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Bluebell track laying South from EG?

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by 45141, Oct 5, 2009.

  1. domeyhead

    domeyhead Member

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    Is there any word yet whether the waste train will be back up to its full complement of 20 wagons when the next Waste by Rail operation starts in a couple of weeks? If anything the improving loading times suggest the rake could be lengthened further to 25 wagons. That might be another way to improve the economics of extraction?
     
  2. Great Western

    Great Western Member

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    I think it is more a case of loop lengths on the line rather than speed of loading, and the total train weight.

    Bluebird.
     
  3. martin butler

    martin butler Part of the furniture

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    i believe that 20 bogies is the max that can be used, and that there has had to be special dispensation for even that as its close to or slightly over the axle limit on the east grinstead line
     
  4. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    I think there are three problems with that:

    1) As has been mentioned, the maximum permitted train weights on some of the bridges north of EG limits the number and loading of the wagons.

    2) Siding / loop capacity at EG. When the train arrives, it is split into two 10-wagon rakes. One is stored in the loop at the Bluebell station (e.g. clear of Network rail lines) while the other rake is shunted down to the tip face, in groups of 4 / 4 / 2 wagons. Once all ten are filled, the two rakes are exchanged. If we had, say, 25 wagons, we'd need to split into 12/13 wagon rakes, which wouldn't fit at EG.

    3) I believe the wagons we are using are used elsewhere on NR for other engineering jobs, and are only available to the Bluebell when there is a lull in those jobs. So the available train is 20 wagons, not 25: or rather, if we wanted five more wagons, we'd have to pay a higher price for them!

    Tom
     
  5. domeyhead

    domeyhead Member

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    Thanks James. Let's hope enough donations have rolled in to turn the next WBR from a 2 week dig to a 3 week dig!
     
  6. Sidmouth4me

    Sidmouth4me Member

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    A message from the Chairman of the Bluebell Railway, copied from the Bluebell discussion group elsewhere. Apologies if this post goes against the rules of cross posting, but it does answer many questions, and may stop some misconceptions.



    The Tip itself

    *

    NO plans were ever kept of the site;
    It is now obvious that on the west side, the face of the cutting disappears.* This probably indicates the site of the haul road that was carved in providing access to the tip;.
    The waste and clay capping extends onto the shoulders of the cutting, much like an umbrella.
    *The Solution

    *

    Waste and capping is being removed from the east shoulder so as to reveal the top of the cutting and then resurfaced with clay to give a smooth surface for the plant. Other clay capping will be stockpiled on site for us to remove at our convenience;
    A trench will be dug following “as best” the route of the down line, leaving just a few inches of capping over the waste.* Thus, you will end up with a trapezium shaped trench running the entire length of the tip;
    Waste will be removed from this area during future Waste by Rail movements;
    Clay capping will continue to be removed by road for use at another landfill site.* We continue to make a very small profit on each load;
    *The Money

    *

    ·******* We have now had over 1,000 donations since the beginning of the year, plus the ‘Chit-Chat’ schemes and other on-line giving;

    ·******* So far this year we have raised over £250k (including Gift Aid) but excluding Tenner for the Tip and share sales;

    ·******* We may be able to book more train paths next year IF we have the money or know that it will be coming in;

    ·******* The Society Trustees and Company Directors are delighted with the response it has had from its members, individuals, e-mail chat groups and of course the public!

    ·******* So, PLEASE continue to support this project in any way you can so that we can achieve the Society’s Number One objective.*

    *

    *

    Roy Watts

    Chairman

    *
     
  7. kesr

    kesr Member

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    one thing i cant seem to find out is how people can help out with this project?????
     
  8. ilvaporista

    ilvaporista Part of the furniture

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    Giving money is the main way. It does not look like it is an operation that includes the casual vounteer, gone are the days of The Deviation with volunteers digging by hand and riding on spoil trains.
     
  9. Christoph

    Christoph New Member

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    Hi,

    try that link: http://bluebellrailwaytrust.org.uk/supportus/6WF-1C4/donate.aspx. As ilvaporista said, donations of money are the way forward and that page lists the options.

    (Funny, the two replies to the question so far are from Italy and Germany. That must be an attractive project with that international attention!)

    Regards

    Christoph
     
  10. kesr

    kesr Member

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    It is a great project with much great ambition for a great future running prospect
     
  11. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    And a subsequent update to the group:

    The initial figure of £250k was a misprint; £700k is right (not sure how up to date that is, but fairly I'd imagine).

