March S&T Report

 March S&T Report

By Robert Law

Time is flying by and it is a struggle to keep up with all things S&T! We have not been ideal, the winter! That is for sure. I am happy to report that our, independent recognized experts. From out with the Strathspey railway have visited and preformed an independent new works commission testing of Dalfaber ABCL. The crossings was scrutinized, to the finest detail. A short list of post testing snagging was produced and this has since been acted on. The legal order to operate trains over the crossing was granted from the ORR on the 3rd of March. Independent testing was completed by the 4th of March. On the 5th of March the possession of the line was lifted and the crossing was formally handed back the the operations department. Allowing them to start training and familiarization of the crossing for all staff and volunteers before the start of the railways running season. Thanks is to be given to ALL who have been involved in the project! It has been a big one. With grate rewards for the railway, including a much Safer railway for all!

The last part of the testing. Actually running a train over it! 
37674 had the honour of being the first engine over the crossing,
With the crossing in automatic control.

Now with that one out the way! It is time to get back to the other smaller projects around the railway. 

With the implementation of the improved interlocking at Speyside Cabin last year. There was a couple of operational difficulties..? But things that had become harder with making thing safer! This has been taken on board and a solution has been developed. Instead of the North GF at Aviemore station been released by a physical key/ token that is retained within the frame in Speyside Cabin. It will soon be done by an electrical release instead. Which will make things more flexible for our operations department.

Was a great idea to refurbish the location case in the shed.
But made it very difficult to collect and deliver to site!

Now at its new home. This location case will house the equipment that is required at the remote end to operate the GF electrical release.

Not installed yet and not its final position on the block shelf!
But this is the electrical release annett’s lock which is operated by the shunt key. Instead of the key needing to be physically moved to the GF. It can be inserted into the lock that will then give an electrical release at the GF. Thus making things more flexible for our operations department.

Underneath Speyside Cabin, work is progressing. A new work bench has been installed and the electrical supply board has been improved. Sorry but the picture does not do justice, to the amount of work that has been done.

Another job that has been completed is the fabrication of new lids for the locking trays. Now the locking is contained and protected.

On top of all this project work. The routine maintenance of our signaling equipment has been completed, before the beginning of the running season. Points testing has been completed. Oiling and greasing of all the mechanical equipment has been done. Inspections of all assets has been completed and this has raised more work into the work bank.

On inspection of this compensator crank, it was found to be moving. Affecting the B end of 14 points at Boat of Garten South. The screws were found to be loose, as well as the two bolts.
The Bolts have been tightened up. Screw holes, plugged re-drilled and new screws installed.
This is now holding well, but will need the timber replaced at some point in the future.

Last of the jobs that have been done this month! With lots of two train days, planned in for this year. A training rig, of key token machines has been set up in the lodge. This is to help aid in the training of our signallers on the railway. Plus a bit of fun for us!

If you like what you have seen on this page and would like to get involved. Please head over to the Strathspey Railways website and discover how to join our team. 

External renovation of the Speyside Signal Box at Aviemore - the final chapter.

 External renovation of the Speyside Signal Box at Aviemore  - the final chapter.

Work over 15^th to 19^th March 2023.

By Colin Frost

 

In order to complete the final chapter of the renovation. The two sidings connecting roads 6 & 7 of the Roy Hamilton carriage shed would need to be blocked by scaffolding, so with agreement of the Operations Department we were allowed to have scaffolding built for a very short period from 15^th to 20^th March to provide access to complete the painting of the West side of the box. 

 

With help from the Georgie and the P-Way team the new staircase was moved down from storage at Boat to the Speyside platform.  It is constructed from Iroko hardwood, and is very heavy; it takes four men to carry them.

 

On Wednesday the old stairs and all the handrails were soon removed, and more rotten timbers were cut out and replaced, then it was onto the technical bit. 

The new stair case had been built oversize so with much measuring and judicial cutting they were trimmed to fit and offered up, so it was with great relief they fitted perfectly.  

The two paving slabs that the stairs rest on, at the base, were leveled by Steven Muirhead who also fitted tensioning rods beneath the steps to strengthen them horizontally.  

