Major engineering works between Taunton and Exeter

[Southernman46]

The building looks like an old platelayers / gang hut from back in the day

There would have been a permanent tunnel length gang in days of yore when sleepers were timber and rails were jointed and there were oak keys to keep in.....................

[Gary H]

There would have been a permanent tunnel length gang in days of yore when sleepers were timber and rails were jointed and there were oak keys to keep in.....................

Yep, ofcourse, I didn't think of that!

Latterly made redundant in the advent of CWR no doubt!  I'd guess the jointed track would have gone in the late 60's / early 70's from here.

[Southernman46]

Almost certainly - would have all been done under traffic too - much refuge hopping and ducking down to breathe while the smoke cleared ..........they've taken all the fun out of it these days - safer though..................

 

DMU's were bad though - was almost asphyxiated in Bincombe Tunnel back in the late 80's by a Bristol train grinding very slowly up the hill.

[phil-b259]

Interesting to see that they are using clamp locks on the running line pointwork at Taunton - that's an interesting step backwards on past BR policy.

 

They are the of the relatively recently introducded "In Bearer Clamp Lock" design - which I was lead to believe is now NRs 'preferred' design of point (taking over from the HPSS design in this respect). The big advantage of IBCLs (and HPSS) is that because all the point gubbins is contained within the hollow barer, the P-way have a much better chance of tamping them properly - otherwise they are not that different from normal Clap Locks. Down our way traditional clamp lock designs normally bounce quite badly at the tips simply because all the hydraulic rams, etc being mounted between sleepers (or bearers) means you have to leave the relevant bed with very little ballast in it - and also meaning that any ballast applied under adjacent bearers (i.e. after a bit of lifting and packing)  tends to work its way out fairly easily.

 

Incidentally HW points also suffer from a similar issue although at least in that case you don't have to worry about a stray shovel / packing bar damaging a hydraulic hose - lock & detection rods being a bit more robust. Even so I have often thought it was about time someone came up with an "In Barer HW" setup - it wouldn't be that difficult, a few redesigned drop brackets would do it and you could keep the machine pretty much as is.

[Captain Kernow]

Tim, some time ago you posted images of flooding at/near a junction on the same line, just north of Exeter. (near Cowley) Is this occupation also alleviating flood threats on that location (that got flooded twice in a very short time back then) perhaps?

The junction is Cowley Bridge Jct, but we're not able to do anything major there this time, because the junction is still in daily use, by Barnstaple trains and also an intensive service of engineering trains from Exeter Riverside Yard to and from the blockade.

[Gary H]

.they've taken all the fun out of it these days - safer though..................

 

 

Yeah, tell me about it!

You'l no doubt remember well the days we could legally work inside platforms under traffic. I was just 4 seconds from meeting my maker in Twyford's up main platform back in 87 but that's a tale for another day. In my minds eye I must have thanked the HST driver running on the down a thousand times over for warning us of the approaching up train.

Never again though.

[Gary H]

Tim.  A brilliant set of photos.  It puts in context all the engineering effort and skills required to maintain our railways.  Thanks for taking the time to firstly take and then post the images.

 

The concrete spraying puts me in mind of spray painting models, light thin coats which must dry first  .

Indeed, so many of the general public don't know, don't care or are just not interested.  Works like these will have been planned literally years ago and take many months to piece together. I think to have it all come to fruition like it does so many times is testament to a lot of highly motivated and professional railway people just doing their job.

I just had a friend of the family pop round for a brew and as I know she spends a lot of time travelling between Bristol and Cornwall on the train, I dully pointed out why there were no trains between Taunton and Exeter and showed her Tim's pictures of all the work and substantial investment going into making her journey safer and more reliable for the future.

She still bloody moaned about the inconvenience though!  

[Fat Controller]

Thanks Gary.  Unfortuneately, there is a perception by Joe Public that engineering infrastructure, whether road, rail or whatever does not wear out / need maintainance.  It is not helped by the media.  The Radio Devon report on the blockade last weekend was a case in point.  The typical whinge about the lack of capacity on the Exeter - Yeovil route causing a 2 hourly diversionary service for GW line trains.  To redouble that line would be at substantial cost and would have to have a robust business case, including ongoing maintenance.  Of course, that was not mentioned.

