The EG&SNNRly
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KentKeith
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Now that Phase 1 of the "Return life to the EG&SNNR" involving the re-commissioning of the outer track has been completed (with the odd bit of encouragement from Stockers 
) the next target is the re-commissioning of the original mountain section of the line which I hope to have completed by the end of the month as long as the weather and a significant birthday on the 22nd cooperate. This is what it looks like at the moment:
There are two main tasks, the first being the rebuild of the trackbed across the embankment connecting the spirals at each end:
The original trackbed was one of my first mistakes. I was given some breeze blocks by one of my neighbours which I used in place of the aerated blocks that I normally. All was ok until winter and the frosts appeared. Moisture on the breeze blocks froze and the breeze blocks started to crumble. Mr. Lumphammer will get to work breaking up the breeze blocks so that a new bed of aerated blocks can be laid.
The second job is much easier. The bridge at the end of the breeze blocks suffered from storm damage. Have got all the parts so just need to stick it back together and install:
The trackbed on the spiral (known as Stone Lantern Curve) leading back down to the main line has got a bit overgrown but nothing that the hedge trimmers can`t deal with:
Once all that`s been done and the track has been cleaned and fettled it should be time to start running trains up and down the spirals as it was a few years ago:
Updates will follow as work progresses.
) the next target is the re-commissioning of the original mountain section of the line which I hope to have completed by the end of the month as long as the weather and a significant birthday on the 22nd cooperate. This is what it looks like at the moment:
There are two main tasks, the first being the rebuild of the trackbed across the embankment connecting the spirals at each end:
The original trackbed was one of my first mistakes. I was given some breeze blocks by one of my neighbours which I used in place of the aerated blocks that I normally. All was ok until winter and the frosts appeared. Moisture on the breeze blocks froze and the breeze blocks started to crumble. Mr. Lumphammer will get to work breaking up the breeze blocks so that a new bed of aerated blocks can be laid.
The second job is much easier. The bridge at the end of the breeze blocks suffered from storm damage. Have got all the parts so just need to stick it back together and install:
The trackbed on the spiral (known as Stone Lantern Curve) leading back down to the main line has got a bit overgrown but nothing that the hedge trimmers can`t deal with:
Once all that`s been done and the track has been cleaned and fettled it should be time to start running trains up and down the spirals as it was a few years ago:
Updates will follow as work progresses.
KentKeith
Registered
Well, the breeze blocks may be crumbling on the top but they sure ain`t crumbling in the middle. Was bit difficult getting the first block out but eventually it did come out:
Based on this mornings experience think I have a cunning plan to get the rest of the blocks out without too much hassle, off to see if it works.....
In the meantime the replacement aerated blocks have been stockpiled.......
Based on this mornings experience think I have a cunning plan to get the rest of the blocks out without too much hassle, off to see if it works.....
In the meantime the replacement aerated blocks have been stockpiled.......
KentKeith
Registered
Yeah, the cunning plan worked. Instead of trying the break-up the breeze block its proved easier to chip away at the surrounding concrete and remove the whole block in one piece....
Only problem now is that I end up with a big block instead of many small pieces which would have been used as hard core. Ah well, you can`t win them all. Back to work.....
Only problem now is that I end up with a big block instead of many small pieces which would have been used as hard core. Ah well, you can`t win them all. Back to work.....
KentKeith
Registered
Had a break from breaking-up breeze and decided to do some testing with my new LGB V100 Diesel. Yesterday soon after arriving it was sent round the track with to Piko 3-axle coaches and performed well but further testing had to be abandoned due to rain
Testing continued this afternoon with three of the Piko 3-axle coaches and soon a fourth was added none of which slowed down the V100. It gave me the impression that it could easily take more such coaches but unfortunately I don`t have any more of these coaches
During the weekend hope to test the Piko BR24 steamie on the four coaches and see how it compares with the V100 diesel.
Testing continued this afternoon with three of the Piko 3-axle coaches and soon a fourth was added none of which slowed down the V100. It gave me the impression that it could easily take more such coaches but unfortunately I don`t have any more of these coaches
During the weekend hope to test the Piko BR24 steamie on the four coaches and see how it compares with the V100 diesel.
KentKeith
Registered
Progress was made during the weekend.......all breeze blocks have been removed from the worksite and the base has been tamped down to make the base relatively level:
....and ended the working day with laying the aerated blocks to ensure that the trench is deep enough to float a layer of cement prior to cementing in the aerated bricks and ensuring that they are level. As far as I`m concerned its looking good.
To keep me company whilst I was breaking up the last breeze blocks had to run a train. It was the turn of the HSB 2-10-2T on a short train:
No work on the trackbed is scheduled for the rest of the week but still think I`ll meet my self-imposed deadline of the end of the month to get the first set of spirals operational.....
....and ended the working day with laying the aerated blocks to ensure that the trench is deep enough to float a layer of cement prior to cementing in the aerated bricks and ensuring that they are level. As far as I`m concerned its looking good.
