Another long term project nears completion.

Driver Scott topping up 46512 at Boat of Garten

 The old water tank having been removed, the previous day.

Anyone fancy a 40+ ton game of  "Jenga"!

 

 

 

 

                             Out with the old in with the new. 

The full story and due thanks to all those involved will no doubt appear in the next edition of

 Strathspey Express. I wonder how long it will be before the S&T Dept get round to commissioning the attached signal and associated interlocking?  

Midweek Fishplate oiling 24/04/14

 

 Today we started the Springtime Fishplate oiling at Boat of Garten Down Home signal, heading towards Aviemore, we were advised that we were to do the outside-nuts and here's me thinking we ARE the outside-nuts! To explain that each 60foot length of rail is joined to the next with a fishplate with 4 nuts and bolts, which need to be partially unbolted sufficiently so that we can pour track lube onto the fishing surfaces of the plates to lubricate them to allow for expansion/contraction of the rail. Then bolt it all up again so that it's all tight, the nuts alternate at each joint, so every 120feet needs to be done, only 5miles to do! this is not the most exciting job on the Pway but passing traffic and the wonderful weather kept us amused, in total we managed about 3/4 of a mile.

 

 

 

11.04 Royal Scotsman ECS move to Aviemore 

 

 

 

 1.10 Broomhill- Aviemore pass the "squad"

 

 

 

I believe that tomorrow the old water tank is to be removed by the rail mounted 12tonne crane, so next time I am down there should be a space here.



PWay on Dulnain Extension 5/6 April 2014

Two "Muscle" Men, one wearing their high-viz in an unusual way!

The  trusty "Muscle Man" has served us for years of trouble free use and is used to slew the track horizontally.

With Georgie up high in the Road-Railer doing the sighting




  

The star of the show must be the recently fully refurbished/serviced "Jacker Packer", which hydraulically lifts the track and squeezes the ballast under individual sleepers and don't worry it does need copious amounts of ballast fed to it, just to keep us fit you understand! another 200 Tonnes on order I believe.



The Jacker Packer in action