
November 2007
article by: Paul Fuller
At the end of October, we saw the brand new rails arrive at
'Fort Stanton' which meant the first weekend of November saw eight
panels (16 rails) placed on the already-laid sleepers north of the
aqueduct, pushing the rail head even closer to Broadway. With the
diesel gala in progress, we were unable to use the Class 73 to move
the train northwards - this was left for the following weekend.Sat
03 Nov 07 The brand new rails delivered at Stanton
The second weekend of the month saw another thee pairs of the
brand new rails laid at Stanton as well as a massive 203 sleepers
laid out ready for the next batch! With 26 sleepers to a standard
60ft panel, this equates to almost eight panels - 480feet!
Racing away - special offer for GWSR website visitors! On the
17th of November, 10 pairs of rails (20 in total!) were laid and
reached just north of the repaired B4632 'skew' road bridge. After
a marathon clipping-up session, the P-way train was propelled up
there and underneath the structure. Not content with stopping here,
the gang laid another 83 sleepers (just over 3 panels' worth) ready
for the next lot of steel to be laid.Sat 17 Nov clipping up under
B4632
The 24th of November saw P-way finally reach Broadway… albeit in
a slightly different manner than had been expected. In conjunction
with the Caravan Club, a small 17ft length of bullhead track was
laid inside the existing Goods Shed (in use as a toilet facility
and shower area). This will be used to provide a plinth for a box
van to be displayed on as a way of showing the local community we
are on our way and to encourage them to perhaps join the
railway.
Sat 24 Nov Sleeper laying up to and under Stanton Fields Farm
Bridge. Used to laying several full-size (60ft) panels of track per
day, needless to say that it didn't take long for this to be
accomplished before everyone headed back to Stanton Fields to
continue with 'real' track laying. Over 150 more sleepers were laid
on the formation which now pokes out north of the Stanton Fields
Farm road bridge. The site of the Laverton run-round loop is well
within sight now and is a very realistic aim in the very short
term… after our winter maintenance that is!