Wot?! More storage space?

In preparation for the July Gala Weeknd, additional siding space is being provided to accommodate the several Lister Railtrucks we are hoping will attend. The sidings are being laid on the small triangle of land behind the workshops and our small stock of 14lb jubilee track sections is being used.

A new right-hand point has been cut into the existing industrial railway.

This view shows the new turnout installed complete with point lever.

A small area near the workshop had been used to store various materials and this had to be cleared.

At first we had to work in the rain - but as we loaded up the v-skip with rubbish, the weather gradually dried up.

By mid-afternoon the sun was out. But almost before we have finished the trackwork wagons were being stored on them.

The battery electric loco, WR4998, shunts a couple of small works wagons over the tight-radiused Jubilee points.
Care is needed in negotiating this type of track panel - it is very light.

The new sidings viewed from the volunteer car park. Stops have been installed to keep wagons and
locos from over-shooting and running down the bank!

As often happens at Amberley once we get going, the job evolves. After a bit of measuring
(mostly by eye) it was decided that the remaining left hand Jubilee point
could be used along by the wall to split the layout into two sidings.

There is plenty of room to do this.

The view from the other end - as can be seem a bit of work with the Jim Crow still remains to be done as well as a bit of ground filling.

But a couple of skiploads of chalk and other crud soon filled the hole. John Turner reverses onto the site with care.

Then all that was needed was a bit of shovelling and, as they say, Robert is your father's brother!

The area by the workshop door has now been cleared and levelled ready for the hard-standing to be laid.

Strips of wood are wired to the inner sides of the rails to keep the flangeway clear when the concrete is poured.
The 60S Motor Rail 11001 passes in the background with the passenger service.

The first two sections of the new surface have been laid starting from the workshop wall.

The concrete is complete - it just needs to cure.

Ta-daaaaaa!
It will be left for a week before the flangeways are opened out.

The new concrete working area was soon being put to good use repairing and painting some of our Hudson wagons.

Tim Shervington gets down to it with the needle gun.