Civil's Week July/August 2003

Here at the start of the week are Andy, John and Pete preparing to install a stile at the northern end of Farm Yard Farm field. Near the 700m mark (Extension Phase 1 is 915m long), this is the northern limit of work during Civil's Week. Over the following days, the stile here was completed and a temporary gate placed across the track, on the left here. This connected to the main west-side stock fence which was completed this far.

Far off, the peaks of Cnicht and the Moelwyns glower from the clouds. In the near distance below Cnicht, the next field is Traeth Mawr where the temporary run-round loop will be built.

Rick Beton

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From the new stile, the view south shows the gently rolling profile of the Creassy Embankment, which has over time lost most of its steep edges. This view shows the point in time after the gorse has been cleared but before the arrival of the excavator to level the trackbed and build the haul road, of which more is seen in the following photos.

Rick Beton

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The extent of the Farmyard Farm Field stretch is seen here just as the western fence has reached this point. The gorse stumps indicate how this view has opened up over recent months, with the line of gorse along the Creassy Embankment on the left showing how things used to be.

Rick Beton

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Standing atop the Creassy Embankment, Nick and John wield the heavy steel postwhacking tool. This drives in the fenceposts without hardly breaking the top of the posts. Although this is hot and tiring work, you are quickly rewarded by seeing the results of your efforts.

Andy Goodwin

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Once the posts are in place, the fence is stretched out. Then there are a lot of fastening staples to be hammered in. Mark and Dave get on with it.

Andy Goodwin

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Much later in the week, the Farmyard Farm Field stretch is now fenced on the west but still awaits its footpath fence. Most of the gorse stumps have gone. From here, it's about 200m to where the stile was built (earlier photo and next photo). Because of the long telephoto lens, distances are apparently shortened in this photo. The next field beyond the temporary gate is a similar length and is where the Traeth Mawr run-round loop will exist until the Railway opens to Pont Croesor.

The telegraph pole route on the left is now redundant but has been left for possible future use by the Railway. A new route has been installed on the right for modern power & telephone cables.

Rick Beton

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The west-side fencing is now complete, but there's no sign of the public footpath fence yet. At the end of this field, the temporary gate slopes steeply down to where the stile was built (earlier photo).

Andy Goodwin

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With new stockproof fences keeping out the nosy sheep, the machines can move in. The topsoil is removed carefully for re-use elsewhere (it doesn't make satisfactory fill material). Then the subsoil is sculpted to the levels determined earlier by the surveyor.

Rick Beton

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Dave the Surveyor and Chief Civil Engineer is seen at the controls, taking a 'hands-on' approach. Quick and accurate levelling is quite a challenge for excavator drivers: Dave and Mark (seen by the dumper) are two of the most accomplished levellers in the gang.

Rick Beton

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Here, Mark (at the excavator controls) is filling the dumper with more surplus subsoil. The subsoil is usually moved as short a distance as possible of course. This useful side-tipping machine allowed us to put the fill just where it was needed. John Kerr is supervising the correct levels being achieved.

Meanwhile, James on the roller is flattening another load of slate waste into new haul road ... about which more photos follow.

Rick Beton

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During a brief pause in the action, you can see here the simple steps in the construction: from furthest to nearest, the excavating and levelling, the freshly-delivered slate waste, the flattened slate haul road.

Rick Beton

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James rolls the slate into the hard road on which the railway will be built. Yes, there really is a telegraph pole in the midle of the railway. But not for long - once it's cables have been certified defunct, it'll find a new home (possibly with the help of a chainsaw!)

Rick Beton

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Building the Haul Road:
Ready for today's work, the dumpers wait at Gelert's Farm in the company of the volunteers' caravans.

This following sequence of photos illustrates the dumper driver's view and shows how the work has progressed so far.

Rick Beton

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Sitting on some hundreds of tons of slate waste at Pen-y-Mount construction site, John loads up my dumper with one of the excavators. I have to stand clear whilst he does this - in case his bucket swings too fast at my face - which gives the gentle rain plenty of time to collect in the driving seat. Ideal.

Rick Beton

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The view north from Pen-y-Mount shows the gated farm road and, beyond, Penmount Farm then Cynfal Cottage. Only a short while ago, this view showed only impenetrable vegetation and rubbish.

Rick Beton

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The road approaches Cynfal Cottage. After another road crossing, the way leads out into the open fields. The volunteers' mobile mess facility is a small caravan in a discrete 'vanishing green' and grey livery. Besides it on the left, Creassy's Embankment rises clearly.

Rick Beton

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Driving alongside the Embankment beyond the caravan, the work site hoves into view. Just beyond, a moderate left curve puts Farmyard Farm field out of sight.

Rick Beton

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Arriving at the work site, it's time to tip the load. Ideally, this is done whilst moving the dumper slowly, to result in a nearly-flat carpet of loose slate waste, easy for the levelling chaps to make flat. Using the swivel-tipping dumper on which I happened to be working, it was possible - with some effort and practice - to lay two such carpets side by side, filling the full 4m width of the haul road.

Rick Beton

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Having tipped the load, I return once more to Pen-y-Mount. Here I passed John on the Penmount Farm crossing as he headed north.

Rick Beton

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Back with another load, Malcolm waits to flatten it out and Mark is ready with the excavator too. At 6 tonnes per trip, the haul road extends a few more metres each time. As they say, repeat until finished!

Rick Beton

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At the end of Civil's Week, the 520m mark had been reached. About 170m had been done in 7 days. The work is continuing on later weekends and week-long sessions.

If you've enjoyed these photographs and might like to lend a hand yourself, we are an all-volunteer workforce which welcomes enthusiastic new participants. Mark, driving the excavator here amd who you've seen in many of the other photos, is the volunteer coordinator. Please email Mark with your enquiry, however tentative.

Andy Goodwin

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