Not to mention the disruption to the service on the route whilst redoubling took place; from CK and others have posted about the Cotswold line and elsewhere, you'd be looking at total closure for several weeks.

[Captain Kernow]

It is indeed a bit of a balancing act, in terms of how the message is (i) got out there and (ii) how the media reaction to it is managed. I believe there is a 'media day' coming up at some stage during the blockade, so I'd expect to see more in-depth local news coverage of it at that time (don't know date at the moment, sorry).

 

Just got back from another day out on site, this time based around the renewals sites at Tiverton Junction - photos to follow...

[Captain Kernow]

OK, here are some views from my visit to the Tiverton Jct plain line renewals site, together with another site a mile or so to the south, called 'Stoneshill' (really between Tiverton Jct and Cullompton). In both cases, the plain line renewal is of the Up Main line. That at Tiverton Jct itself is largely completed, although we do see some 'ballast brushing' in action, plus a team getting ready to unclip the rails, prior to stressing them. The second plain line site, at 'Stoneshill', is actually a formation renewal, which involves the existing rails and sleepers being re-used, once the formation under them has been dug out and renewed. In such cases, the existing track is deemed to be in good enough condition, with sufficient life left in it, to warrent replacing it.

 

However, this is not the whole story here, because this coming weekend, once the two plain line sites are completed, a major S&C renewal of almost all the existing points at Tiverton Jct will take place over the following week. All the new track panels are stacked on the old platforms, as can be seen in some of the photos.

 

All the engineering trains for these sites are resourced from Exeter Riverside Yard, where you will have previously seen large stockpiles of ballast etc.

 

The major item that is currently not on site is the Kirow crane, that we last saw working at Taunton West. This is currently being turned (as planned) on the Westbury triangle, and will be transited direct to the Tiverton Jct worksite, from Westbury, on Sunday night, running of course via Yeovil and Honiton.

 

En-route to the access point at Tiverton Jct, I stopped to take some views of the Stoneshill site from the main road between Cullompton and Willand, including some from a conveniently-located overbridge:

 

 

 

 

 

At Tiverton Jct, we can see how the individual sleepers have been numbered, to ensure they are laid in the correct order (must have taken a leaf out of the P4 Track Co. instruction manual!):

 

A telephoto view from the old station, looking south. The Class 66 on the left is stabled in the Down Passenger Loop:

 

Tamper waiting to work on the Stoneshill site:

 

A walk up from the access point towards the crossovers at the north end of the site:

 

A R/R machine with ballast brushing attachments. We'll return to this in a little while:

 

 

One of the great pleasures of working on the operational railway is the unexpected encounter with old friends from 'way back when'. Driver Mike works for Freightliner, but is here seen on the footplate of a DBS loco, in keeping with the flexible agreement we have with these two companies, plus Colas Rail, for the blockade. He became strangely camera shy when I told him that the photo was for 'Hello' magazine...

 

 

 

Here we are now at the end of the current relaying site. The crossovers will both be relaid next week, though:

 

Looking back to the south:

 

Back to the ballast brushing. This attachment basically 'does what it says on the tin' - it brushes the ballast into a much tidier profile. One thing that we don't want when stressing the rail is for stray bits of ballast to get wedged under the rail when we come to re-clip it back onto the sleepers, so the ballast brushing achieves most of the tidying up, with some good old fashioned 'blokes with shovels' finishing off.

 

The view before the ballast has been 'brushed':

 

 

The view from behind the machine, showing the tidier ballast:

 

These gentlemen are in the process of getting ready to use some more specialised kit to unclip the rail from the sleepers, preparatory to the stressing of the rails:

 

I shall save this lot to the Forum now, and resume in another post with the remaining photos.

 

[Captain Kernow]

For the wagon buffs, some more wagon views from the engineering train that Driver Mike was in charge of, on the Down Main line:

 

 

 

More views of the stacked new track panels for the forthcoming S&C relaying here:

 

 

 

A telephoto view of the newly-laid Up Main from the old station platform, looking towards Exeter:

 

A couple of photos for the tamper enthusiasts:

 

 

And now for the exciting bit of the day, a ride down the Up line to the 'Stoneshill' site, in this magnificent machine!

