S&T August Works Update

S&T August Works Update

By Robert Law

Once again it’s time for show and tell. With the school holidays now just passed. Progress has been slower, but still productive. With works centred around Boat of Garten. The lift bar is now completed and ready for use, once other components of the project have caught up. The yard points have had a make over. Now they comply fully with our specifications for switch openings, free wheel clearance and residual openings. Lots of time and effort has gone into this. Which looking at it, is hard to tell. Thanks must be given to all who have helped. But if you have time to spare, please get in contact. Come along, have a chat. A cup of tea and if you are able to, get involved.

LMS 5025 passing the top of our worksite, with the afternoon run back to Aviemore.

The yard points all striped down. Old stretcher bars removed. Lock bar placed, connected on one side. With the first of the new stretcher bars placed in the four foot ready to be lifted into place. Followed by being, measured, marked and removed to be drilled for fittings.

With the stretcher bar placed in the p-ways Rotabroach. With the first hole drilled and the second one ready to be drilled. A very simple job when you have good tools that are well maintained.

With work continuing on the lift bar. All the parts that make up the bar, have been fishplated together. Holes drilled and attached to the clips, mounted on the rails. At this point, it was time for a test! Which was very successful as you can see. Once oiled, greased and moved a few more time after this recording. It became very light and easy to operate.

As of the 21st of August, this is how the yard points are looking now. The points drive has been reconnected. Lock bar installed, with locks cut for both normal and revers directions. New stretcher bars fitted. All detection rods connected. Lift bar completed. Just the chanel rod to the bolt to be put in at commissioning.

Looking the opposite way from the points. With a full view of the newly finished 50ft lift bar.

That’s everything for now. Hopefully, next time I am writing this. I will be telling you about the signal wires being run. Connected up. And hopefully, some of the new signals being brought into use and old ones removed.