 

A spare plank of Iroko had been provided with the stairs so this was used to fabricate the handrails and supporting posts, these were all measured and cut to shape. The use of the circular saws in the carriage workshop was invaluable and without them the job would have been virtually impossible – Many thanks to Willie Dodds for allowing us access, so finally it was time to assemble the handrails and posts to complete the construction.  

 

Onto the painting of the timbers on the veranda and the west wall, to complete the work started last year, and meanwhile Mike Tough attended to the wriggly tin roof.  

The renovation of the Speyside box was now complete.  We had been advised to leave the Iroko unpainted as it contains natural oils, which act as a preservative and the stairs will darken over time. 

 

There was just time to undercoat the woodwork on the newly rebuilt ‘Old Toilet’ block, which is located on the eastern boundary outside the steam shed.

 

With thanks to the team:  Nick Courtier, Colin Frost, Jim Hardy, Ray Kenyon, Jim Pittendrigh and Dave Childs (who procured the redesigned staircase) and also with thanks to those mentioned above.

 

Dalfaber February update

Dalfaber Level crossing.

16/02/2023

By Robert Law

All work within the S&T department is currently focused on Dalfaber level crossing. With lots of progress being made. With the commissioning date becoming ever closer, we are still on target for completion before the beginning of the running season in early March.

Moving on from the last report, only the barrier pedestals had been installed. This is the Down side barrier arm being installed. 

Work completed and barrier raised to allow cars to pass safely again.

Impossible to get both flashing red pedestrian lights in one picture, but both are working when being tested on the Down side of the crossing.

Again this time on the Up side, both red pedestrian lights being tested.

 

The next part to be installed was the track circuits. There are three in total, that work through the crossing. One to the North. One over the road deck. Then the last one to the South of the crossing. All three work together to control the crossing. When to turn the crossing on, when the train is clear and the crossing can turn off. The next few pictures shows the work that has been done on the line side.

The North end “Strike in point. This is the remote end of the track circuit. With two strike in treadles. These are a redundancy to insure that if the train has rubber wheels or the wheels are missing on one side of the train? The crossing will still turn on.

The North side Strike out treadle. It’s job, turn off the crossing once the train has cleared the crossings from the South.

The feed end of the North track circuit and one end of the track circuit over the road deck.

The feed of the South track circuit and the other end of the track circuit over the road deck.

The south side Strike out treadle. This turns off the crossing once the train has cleared the crossing from the North. Still a bit of work to be completed on the cable route.

The remote end of the track circuit to the South of the crossing. With the two treadle to insure that the crossing turns on. When the train has rubber wheels or there is heavy rail head contamination.

The Up divers Plunger. In the event of the train stopping and the crossing timing out. The driver of the train can restart the crossing. Making it safe for the train to cross the road.

Both the Up and Down drivers indicators have been installed. Including the road floodlights that are behind the divers indicator. Yes this work was completed before the driver plunger was installed.

To meet the new requirement set out in the design of the crossing by the ORR. This is the barrier cages that are required to be installed. Protecting everyone from the moving parts. Soon to be installed on NR crossings as well.

On the Down side of the crossing the barrier cage has also been installed. 

A view inside the equipment room. This is the brains of the crossing. Controlling and monitoring everything that happens outside. Still a few cables left to be transferred over from the temporary location cabinets outside. That are currently controlling the road lights for when a train currently needs to travel across the road.

This has been a lot of work, that has been completed by a dedicated few. Sacrificing annual leave and leisure family time for the railway. Ensuring that the railway is ready for the future, meeting all the modern standards that are required to be upheld on a “heritage” railway. If anyone has time to spare and would like to help with this project and others to come, please get in contact through the railways website!

January S&T Report

 Welcome to the January S&T report.

So much has been done, in the last two month. At both Dalfaber and Boat Of Garten. The main work has been carried out at Dalfaber. With the road lights installed before the Christmas holiday session. This was achieved with the road lights been connected to a temporary control cabinet that has been loaned to us, to see us through the Santa session. The road deck and civil’s work at the crossing has been completed. Now it is down to us to get the signalling equipment installed before our main session in March.

Winter conditions in Aviemore with the civil’s completed and the road lights up and working by a local control unit for the Santa trains.

The weather shield that has been made to protect the audio warning device, not a standard part. Something that we have come up with to help protect it from the Scottish weather.

Busy drilling the rails for the bonding of the track circuits. The drilling and bonding has now been completed. Now it is time to install the track tail cables and treadles.

