Donington Road

I reckon you cheated and left them out in the rain for an hour while you consumed tea and buns.

Nothing wrong with asking a legitimate question. Everyday is a learning day so it is always nice to learn something new and get other peoples opinions.

Loads of new rail. It looks to me as though there is enough now for the whole length of the new lines and it is going to be dragged all the way to and through the dive under.

The lorries are all loaded up taking ballast away, must have ordered too much. The main site now looking bare and forlorn. Some new fencing going in between the footbridge and the Down Stamford line. Surprised that it only seems to be standard height, Novel way of fixing the posts into the ground.

My friend Trackside ECML has been out and about today trying to find some action. It appears very little is going on. Bit of landscaping around the site. The embankment getting tidied up at Lincoln Road. Onwards to Cock Lane. Is that a new flower border being put around all the wooden fencing? ..........and this one comes complete with ready planted weeds! The triangle of mesh fencing in the background protects an old 8x4 sheet of plywood that has laid on the floor for months.

Is the yellow not more visible than the high intensity LED's.

EU meddling again. The front warning panel is far more effective from long distances than LED lights, especially when the train is coming at angle and is not head on. I have noticed that the odd front light on some stock has failed too. Hats of to GWR and LNER for a taking a responsible approach to safety.

Thank you for all the photos today Crun. It appears that the Up Stamford is back to full line speed. I don't think it is 75mph from Helpston to Marholm Junction, more like 60mph as there is a 75mph sign at Marholm Junction. The Down Stamford is 75mph from Cock Lane to Helpston Junction. Someone pointed out on my Youtube channel that the temporary 20mph was probably in place due to the fact that there are still people working within the area bounded by the Stamford lines. There is still machinery in the split of lines at Hurn Road as seen in your photos. Still at lot of spoil coming out towards the northern portal of the dive under. .......and that Bailey Bridge, jeez they're spinning that job out.

The line speed of the new Up Stamford has been increased as I witnessed several trains at Cock Lane traversing it Monday evening doing at least 50mph. I did not visit Hurn Road to check if the temporary speed sign had been changed or even removed. Where is Crun, when you need some photos to confirm?

It was booked as 2400 tons, perhaps about twice the weight of a normal ballast train.

Up Stamford in use, at 20mph. Best to watch on Youtube to read the description.

Perhaps the reason for the slower speed compared to when the temporary Stamford lines and Glinton Junction were installed (both 50mph) is that the new Up Stamford passes over the newly installed box jack, runs very close along the edge of the southern ramp and is also close to the Down Fast. No doubt any movement of the track and trackbed/ground shift is being monitored closely. If all appears well then it may be that the line speed will increase in stages over a period of weeks until everything is settled in.

It really is surprising what the internet throws up at times. Here is a study of Cock Lane footbridge from an Australian Small Bridges Conferance 2021. RupertNoronha-CockLaneFootbridgeoverRail-FINAL2.pdf

You have all seen the photos of the weekends work now for the moving ones.

We all got up early to give you a wave, Dave. ...and you didn't see us

Looks as though I have been following you around this morning but didn't see you. New permanent speed limit signs either side. And a temporary speed limit at Hurn Road, which seems rather slow. Lots of blue crates next to the Up Stamford containing new track clips, way past Hurn Road footbridge to the north as well The signal has a new number P867 and is now under the control of Peterborough PSB. Previously it was WS7005 (WS = Werrington to Sleaford) and was under the control of Lincoln. Doing a bit of maintenance on it this morning.

Quick visit to Lincoln Road to see what is going on with removing the bridge. The dozer is all chained up to the end of the bridge ready to pull it off the plinths but there was a lot of discussion going on about how much more the bridge needed jacking up. It was going to be a few hours yet before any movement and it may still be in the process of being removed during daylight hours tomorrow. The dozer driver hadn't turned up for work so that may delay it even further. Too dark to get any more photos and with a big rat running along nearby it was time to head home. Hurn Road footpath by candle light.

I don't know who took these photos that were sent to me. Clearing up the signalling equipment from the Joint line. It is a bit ironic that the signal in the middle background for the Down Main/Werrington Junction line was installed ten years ago and has never been commissioned, whilst the one in front of it must be nearer fifty years old. The tamper at Werrington Brook on the Up Stamford. I have been told that it has been having problems all day with stop/starting issues which is why it has taken such a long time to get the ballast tamped.

RIP, the old signal from Glinton Junction (between Foxcovert Road and Lincoln Road on the Up Spalding)

I expect you are are all getting bored with the same photos so I'll throw in half a dozen more to make you all groan under the weight. Thought I was going to find the Down Stamford severed and new switch panels in place this morning. But no, still working on the Up Stamford switch. A lot of welding going on or is the chap just making a fresh brew. Not much at Hurn Road end. A few chaps doing bit of manual ballast packing. The tamper doing its thing moving slowly towards Cock Lane and the rail brush clearing ballast off the top of the sleepers. Diverging lines. Rumour is the excavator is to be replaced with a keep left traffic island. No trains running today, the OHE has all been isolated and the electrical gangs are out all over the place trackside, Walton, Foxcovert Road, Werrington Junction and here at Glinton Junction. Here at Hurn Road they are still working in the old relay boxes which I thought may have become redundent considering the amount of new boxes that have been installed recently. ..........and finally whatever people might think on here, there are still more workers than railway photographers out there on a pleasant Saturday.

The most amazing things they use everywhere are those crawlers with side mounted hoists. Watching them work in unison to re-rail toppled wagons, move structures or just manouvre rail track looks like a work of art.

After cycling home to dry out I decided to get in the car this time and venture to Hurn Road. The track is in place and it is just a case of waiting for the ballast trains to do their bit. It was going to be at least another hour or more before there was going to be any movement and the camera and I were getting wetter so I decided to call it a day. Shame really because it would have been nice to have got some more video footage. The train on the left - Down Stamford - was carrying used ballast, sand and old sleepers. It was having to be checked by two crew members along the length of the train before it is allowed to leave. Consequently, the ballast trains are not allowed to move while people are in the six foot. There are two ballast trains, the rear one being top and tailed.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrgh! Beautiful weather all week, then when it comes to shutdown and a bit of action the heavens open. I was really surprised with the amount of work that had been done overnight. First a visit to Cock Lane, the new signal for the Up Stamford has been erected over Werrington Brook. The existing Up Stamford has been severed and the area has been ballasted and tamped down. Everyone is having rest whilst waiting for the railcrane to bring the first switch panel into place. Looking towards Hurn Road the Up Stamford looks as though it has been slewed across already. On to Walton to see how Marholm Junction is progressing. Not very good trying to get decent photos here through the thick mesh fencing of the footbridge. The railcrane finally arrives and it starts to rain. The switch panels have been waiting here a long time, let's hope they fit.

That is good to know Nick and well done to the local Wombles for their good work. However, leaving it in such a prime dumping place for such a long time is only going to attract the attention of undesirables to add to it in the future. To my knowledge it has been there now for well over a week so it is about time the Council got their finger out before all that good work is undone.