Civil's Week 2005

1. One of the most important Civil's Week tasks, and one that started straight away, was the completion of the formation works on the Extension. A year earlier, the ballast from Traeth Mawr loop reached back to this point. Then, besides a suite of ancillary jobs, the last two hundred meters had to wait - mostly for the cash to buy rails.

Here we see the gang beside Cynfal Cottage completing the sub-base, prior to also completing the ballast. Both tasks were completed all the way back to Pen-y-Mount.

Rick Beton, 30.7.2005

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2. The second major task of Civil's Week was replacing No.5 Road and its old point. This is preparatory work for a more extensive network of sidings and new sheds beyond the Big Shed.

The first step was to find the old track - and here it is! It had been mostly buried, with only the rail heads showing. This siding is, surprisingly, the second generation here. An earlier generation built in the very early years at Gelert's Farm was replaced more than fifteen years ago.

Rick Beton, 30.7.2005

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3. The old fishplates and their fastening nuts were a rusty variety of allsorts. This was a job for Gas Axe Man!

Rick Beton, 31.7.2005

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4. Baseplates have long been sought to improve our permanent way. At last a source was found, thanks to the FR. These hold down the rails with standard Pandrol-like elastic clips. However, the screw holes are not large enough for our standard track screws, so many hundreds need drilling out. Here, Chris is at the helm, and behind him are the stacks he's already done. You'll see what they're for... later. But first, how's the siding getting on?

Rick Beton, 31.7.2005

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5. A Barclay locomotive and a pair of Roland's Rail Movers make easy work of moving one of the heavy stock rails. The rails are being moved out of the work site to make way for the excavator to grade the base level.

Rick Beton, 1.8.2005

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6. With the pointwork project well under way, the third project gets going. Pete 'Steam Hammer' Jones leads the gang installing baseplates and replacing old sleepers on the main line. The location here, close to the facing point at Porthmadog Station, is where the work started, moving away from the station to the north east.

Rick Beton, 1.8.2005

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7. The first baseplates in place! This photo was taken whilst I stood on the facing point.

Rick Beton, 1.8.2005

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8. Installing baseplates. On this section, all the sleepers were to have baseplates fitted, and quite a few of the sleepers were to be replaced with new ones.

Rick Beton, 1.8.2005

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9. Some time later, the first couple of panels are completed. One consequence of releasing and re-fastening the rails is that they have sprung more straight, so someone will have to restore a gentle curve again here soon.

Rick Beton, 1.8.2005

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10. The excavator moves into the No.5 Road site. Although No.4 Road was cordoned off for the workers, No.3 Road (right) is still in use for the operating trains. Mark Herbert is preparing Gelert for the days's train service.

On the left, James is clearing the drain outfall from the loco shed. The excavator also dug a 'french drain' right across the site, which was backfilled with gravel to ensure that earlier problems here with poor drainage will be cured. We get a lot of rainfall here and wading around the trains spoils the fun!

Rick Beton, 2.8.2005

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11. All work and no play? ... no way; this is an evening barbecue for the gang.

Rick Beton, 3.8.2005

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12. The first of the two new points takes shape. Both points are actually reconditioned second (/third) hand. With the skill the gang now has, this reconditioning actually makes a significant improvement in what would otherwise be rather poor quality materials, ensuring that the points will give good service for a few more decades.

Rick Beton, 4.8.2005

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13. The rail movers are bringing back a stock rail. Meanwhile, gang foreman Nigel (left) is clearly expecting something, but he just won't tell us who the father is!!!

Rick Beton, 4.8.2005

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14. Out on the main line, Pete and his gang have progressed alongside Gelert's Farm with the sleeper replacement.

Rick Beton, 5.8.2005

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15. As the first point comes together, the second point is also making progress. To get the geometry correct for the three sidings and the proposed Big Shed extension, it was necessary to make some progress on both points before completing the first.

This photo was taken using a long telephoto lens, which makes the lengths of the rail seem deceptively short.

Rick Beton, 5.8.2005

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16. A fourth project was started during Civil's Week, with the intention of completing it over the coming months. This is the extension of the platform at Gelert's Farm Halt. The Halt is only just long enough for the current short rake of carriages, excluding one which is out of service (mostly because this Halt is too small).

Having concreted the vertical retaining timbers in place, no progress was possible for a few days until the concrete had cured.

Rick Beton, 5.8.2005

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17. On the other side of the Big Shed, the continuation of No.5 Road will be alongside the south-east side. The ground level was considerably too high, and I had a fun afternoon with the 360 excavator putting that right! The work site for the two new points is through the gap between the buildings, as seen in the next photo.

Rick Beton, 6.8.2005

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18. This is the gap between the Big Shed (left) and the Carriage and Wagon (C&W) Shop. The C&W Shop is one of the original farm buildings and this photo makes it look considerably tattier than it really is (although it is undoubtedly rather, shall we say, quaint). The corner of the C&W Shop had previously been shortened to make this gap wider. The modified roof line can now been seen as a lean-to porch over the entrance for No.6 Road (new siding numbering). This can be seen from the other side later on.

Rick Beton, 6.8.2005

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19. The first point is nearly complete here and the second point is making good progress, as Andy and Owain take stock.

Rick Beton, 6.8.2005

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20. We need ballast! This unconventional train brought three Hudson bogie wagons of ballast, weighing many tons. With an uneven gradient on the unlevelled siding, the train was marshalled to ensure that braking would be effective. Hence the unorthodox position of the diesels, these being Simplex No.4 (left), Barclay No.554 (centre) and Ruston & Hornsby No.3.

Rick Beton, 6.8.2005

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21. With the ballasting almost complete, we see Ruston & Hornsby No.3 in the foreground and Barclay No.555 still marooned in the C&W Shop. The modified corner of the C&W Shop (mentioned earlier) is shown clearly here.

Rick Beton, 6.8.2005

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22. A happy sight, the points are complete, the C&W Shop roads a reconnected and foreman Nigel is evidently pleased! Over the following weekend, the first panel of straight track was laid through the C&W Shop/Big Shed gap.

Rick Beton, 6.8.2005

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