An example of the track bonding. It’s not much but when you have over sixty joints to bond up it takes some time to complete.

This is the south remote end of the track circuit. With both of the strike in treadles installed and track tail cables in the process of being fitted. Just in front you can see the insulated joints that have been installed by the Pway. 

In addition to the road lights, with the large foot fall over the crossing, the installation of red men for pedestrians are required to be fitted. Hear busy getting the position that the hole needs to be drilled in for the light to be fitted 

Drilling in progress with a specially made bracket to mount the magdrill, to drill the hole.

First of the red men installed, still three more to be done. It should also be pointed out that the road lights have now been fitted with long hoods. This will help with sunlight issues that have been reported in the past at this crossing.

The control cabinet for the crossing was delivered at the station and required to be lifted on a wagon and taken down to Dalfaber to be installed.

Once loaded it was slowly taken up to Dalfaber.

Now unloaded and in its final position. 

With the REB fitted it was then the turn of the barrier pedestals to be loaded and delivered to Dalfaber.

This is the barrier pedestal been lifted and about to be fitted in position.

Up side pedestal fitted in position, boom arm still to go on.

Down side pedestal fitted in position. With the public signage fitted. Hole drilled and cable run for the red man to give pedestrian warning 

End of day picture looking South up the line.

End of day picture looking North Down the line.

Last one for tonight looking up the hill towards Aviemore. Only visual thing still to be fitted is the boom arms on the pedestals. But that is for another day.

Next project, next story! Parts getting ready for Boat of Garten.

November S&T Report.

 Unfortunately things are moving so fast by the time this is published it will most likely be out of date. There is currently two large projects been tackled, with a few small jobs been completed as well. Follow the story of what is going on. Starting at Boat of Garten.

With the completion of the lead off table at Boat of Garten South cabin, the works trains are now able to depart using the signals once again. Hear we have our class 37 heading to Aviemore before returning with more spoil form the Aviemore running shed project.

Apart from requiring a clean up and the cranks needing a paint. This is the completed lead off table at Boat of Garten South. With all the points and all the signals, now reconnected. Plus the new FPL rodding in for the to be installed FPLs on the up line. Which will allow us to make the up line bi-directional.

Not very signalling related but with the testing of the finished lead off table. The works train had arrived from Aviemore and was needing to run round its train and shunt it into the yard. Which allowed for the testing of all the signals to be completed. With great delight everything worked as designed. Plus the pull of some levers definitely feels lighter than what is remembered.

Moving on to Dalfaber all the concrete way beams have been installed, the track level has been raised and packed to the new required height. Which was completed by the 21st of November. With all that been completed work could then start on the installation of the road deck. Construction of the road deck starts from the middle and works out with each part been bolted together as you can see been done in this picture.

A view of the almost completed road deck. With just the end clamps left to install.

On the 23rd of November SSE arrived as planned. With this the power cubical was connected to the national grid bringing power to crossing 

Off site, within our storage compound. It was decided it was a good idea to have a trial fitting of the post to wig wag boards (road lights) and audible warning unit. Which all fitted together as expected.

Back on site at the crossing the pre-cast foundations for each pedestal was put into place, with the aid of our own road railer machine. 

Last weekend the possession of the line was lifted for the weekend, to allow the railways Santa trains to pass. The road traffic was controlled by the road light that have been on site since the work began. The train was under instructions to approach at caution, expecting to stop and only continue after receiving a green flag from the level crossings attendant who had turned all road light to red.

Last one for Dalfaber. The temporary location cases that been loaned to use from external sources have been installed which will power and control the level crossing until the delayed REB is supplied from Unipart in February. This will be installed before the main running season begins.

Moving on to Aviemore Speyside. Our signallers have shown a great amount of care for our little cabin. The floor has been painted, levers painted and polished. It’s great to see the cabin been adopted and looked after by operations. Allowing us to concentrate on other jobs. Thank you.

Albeit it was in October. The disc for coming out of the carriage shed has been replaced.  With what is the ex Crianlarich down sidings disc. 

Last one for Aviemore Speyside. The signalling scheme is completed for the time being. With the installation of the last shunt signal. Controlling movements out of the shed area and over our own Speyside UWC. 

That’s you all up to date. If you have time to help us out and volunteer, please get in contact through the website.