Maintenance Work
In and around the workshop
Extending the "Car Park Railway"
Relaying at Hunts Crossing
In April 2010 work was focused on modifying the trackwork at Hunts Crossing, roughly halfway along the current length of the railway. For several years in the 1980s Hunts Crossing was the terminus of the railway, and a run round loop was laid here. When the railway was extended further up the valley, the point was removed at the eastern end of the loop, leaving a siding accessible from a point at the west end of Hunts Crossing. This siding was used to store several items of rolling stock which were seldom used, and over the years the siding became rather overgrown. After considering several options, it was decided earlier this year to remove the loop and point, and realign part of the mainline through Hunts Crossing. Previously all trains had to slow down in order to negotiate the point at the western end of Hunts Crossing; removing the point and realigning the mainline will allow trains to travel through Hunts Crossing at normal line speed, thus slightly reducing the journey time to Newmills.
The photos below show the track gang in action, working to slew the two sections of track which were either side of the point. Part of this track, as can be seen in the photos, is a section laid on experimental concrete sleepers. The opportunity was taken, as part of the work, to completely replace the lighter weight rail through Hunts Crossing with ex. Vale of Rheidol 45 lb/yd rail and a few lengths of ex. Dean Hill 50 lb/yd rail. In total the work was completed in just under 5 working days.
Relaying from Launceston to the river bridge