 

 

 

 

Arriving at Stoneshill:

 

And now some views of the Stoneshill site, where the Up Main formation is being renewed. This involves a fairly deep dig and renewal of the formation. The stage shown in the photos is where the new 'bottom ballast' has been laid in from an earlier ballast train (as seen in some of the first photos of this site today). The new ballast has also been compacted using a triple whacker (I love the name for that piece of kit, you just couldn't make it up!). Towards the south end of the site, the gang is gradually replacing the concrete sleepers, which had previously been carefully laid out in the Down cess. This is a fairly time-consuming process, involving a R/R machine lifting up to four sleepers at a time and placing them down in their approximate position. The supervisor then calculates their exact position and the final moving of each sleeper is done manually.

 

 

 

This R/R machine was about to transfer itself from the Up line to the Down, preparatory to running down to the location where another machine was lifting the sleepers. The two machines would swap attachments, with the one seen here taking over the sleeper lifting, and the one at the south-end starting to thimble the rail into position from where it had been previously placed in the four foot of the Down Main.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note the difference in alignment between the sleepers that have only just been placed in position by the R/R machine, and those that have subsequently been manually moved to their correct position:

 

 

 

The south end of the renewal site:

 

 

Time to return to the access point at Tiverton Jct, and our chariot returns!

 

It's certainly a comfortable ride, if you've been on your feet a lot!

 

 

[Highlandman]

A fantastic and informative set of pictures on track laying 1:1 scale. Can you tell me what you mean by stressing the track and why it is done? Many thanks.

[Re6/6]

How about a 'selfie' Cap'n?!

 

We need a snap of you 'in context'!   

[Captain Kernow]

Can you tell me what you mean by stressing the track and why it is done? Many thanks.

Stressing is essentially pulling or 'stretching' the rail (yes, despite being steel, it can be done!), so that in warm temperatures (remember those?!), there is effectively 'somewhere' for the rail to expand into. The way that CWR track is designed now (in terms of the degree of stress, the ideal temperatures that the stressing is undertaken in, the design of the ballast shoulder etc., is all about ensuring that the track 'stays put' at extremes of temperature, thus avoiding the need for cautionary speed restrictions and hopefully, avoiding any potentially dangerous track buckles.

 

After initially being laid in and clipped up (as you can see in the photos), the rails are unclipped again and are 'pulled' by specialist kit to the required 'stressing amount'. The rails are then re-secured in their clips and welded up.

 

All rather different from an old fashioned gang laying 60' lengths and fishplating them up in the old way!

 

How about a 'selfie' Cap'n?!

 

We need a snap of you 'in context'!   

You wish!!!  

[Gary H]

Its pictures like these that make me miss the relaying aspect of working on the railway immensely! Not to mention the banter, some of the best laugh's Ive had was back in those days on relaying sites!

I digress though its not much fun in the middle of the night when the rain is coming down horizontally and some one breaks the pull cord on a rail saw / disc cutter and a pipe goes on the stressing kit.

Excellent set of pics Capn'.

[Trevellan]

Some really interesting stuff here Tim. I thought Driver Mike looks as though he might be moonlighting as an Italian football manager!

 

Going back to the Staplegrove Road bridge, I recall trying to get some pictures from there after the 2012 Members' Day. Unfortunately, ISTR there were some trees in the way. I hope to be down again this year, so if you could shft these while you're there...

[eastwestdivide]

 

triple whacker (I love the name for that piece of kit, you just couldn't make it up!).

Doubly appropriate name, as I think many of those are made by a company called Wacker (makes all sorts of compacting machinery). In fact that's probably why they're known as whackers.

[BlackRat]

Brilliant!

[The Stationmaster]

Its pictures like these that make me miss the relaying aspect of working on the railway immensely! Not to mention the banter, some of the best laugh's Ive had was back in those days on relaying sites!

I digress though its not much fun in the middle of the night when the rain is coming down horizontally and some one breaks the pull cord on a rail saw / disc cutter and a pipe goes on the stressing kit.

Excellent set of pics Capn'.

