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Borders Railway progress


Chameleon

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Quite a lot of videos of the tracklaying are appearing on YouTube. The track is well south of the Edinburgh bypass apparently and the guy who took this one has nicknamed the tracklaying machine the Boojum.   It's a seriously impresive but very simple looking piece of kit.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehe_Y-9ogno

 

 

Jamie

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Great to see good progress! Anyone have a map or diagram as to show where they are at?

 

Best, Pete.

I'm reduced to a handheld device tonight. I am in possession of the data you mention, Pete. When I have access to better tech tomorrow I'll do something unless one of the gang beats me to it!

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I joined the facebook group mentioned above and there are some great photos on it.  they seem to be moving at a tremendous rate and are over the two viaducts, the big one at Fountainhall Lothianbridge and the new one at Hardengreen.   I need to find a map to sort out how many miles they've laid in a fortnight.  Apparently they don't work weekends.

 

There are also some photos of the ballast trains that are running behind the rail trains.  A 30 wagon rake of autoballasters top and tailed by 66's.  Look very impressive.

 

Jamie

 

Post corrected with thanks.

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I joined the facebook group mentioned above and there are some great photos on it.  they seem to be moving at a tremendous rate and are over the two viaducts, the big one at Fountainhall and the new one at Hardengreen.  

 

Jamie

The big one is at Newtongrange (Lothianbridge Viaduct, as said above). Next week they'll be moving into Gore Glen and across the A7 at Shank Bridge then into Gorebridge itself and up around Borthwick Bank towards Fushiebridge and then Tynehead.

 

I'll dig out a timetable for the mileages, chaps.

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Ok, working back from the datum that is Waverley itself in miles and chains:

 

6 19 Millerhill

 

7 76 Eskbank old

 

8 21 Hardengreen Jn

 

9 56 Newtongrange old

 

So, over 3 miles of rails are down.

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They seem to be working at a rate of one train of rail per day which gives 12 lenghth in total, there is also a train of 30 autoballasters with a 66 either end following the rail train.  I think the rails are in 100m lengths so that 6km of track per week.  They should reach Tweedbank in 10 weeks at this rate.  Obviously there is still a lot to do with rail joints to be welded and then the ballasting and tamping etc but it's very impressive progress.  Having watched the various videos I can now understand why the points were laid first.  They got to the start of the double track just south of Gorebridge last night so hopefully they should get past Borthwick Castle today though that stretch is double track so there will be two passes.

 

Jamie

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From some posts on the FB group the Eastern track now extends to just south of a road overbridge near Borthwick.

 

Jamie

 

One of my snouts text me to that effect yesterday.  Good to see it curving round and up the bank on its way to Falahill.

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According to the FB group some of the neighbours are already complaining about the noisy trains.   You can't please everyone.

 

Jamie

 

Yellow plant draws complainants like moths to a flame; I had months of it through Lewisham and Hackney.  

 

Ballast drops, butt-welding of rails, reversing beepers and warning horns will always hit the funny-bone of some 'vulnerable' local resident.  

 

These same residents are also the most vocal and 'connected' to grapevines.  It's Noise Complaints' First Law.

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Yellow plant draws complainants like moths to a flame; I had months of it through Lewisham and Hackney.  

 

Ballast drops, butt-welding of rails, reversing beepers and warning horns will always hit the funny-bone of some 'vulnerable' local resident.  

 

These same residents are also the most vocal and 'connected' to grapevines.  It's Noise Complaints' First Law.

Send in the Dynamic Track Stabiliser...

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Well, the head of steel has reached Borthwick Bank on the up line:

http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete.php?id=49215

 

Here's a recap:

 

  3  0  Portobello

  3 69 Niddrie North Jct

  4 33 Niddrie South Jct

  6 19 Millerhill Jct

  7 59 Glenesk Jct

  7 76 Eskbank old

  8 21 Hardengreen Jct

  9 56 Newtongrange old

10 23 Lady Victoria Pit

12  1  Gorebridge

12 61 Fushiebridge old

14 11 Borthwick Bank

 

Miles and chains from 1953 W/T/T

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Apparently the Eastern track is now at Tynehead.   They will have to back track to Gorebridge and then lay the western track before carrying on the next single line section.

 

Jamie.

 

5 days tracklaying for this loop, started this morning, finishes Wednesday afternoon.

 

Top ballasting the loop starts on Friday 7th, finishes Thursday 13th.

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They seem to be working at a rate of one train of rail per day which gives 12 lenghth in total, there is also a train of 30 autoballasters with a 66 either end following the rail train.  I think the rails are in 100m lengths so that 6km of track per week.  They should reach Tweedbank in 10 weeks at this rate.  Obviously there is still a lot to do with rail joints to be welded and then the ballasting and tamping etc but it's very impressive progress.  Having watched the various videos I can now understand why the points were laid first.  They got to the start of the double track just south of Gorebridge last night so hopefully they should get past Borthwick Castle today though that stretch is double track so there will be two passes.

 

Jamie

 

Rail due down at Tweedbank w/c 15th December, ballasted w/c 12th January. 

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