Bluebell track laying South from EG?

I do agree, the Bluebell has a lot of small tank engines at the moment, I like them but nobody can deny that they're not very powerful.

Forntuantely, I believe they know this, which is probably why their soon to be overhauling Q-class No.541, and S15-class No.847 isn't far away from completion. In fact, if you look at the locos that are to return to service in the near future, you'll find that theres a fair few medium sized engines on their way, which is what the railway needs really.

And then of couse, theres Beachy Head, now that should interesting...! I look forward to that one with much enthusiasm.

 

Not forgetting that the overhaul of Std 5 73082 Camelot is ongoing.

 

[Quote: Not forgetting that the overhaul of Std 5 73082 Camelot is ongoing.]

Ah yes, that one too! That shouldn't too far from steaming again either. No.65 Class O1 should also be worked on soon, I hope Blackmoor Vale will return sometime in the future, it would be nice to see it working along side Sir Archibald Sinclair.

 

A turning facility would be nice - indeed, probably essential if we want to accept incoming charters, though that isn't the major reason for the extension. The ground at HK has been looked at in terms of a turning triangle (rather than a turntable); however, I believe that within the constraints of the site, the extra chord needed would be too tight - something like 3 or 4 chains radius I believe.

With regard the clearance-proper: Monday's train ran, removing another 1000 tons or so of waste. However, the loco failed at Acton, so Tuesday didn't run. However, today's incoming service (with the empty wagons) has just been reported as passing Appleford in Oxfordshire, so hopefully we are back on track. The current phase will be 5 weeks (e.g. 25,000 tons approx) and is fully funded. That leaves one more 5 week phase to complete the dig, which needs funding. The approx £1million figure for remaining funding required given on the Bluebell website is the combination of the final required 5 week dig (which has to be funded, and completed, by March 31st next year); plus the additional track and signalling work needed to open the line to passenger standard (which if necessary can be funded and completed after April next year).

Tom

 

The minimum, e.g. to get a single track through the cutting.

Tom

 

So when that's done, will they at some point later on, clear the remaining waste?

Just curious...

 

I understood that the whole lot has to go as its not inert, unlike the clay capping, hence the need for such expensive disposal etc. However, those nearer to the project might be able to confirm this or explain it. Whichever way, £1 million is needed so another "tenner for the tip" on its way from me!

 

Bluebell's extension web-page says they have now adopted a 'partial excavation strategy', but does not say what that means for the remaining waste on site. My guess is that it will be capped and made safe in the remaining parts of the cutting not needed for the single track. I also speculate that the cost of the additional works to make the remaining waste safe will be significantly greater than the original estimate for removing the same amount of waste before the landfill tax deadline, but much less than the cost of removing it after the deadline. This would be a very good reason for changing the original plan if sufficient funds have not been raised to clear the whole tip in time for the tax deadline.

 

If that is the plan, then I would say that just capping the remaining waste is not enough. As we have seen in photos, it is full of all kinds of crap and it would be very unstable, especially in heavy rain.

 

My understanding is that the waste that isn't being removed will remain in-situ (e.g. undisturbed) with the existing clay capping on top, e.g. with as little disturbance as possible. The exposed side "face" will need to be covered; there are various options being considered but a final decision won't be taken until the whole face has been uncovered so that the composition of the waste can be seen along its whole length. (Because the waste was tipped at various times from various sources, there is no absolute guarantee that what it looks like so far will be the same right to the end).

Tom

 

Thanks - that makes good sense. Pity though that supporters (including myself) were unable to contribute sufficient tenners to clear the whole tip as originally planned - but I'm very glad there seems to be a credible Plan B.

 

Quick update - apart from the hick-up on Monday evening that meant Tuesday's train was cancelled, the trains ran as scheduled: the (unofficial - no doubt in time an official figure will be given) amounts removed were 990 tons and 991 tons for the two trains I heard figures for (haven't got a figure for the other two trains). We also had 300 tons of ballast come into the site on the Sunday evening arrival.

Tom

 

Will there be an extra train at the end of the scheduled run to compensate for the train the didn't run on tuesday?

 

Unlikely, unless GBRf can get a path booked and the wagons plus loco are available.

Regards,

Dan

 

Update on the first week of the current dig here:

http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/ext/extprog.html#sep11.

The total removed for the week was 3957 tons - this was in four days due to the loss of one day as a result of the loco failure. The total amount removed over all phases of the dig is now over 50,000 tons (with hopefully another 20,000 tons in this phase of digging over the next 4 weeks).

Just under £1m is still needed to complete the extension, with about half that needed by January so that the railway can commit to clearing the tip before April 2012.

Tom

 

Robert Philpot and other Bluebell photographers have not been so frequent with their postings and updates this time round. I hope they keep the updates coming - their progress reports give a huge boost to fund raising by showing what is being achieved and encouraging people to fund the next phase. Has anyone got an up to date video or photographic progress report for reference?

 

Latest news I have is that this week is going well, with 1039 tons removed on one of the trains (apparently the absolute limit is 1080 tons, so the digger drivers need to get as close to that as possible within the limited time available for loading, but erring under rather than over.)

Unfortunately this week will be another 4-day week, as the wagons are urgently needed on a contract for London Underground. The quid-pro-quo for getting a very good deal from GBRf on the transport cost is that their other customers have a higher priority in emergencies!

I can't speak directly for Robert Philpot, but I suspect one reason for fewer photo updates is that, relatively speaking, there is less to see. The early phases of extraction were quite dramatic as the railhead moved into the tip, with progress very visible. However, now the loading bank is of optimum length, current extraction is taking place scraping from the top down and moving the waste to the loading bank each day, rather than digging into the tip lengthways. So the daily change is rather less apparent. However, 1000 tons is 1000 tons wherever it comes from, so be assured progress is still taking place.

Tom

 

(Deleted - original post duplicated)

 

More photos posted by Robert Philpot today - http://www.philpot.me/cutting3.html

It appears that waste is now being excavated from further within the cutting, rather than at the tip face next to the train loading point.

Robert has also posted a new video of the work - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2U1nRIx124