Work has continued apace with the laying of track and the ‘main line’ circuit should be completed when you read this. After final levelling and alignment we shall be able to pass it out for passenger train working. The speed of this work is very much down to the organisation of the Thursday gang – Allen Miller, Tony Gosling, John Pickering, Fred Stops, John Cooper, Chris Mercer and the Hartnell brothers plus other members on occasion. The Hartnells laid and levelled the track ballast bed preceded by team members laying weed barrier along the base formation. Meantime other team members were welding up ‘half track sections’ (1 rail plus ties and sleepers) in 6 metre lengths in the workshop which were then moved on rail wagons with Andy Webb’s diesel welder on another wagon to the current work site. The Sunday team – Andy Cooke in particular, John Pickering, John Willcocks - were also producing half-tracks. On site the second rail was welded into position once the alignment of the track had been finalised, and top ballast added. As a result of this organisation the record number of track lengths laid in a day was seven.

The opportunity has also been taken to provide a basic station layout on the far side of the field opposite our present station. This has used the spare points we already had on hand and has provided a loop line long enough to stable 2 trains while others go past plus a siding where a water tank wagon can be parked for use in emergency and where any defective vehicles can be parked temporarily during operating periods. Nearby on the concrete base originally occupied by an old vehicle body used as a store when we took on the site and since demolished, there is now a 20 foot steel container on long term loan from the Hartnells for use to hold items such as concrete blocks and steel sections which are only required infrequently. The container is painted dark green to merge into its background of trees and is well camouflaged behind Willis Hill.

Mike

If any member with a 7 1/4” or 5” Gauge Loco would like to run his Loco at Creech when there is no public running, then he may do so on the second Tuesday evening of the month during the summer or alternatively, 'Rambo' has kindly agreed to open the track at any other time, provided that he is not otherwise committed. He can be contacted by Email through our Webmaster, or at Club Meetings or by telephone though any Committee members - telephone numbers on the inside cover of this magazine - to make arrangements.