Latest News: Tuesday 15th May

The Saturday gang have been up at Redmire MOD sidings, installing and clipping- up 60 foot rails. The original rail here was 109lb flat bottom in very good condition, so it was taken up in January and used in our track renewal at Argill Farm near Harmby. Its replacement is "sidings grade" 98lb flat bottom, and is being installed in the original F19 concrete sleepers. 8x panels were completed, and this work will continue in due course.

The Monday (Leyburn) gang replaced a further 17x wooden sleepers east of Wensley level crossing yesterday, as well as doing a spot of fine alignment with the slewing jacks. All the new softwood sleepers we dropped here back in March have been used up, and the gang will now head further towards Leyburn to tackle creep within the flat bottom rail at Westfield Farm.

Our full time P.Way Supervisor, Andy Chapman, took the pickup to Akebar today, attending to a broken fishplate which turned out to have been caused by a life expired sleeper on either side of the joint. Another two replacement sleepers used up: soon be needing to order more!

Next work parties: we've got materials delivery and scrap recovery at Leeming Bar tomorrow, starting at 08:30 on site. This Saturday (19/5) will be back to the new points in Leeming Yard, then Redmire Sidings again the following Wednesday (23/5). Next Monday gang working day is 4/6 due to the bank holiday.

Digging out to replace a joint sleeper on a baking hot afternoon. New, well packed joint sleepers should prevent a reoccurrence of the broken fishplates

The first new sleeper installed