I've heard some good excuses for over-runs in my time but a broken pull cord on a rail saw is a new one on me

[woodenhead]

Stressing is essentially pulling or 'stretching' the rail (yes, despite being steel, it can be done!), so that in warm temperatures (remember those?!), there is effectively 'somewhere' for the rail to expand into. The way that CWR track is designed now (in terms of the degree of stress, the ideal temperatures that the stressing is undertaken in, the design of the ballast shoulder etc., is all about ensuring that the track 'stays put' at extremes of temperature, thus avoiding the need for cautionary speed restrictions and hopefully, avoiding any potentially dangerous track buckles.

 

After initially being laid in and clipped up (as you can see in the photos), the rails are unclipped again and are 'pulled' by specialist kit to the required 'stressing amount'. The rails are then re-secured in their clips and welded up.

So they are welded stressed, does that mean they remain stressed at low temperature but when it gets hot and they expand the effect is that the track is de-stressed.

 

Does this replace expansion joints or do they work in conjunction with them?

[Gary H]

In conjunction, but the expansion joints can be of a different design. Not the butted-up-with-a-gap but a diagonal sliding design that allows expansion while maintaining a bump-free ride.

Sort of.

To make it easier to understand how, where and why we use adjustment switches, I made up a simple schematic.

 

Ive used a recent picture that's elsewhere on the forum as it incorporates an ADJ Switch in a handy place to where the train is. Ignore the train!!

In this case the ADJ Switch is used because just out of shot to the right there is a set of points which are termed, un-reinforced S&C (switch & crossing). That is the stress cannot be carried through the switch and crossing components as it will simply break the S&C apart, heal blocks will be broken, bolts sheared, switch tips pulled out of line etc.

This component has to be stress free in this case.

The stress free part Ive coloured GREEN followed by the Adjustment switch in YELLOW.

We then have whats known as the anchor or anchor point, as its name incurs, this will be the anchor for the following stressed piece of track which is coloured RED disappearing into the distance for miles until we come to either jointed track and / or another set of points which cant be stressed!

As an aside, the ADJ Switch also incorporates a set of laid down standards which are given by measurements we take when they are inspected. These are residual gap opening and the length of the 'overlap' depending on what the ambient temperature is. Im not going to go into that here!

Oh, we also call them 'breather switches'.

[Gary H]

 

 

 

IMG_0231.JPG

 

If you look at Tim's picture above, you'll see a lot of blue crates on the trolley. Those crates contain 'side arms' used for stressing the rail. The side arms (or 'side rollers') are fitted to about every 8th sleeper, this figure depends on how sharp the curve is, sharper the curve, the more side arms have to be used.

These stop the rail from jumping out of the housings on the sleepers as the rail is pulled, obviously the rail will want to be straight!

 

Just for abit of trivia, the specially machined and fabricated side arms for fast clip sleepers as seen here cost 45 pounds EACH

I know this as our stores guy said 5 got lost on a recent job near Newton Abbot and they are all hired!! There were 500 of them in all. Lots of ££££££.

[Captain Kernow]

I meant to add that I filmed a bit of the return trip in the luxury man-rider from the Stoneshill work site to Tiverton Jct -

[Southernman46]

So they are welded stressed, does that mean they remain stressed at low temperature but when it gets hot and they expand the effect is that the track is de-stressed.

 

Does this replace expansion joints or do they work in conjunction with them?

Stressing is designed to make the track think it is between 21 - 27 degrees centigrade so that it can expand and contract to the extremes of temperature in our climate but still ensuring that the resultant stresses are contained and don't cause any physical changes. The ballast and its consolidation also have a part to play in this too - a ballast shortage can result in a significant reduction in the temperature that the stressed track can be expected to perform up to.

 

Gary has already neatly explained above the layout of the entry to a length of CWT.

 

Also there are certain designs of S&C that can be included within a section of stressed track so that it is not (and seldom is) these days necessary to put adjustment switches at the end of a section of CWT, most are now found protectong jointed track.

[PaulRhB]

Fascinating stuff and the pway boys up here were eager to to look when I mentioned I'd seen photos. Thanks Tim and the others for the extra info.