fit replacement special crossing chairs.
• Fit point sole plates.
• Align all trackwork.
• Ballast and tamp all trackwork.
• Point operating mechanisms to be installed.
• Signal gantry from Wellington to be completed and installed.
• Power supply for signals and points to be installed.

After that there's just the matter of a station to build. However, subject to satisfactory inspection, we hope to have the track open for public trains in 2011.

There's a lot to be done, why not come and lend a hand. The more manpower we have the sooner the job can be completed.

Update 29/10/2008

Tunnel Progress

Over the summer only limited work was possible due to all staff being occupied with running a service. Never the less we did manage to lift all of the temporary track out of the tunnel. On the odd Saturday when we could get possession work was carried out within the tunnel to expose the old drain, This was found to be beyond repair and has now been dug out and, together with other drainage improvements, a new pipe has been run through the tunnel.

In the few weeks available in October Terram and new ballast has been put through the tunnel and it is now almost ready to have 'permanent way' put down so that ballast trains can work through the tunnel.

A photo diary of the work at Lawley can be seen on our Photos website.

Update 10/07/2008

Lawley Common

The contractors left around the 5th of April. We have spent time looking for, and eventually buying, a JCB 3C and a Dumper Truck. Ballast and other materials will be moved to site using one of the ex-Ironbridge Power Station 'Weigh Wagons'. This has a drop down end panel and will allow unloading over the buffer beam in the confines of the cutting and tunnel. Now that we have two diggers one can load at one end whilst the other is used to unload at the other end. We have purchased drain pipes and have started work on putting back the tunnel drain. Unfortunately recent bad weather means that heavy mud is back and this is hampering progress whilst we wait for summer!!!

In the meanwhile the diverging point which will be placed immediately north of the tunnel mouth to give the two platform roads is being fabricated in the yard. All the timbers and chairs have been sourced from stock. The timbers have been pegged and laid out, with the appropriate chairs. The row of chairs on the 'straight edge' have been fitted, and a temporary piece of track put in them to enable us to set the crossover into the correct position to gauge. Once this is done the position of the point blades can be accurately located and the remaining plain stock rail can be cut to length and fitted. Students from Telford College, on an apprenticeship scheme have started refurbishing one of the signals recovered from Wellington Station a few years ago. This will be used as the new starter signal for the new station.

Work has started - at last.

During the last week of January English Partnerships' fencing contractors put in the new boundary fencing. It came as a surprise just how big the site looks.

On Monday 4th February the contractors took possession of the site and their surveyors moved in. Later that week earthmoving equipment arrived on site.

We hope to maintain a photo library of the work in progress on our Photos website. The first photo shows the site on 31st January.

Fancy lending a hand?

If you would like to help us with this project - either in person or via a donation - please visit the Steaming to Ironbridge Appeal page for further details.