On Track - March 2021

WELCOME TO THE MARCH 2021 PERMENANT WAY UPDATE!

​Throughout March we have been continuing with the Spot Sleepering towards and into Horsehay & Dawley Station. So far approximately 70 have been changed from the point into the yard towards the station.
Once we got under the bridge in the station, it was realised that the rail itself needed replacing, not just the sleepers. We were unable to source a suitable replacement as the section of track was an abnormal length so the decision has been made to bring up some 30ft lengths of rail from Doseley as well as use concrete sleepers, to stop rot, and preserve the line for longer.
The job has temporarily been paused as we are waiting for machinery to arrive on site to assist with the digging and moving of concrete sleepers. For the mean time though the P-Way team are planning to ‘Jack and Pack’ the new sleepers as well as tamp so that trains can run over the track safely.

​The below article is from volunteer Richard O, who talked about some of the work that happened at the start of the month.
 
“The sleeper replacement of the mainline into H&D is going really well. Having used all of the stock of suitable sleepers at Spring village, we recently found ourselves in need of more. Fortunately, over the last two weekends we have been blessed with good weather, and the use of a tractor and trailer, which has enabled us to bring up more sleepers from our store at Doseley Halt. Here they will be sorted into those suitable to be reused and those that are not. Those not suitable will have the chairs removed and made available for further use.
 
It was great to be working outside at. Quite a few people were out walking or cycling, all of whom were very interested in our plans to extend the line and were really looking forward to us being able to run trains down to Doseley Halt and onwards into Ironbridge. The ongoing support of the local community is really appreciated and gives us a lot of encouragement and enthusiasm to make the extension of the line a reality as soon as we can. “

​The Permanent Way team also assisted S&T by helping to install new concrete cable troughing underneath the track in H&D Station to run power cables through.

That's the end of the update for March but we hope to have progressed even futher by the end of April, posiibly making it to the end of the Platform.