From ruin to signal

 From ruin to signal

By Robert Law

Over the last few years we have had a goal of making the Up platform bi-directional. We have a good few standard LMS round posts that could have been used. But we decided it would be great to have a more period fitting signal that echoes back to the highland railway days. There are still several signals on the railway which are of this age. Our south distant and home at Boat of Garten. Plus the distant signal at Aviemore.  With the approval of the department heads a refurbished lattice signal post has been installed and below you will find how this has been done.

We are very lucky on the railway to have so many assets available to us, in the yard we have several lattice posts from various modernization projects from the larger railway network. Luckily for us.  Not to sure of its origins but we have a suitable 15ft lattice post. This picture is from over a year  ago.

The signal post then found its way down to Aviemore, were it was sandblasted down to bare metal. Given a coat of rust protective paint, followed by a coverage of undercoat.

Once finished it was transported back to Boat of Garten in on of the P-way ballast trains.

Back at Boat of Garten, it was time to get the foundations in for the signal. We are very lucky to have the foundation casting that goes with the signal available. With a bit of mechanical help the hole was dug, leveled and the casting set. With attention being paid, ensuring that it was vertical, as no adjustments can be made once the signal is placed on top.

The next step was to drop the post on top, with the help of the p-way and the coalmar. Light work was made of dropping the post onto its foundations. Once on it is sercured with two hoops both of different sizes. With the base being tapered, as the hoops are hammered down they become tight onto the casting. 

And that’s it! The signal post is up and the table around it is in place ready to tack the new shunt signals. Still lots of work to do yet, which will take some time but it’s starting to look the part.

S&T Spring Report

S&T Spring Report

By Rob Law

Hello and welcome, to the Strathspey Railways S&T round up.

Sorry for the lengthy time since the last blog entry but we have been busy. There just hasn’t been a place in the work until now that tells the story. Around Aviemore the pre season maintenance and point testing has now been completed. With everything in good order. Also, Dalfaber ABCL has seen its first annual level crossing exam. With permission of Network Rail, Strathspey Railway has adopted there test LX71. During this testing, faults are applied to the crossing to ensure that the crossing responds in the correct way. And that the crossing will only give the driver a proceed indication when the road closure sequence has completed correctly.

Dalfaber ABCL under test.

At Boat of Garten, work is continuing on making the up platform bi-directional. The intermediate table on the wire run is in, with flat wheels installed. Wire run support posts are installed with pullie wheels fitted. ( but most likely will need to be adjusted as work goes on). And the signal bases are in but nothing is tied down yet. So things may change.

The new “main” signal will be a lattice post and this is the base of the lattice post. Sitting 1550mm in height/ depth. There is a good bit of digging to do to get it in the ground.

The signal was taken down to Aviemore shed were the staff and volunteers have sandblasted the structure to bare metal and have given it a coat of red oxide and its first coat of paint before sending it back to Boat. It will receiving a bit more attention before it is put onto its base.

Planning stage. As it is a short structure and is effectively on the wrong side of the track. Attention needs to be given to how the structure will affect the loading gauge. Any structure below 4640mm, must maintain a distance of 1364mm from the rail. In this case the signal arm is below this height so the post must be place out from the line to suite.

The lattice post base half dug in to the ground the new signals have been placed 1400mm forwards of the existing to allow for the new to be installed while the old are still in operation.

A bad picture, but gives you an idea of what work goes into base; Signal post base, stool with ladder base. Two cross members with three timbers on top to take the shunt signals and vertical wheel for the change in direction of the wire.

As the signals are moving over to allow for gauging. The detector base will have to move over to meet it. At first this was a bit irritating. Then we realized that with this, we will be able to keep the old signals in use up to the change over. So overall it’s not a bad thing.

Half way along between the signal box and the yard points detector there is a requirement for the wire run to change direction to line the start up to the destination. 

Completed with its flat wheels installed. This moves the wire run over by 1220mm to line up with the detectors and stops the wire run from running up the middle of the yard, creating a tripping hazard for our staff and volunteers. This also has the use of changing the order of the wires as they are received to what they leave allowing them to be positioned to the correct detector in the correct order without the wires crossing.

The wire run starting to be install with the use of fence posts still to be cut down to size.

A view from the signal box window with the wire run in place.

Still not finalized, but this is the general idea of how it will all look. Some adjustments still to be made, but the shunt signals will have to be removed to allow for the installation of the lattice post. Only once it is in, will any part be bolted/ tied down.

Other small jobs going on. Parts have been looked out and prepared for when we replace the two telegraph poles down the line. A date is still to be confirmed for this work to be done. But it is hoped to be done over the summer months.

The lock stretcher and stretcher bars are to be replaced on the yard point and a replacement lock stretcher is to be fitted to the crossover. Due to points gauging been required. Two lock stretchers have been refurbished by the team in Aviemore shed and are now whiting to be installed.

So once again that is you up to date with the ongoings of the S&T department. As always if you would like to get involved, in any department of the railway pease make contact via the railways website.