To keep me company whilst I was breaking up the last breeze blocks had to run a train. It was the turn of the HSB 2-10-2T on a short train:
No work on the trackbed is scheduled for the rest of the week but still think I`ll meet my self-imposed deadline of the end of the month to get the first set of spirals operational.....
KentKeith
Registered
Logging on noticed that there have already been 1000 `views` of this thread. Wonder who those are as it can`t be forum members as most of those seem to be non-participants on many of the forum threads......
Anyway, since my last posting progress has been made getting rid of the breeze blocks. At the beginning of the week the worksite looked like this:
A concrete base had been laid in the trench and a start had been made on cementing the aerated blocks in place. Today more work was done and all the aerated blocks have been cemented in place:
Got to fill in the gaps between the blocks and then time for track relaying before the next part task - rebuilding the bridge:
Somewhere I`ve got all the bits and pieces of the demolished bridge..... but those pieces are not all in the same place. Rather than hunt around for all the pieces suddenly remembered that ages ago I had built a covered bridge for the main line but decided not to use the bridge as American-outline double-stack container wagons would not fit. It did not take time to find the covered bridge:
Some more work will be needed to rebuild the bridge supports but think it will be worth it. Demolition of the current bridge supports will start soon.....
..... and what`s going to happen to the double-stack container trains? They will be banned from this section of the line but will be able to access the mountain section of the line on the other side of the garden.
Anyway, since my last posting progress has been made getting rid of the breeze blocks. At the beginning of the week the worksite looked like this:
A concrete base had been laid in the trench and a start had been made on cementing the aerated blocks in place. Today more work was done and all the aerated blocks have been cemented in place:
Got to fill in the gaps between the blocks and then time for track relaying before the next part task - rebuilding the bridge:
Somewhere I`ve got all the bits and pieces of the demolished bridge..... but those pieces are not all in the same place. Rather than hunt around for all the pieces suddenly remembered that ages ago I had built a covered bridge for the main line but decided not to use the bridge as American-outline double-stack container wagons would not fit. It did not take time to find the covered bridge:
Some more work will be needed to rebuild the bridge supports but think it will be worth it. Demolition of the current bridge supports will start soon.....
..... and what`s going to happen to the double-stack container trains? They will be banned from this section of the line but will be able to access the mountain section of the line on the other side of the garden.
KentKeith
Registered
Have been a busy bunny this week and today completed the infrastructure work part of Phase 2 of returning life to the EG&SNNR. Carrying on from my last report first task was to demolish the old bridge piers and get an idea where the new bridge piers will go:
Once the old piers were removed the new lower bridge piers were in place and left overnight before starting on the upper piers:
To make sure there was no screw-up of my measurements/calculations the covered bridge was placed on the lower piers:
This morning the upper piers were cemented in place and the covered bridge was plonked in place. Pleased to see that all my measurements etc. were ok!!
Once the new bridge was in place the track was laid and connected.....which meant it was time to run a test train:
The test train had to be battery-powered as I`ve not yet got round to cleaning the track on the spirals or checking on the electrical continuity of the track power - that`s this weeks project!! Soon the Drewery and its mixed train was on its way leaving the main line......
.....and was soon approaching the covered bridge:
.....and passing under the bridge.......
The journey up the spirals will be continued.....
Once the old piers were removed the new lower bridge piers were in place and left overnight before starting on the upper piers:
To make sure there was no screw-up of my measurements/calculations the covered bridge was placed on the lower piers:
This morning the upper piers were cemented in place and the covered bridge was plonked in place. Pleased to see that all my measurements etc. were ok!!
Once the new bridge was in place the track was laid and connected.....which meant it was time to run a test train:
The test train had to be battery-powered as I`ve not yet got round to cleaning the track on the spirals or checking on the electrical continuity of the track power - that`s this weeks project!! Soon the Drewery and its mixed train was on its way leaving the main line......
.....and was soon approaching the covered bridge:
.....and passing under the bridge.......
The journey up the spirals will be continued.....
KentKeith
Registered
Soon after passing under the covered bridge the line passes the Big Bridge (the first proper bridge on the EG&SNNR) and starts climbing the spirals:
...and climbs:
....and soon crosses Big Bridge:
....and onto the new trackbed at the top of the spiral:
....and was soon rumbling over the covered bridge:
.....heading for Hidden Bridge:
.....starting the descent on Stone Lantern Curve
..... and rejoining the main line in front of Hidden Bridge:
Next report will appear when track power is returned to the spirals.
...and climbs:
....and soon crosses Big Bridge:
....and onto the new trackbed at the top of the spiral:
....and was soon rumbling over the covered bridge:
.....heading for Hidden Bridge:
.....starting the descent on Stone Lantern Curve
..... and rejoining the main line in front of Hidden Bridge:
Next report will appear when track power is returned to the spirals.