    As others have said: the best way to get this project finished is to donate! See http://www.justgiving.com/Bluebell-Railway as the best way to donate online; or http://bluebellrailwaytrust.org.uk/supportus/6WF-1C4/donate.aspx?campaignkw=Donate for other mechanisms including by text message and traditional snail mail.

    Tom
     
  12. steamdream

    steamdream Member

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    France too! I'm a (small) shareholder of the BB since 1987 and I'm waiting quite impatiently (euphemism!) the end of the EG extension saga !I remember well that this one was aimed for well before year 2000 in the BB News columns of the 90's! las! las....:deadhorse:.
     
  13. philw2

    philw2 Member

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    Re Bluebell website 06/08: Aerial photos of the tip excavation.

    Does anyone know how M Lawrence attached R Phillpott to the kite?
     
  14. steamdream

    steamdream Member

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    with the help of some steam angels maybe:flypig:
    regards
    noel
     
  15. 46118

    46118 Part of the furniture

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    Presumably very hit and miss using a kite to get images, but at least you can see how much further they have to excavate. We see plenty of images of what has been done, but few of what has still to be excavated.
     
  16. Jdwitts

    Jdwitts New Member

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    It's nice to see some info coming out about the extension from those 'in the know'. It's interesting that I volunteered doing 'Tenner for the Tip' duty on the trains during the summer a year or so ago, and one of the things we were always provided with was an aerial photo of the tip taken I believe in 2009, to illustrate to the travelling public the enormity of the task at hand. I presume this is still the case. I was always extremely encouraged by how generous people were, how genuinely interested the often 'non-enthusiast' crowd were in the extension project and it's benefits to the railway. It's sometimes rather sad to see that enthusiasm not reflected by certain elements of the Bluebell's own membership..
     
  17. brmp201

    brmp201 Member

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    Breaking news (and it's good news!)...

    NEP UPDATE – AUGUST 2011
    CHANGES TO WBR PROGRAMME
    WBR 4 comprising 2 weeks of train operation commencing 15 August is
    now to be combined with WBR 5 commencing on 26 September
    resulting in a 5 week run of clearance trains which equals 25 trains that
    will now operate under the WBR 4 banner.
    There are a number of reasons for this change which can be
    summarised as follows -
    There are economies of scale in combining these 2 phases
    resulting in savings to our mobilisation and plant costs and to our
    supplier cost base.
    The waste will now go to a site near Didcot where it is possible to
    process the waste more efficiently than at the current landfill site.
    This destination is only available from September onwards.
    There is greater route flexibility and less engineering possession
    problems than on the WCML.
    Note there is no impact to train timings so far as we are concerned
    which remain the same on the East Grinstead branch.
    Most significantly of all, we have agreed a £1/ton reduction in
    tonnage costs as a result of these and other changes which means
    we are now using £24/ton as the future budget baseline.
    GBRF have assured us this time around we should be running with 20
    wagon trains so an estimated 25,000 tons should be removed leaving a
    further 20,000 tons for the ‘new’ and hopefully last WBR 5 phase at a
    date to be finalised. However it is probably worth pointing out that its
    ‘cubic metres’ moved that really counts rather than tonnage, the latter
    varies considerably depending on the waste moisture content and
    density, these factors consequently impact on overall removal costs, so it
    is only possible to predict the density and not to guarantee it.
    I apologise to for the late notification of these changes, especially to the
    rostered SC’s and NP’s but negotiations with GBRF, Shanks and WRG
    (landfill operators) were only completed this afternoon and as I am sure
    you will agree were worth pursuing in view of the potential savings to the
    project. Meanwhile, although the funding for WBR4 is in place and we
    are ready to go, do not forget we still need funding for the final WBR5.

    Chris White, 9 August 2011.
     
  18. Great Western

    Great Western Member

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    Excellent news, lets up for a long hot and dry August and September then!

    Great Western.
     
  19. philw2

    philw2 Member

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    Thanks 4 the info Chris..

    Best wishes to the BR on this ambitious project..
     
  20. domeyhead

    domeyhead Member

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    Good news - and coming through the statement is the quiet professionalism of the WBR project team. Shifting the WBR4 phase to September also takes it out of the main holiday season which should make operational planning a bit easier. Out of interest, is capping material still leaving the site by lorry during this "quiet" period?
     

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