Civil Engineering Sundays

Another Sunday, another Civil Engineering Department day out clearing the railway. Work this week follows on from the teams great effort to clear from March to Wisbech, so far clearing between the Stop Board at Whitemoor Yard through to Chain Bridge. This Sunday, we started at Chain Bridge and made excellent progress north towards Coldham. We welcomed another new volunteer to the group, and a reminder that everyone is welcome to get involved. For more details, visit our website at www.bramleyline.org.uk

Some photos from the day can be seen below.

Simon sorting out Tea as usual.

The Line looking in a better state thanks to the team.

We're a working on the Railway....

Well, didn't we do well, even if we do say so ourselves. At Midnight last night we launched our brand new website, which better reflects the way in which the group is going, and we feel is much more professional.

Dreamers move aside now and let the Civil Engineers out. The Track Clearing team has become the Civil Engineers department which will be looking after the line once we are up and running. And we were out today, working from the farm occupation crossing north of Elm Road to Chain Bridge. A number of trees later, and you can actually see the whistle board for some distance, which was obscured by trees and brambles. Having cleared the line now from Whitemoor Stop Board through Elm Road Crossing and onto Chain Bridge, the team will be working north of Chain Bridge next week heading towards Coldham.

While we were there, we took some time to work on Chain Bridge today, removing some trees which were growing from underneath the bridge and assessing the work to be done on the Bridge. The Metal spans of the bridge are in good shape, the Wooden beams are also ok. The decking is very rough round the edges, and a good deal of this will need to be replaced. Work on this will take place once the lease has been agreed from Network Rail.

Here are some photos from today are shown below.
Photo above shows the track looking towards Wisbech before work starting, as does the photo below.

Our Chairman, Brian, gets stuck into some trees with his new boiler suit dirty for the first time

Derek pretends to be doing something for the Camera

Lots of Weeds and trees over the line being taken down by our Chairman and Vice Chairman

A couple of hours later looking back towards March from Chain Bridge, the line is looking much better.

The Railway really doesn't need trees growing up through the bridge, so we chopped this little one away, after all, we all know about Leaves on the line...
Our Vice chairman looking for his Wallet.

There is a hole on Chain Bridge, if we look down, what will we find?

Scary thought! It's our Chairman!

Removing dead wood from old trees long cut away but wedged in the boards and tested how strong the walk way boards are.

Now to show you the difference, the first photo below was taken on Friday, September 4th 2009 and the Second taken after clearing on Sunday, September 13th. This has been achieved in two Sundays, spending roughly 4 hours a day. Its with Credit to the team, and we will be keeping it from here on in, looking like the second photo.

Meanwhile, if you would like to get involved, all the details are shown on our new website at http://www.bramleyline.org.uk/ We hope to see you soon.

Work in action

Following on from Friday, the group where out clearing the vegetation north of Elm Road Crossing on Sunday. A great deal of trees and bushes were cut away between Elm Road Crossing and the Farmers Private User crossing between Elm Road and Chain Bridge.

As can be seen above, a number of weeds and trees are getting in the way. This is by far the best bit of track, and we are now aiming to keep it this way!
Below shows the work in progress and cleared line looking back towards Elm Road

Now all it needs is a train!. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact us.
office@bramleyline.org.uk

Sunday, September 13th, we will be working between the Farm Crossing and Chain Bridge. Meet at Elm Road Level Crossing from 10am onwards if you can make it.

Some jobs for during the week

Following the resurfacing of the road between Coldham and Waldersea, a lot of the equipment being used was stored on the Railway crossing. This led to the old tarmac coming up, and a test of the gate was done, and found that the crossing gates would not close over the road.

Some work later, we got rid of the tarmac coming up and a test of the gate was done, some photos shown below.

Seeing the crossing over the road now, all we would like to see is a nice Green DMU or Steam Loco and some coaches going over, but lets not get carried away to soon! Having returned and locked up the crossing, we tided the area up at the side of the road and then moved on to the Bridge a Waldersea. We cut back a lot of the brambles preventing the gate from closing, and went to work on a Tree which was obscuring the bridge.

From there a walk of the line was done between Whitemoor Yard and Chain Bridge Level Crossing. A Survey of work needing done in this area was undertaken, and counted 6 sleepers which needed replaced, some vegetation which needs cut back towards Chain Bridge.

Sunday we will be working on the section between Elm Road Crossing and Chain Bridge. If you wish to get involved please come along. We start at 9.30am.

Busy few weeks for the Bramley Line

Well, its been a couple weeks since the last update, and that because we have been so busy. We attended at very short notice Fincham Village fete and also a Model Railway Exhibition at Wimbotsham and then a function at Upwell. This was a very busy weekend for us, and we done well promoting our cause, and everyone we spoke to was happy to get behind us and supported our ideas.

Some photos are shown below

You may be able to see, we have been taking delivery of our new merchandise, with our new logo. The second photo shows the old banner which will soon be replaced. We also took deliever of a large amount of Railway Overalls and Hi-Vis jackets, etc, for our team of trackworkers, which has involved a lot of sorting out.

On Saturday, August 22nd, we attended the Needham Market Model Railway Exhibition in Suffolk, some distance from our patch, but we had a lot of interest and sold a number of items. A grand total for all this will appear soon.

Looking forward, the next Meeting will be held in March on Thursday night and all are welcome to attend. A new website is being developed and we are hoping it will be live very soon.

Busy Weekend for the Roadshow...

The 'Roadshow' will be at Fincham Fete on Friday 7th, being held in the Village Hall from 11 - 2.30. Fincham is on the A1122 between Downham Market and Swaffham. This is a Charity Function for people with learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities.

On Saturday 8th, Wimbotsham & Stow Village Hall, Low Road, Wimbotsham, Kings Lynn and just off A10 between Kings Lynn and Downham Market, where Wisbech Model Railway Club have been asked to hold a Mini-Model Railway Exhibition in aid of Village Hall Funds. There will be three layouts of diffent sizes, two in 'OO' and one in 'O' Gauge, with entry at £2 per Adult and £1 per child, starting 10.30 - 4.pm.. Light refreshments available.

On Sunday 9th, Upwell Fayre on the village playing field. Gate opens at 11.30 and officially opened by the Mayor at 12.30. For those with sat-nav and in need of finding it, the postcode is PE14 9AB.

Ant colony on the move between Elm Road and Whitemoor...

This Sunday, the track clearing carried on where we left off last week. A fair bit was done in the morning by Brain and Kevin moving from Whitemoor towards Elm Road Crossing. The idea is, every week we start at the far south of the line and work our way towards Wisbech. By doing this every week, we can keep on top of the weeds as they begin to grow, then we do not end up having to go over old ground in mass vegetation clearances.

As you can see from last weeks photos, we continue to move towards the overgrown bit further up towards Elm Road.

During the lunch break, our chairman nearly jumped out his skin, when this little fella appeared from out the undergrowth. It is infact a tree stump, cut during an earlier clearance, which looks like a turtles head from the right angle. We did suggest maybe he should have gone to specsavers...

Then our vice chairman and Derek decided to upset a number of ant conolnies which had set up home under the grass and weeds along the line from Elm Road towards where the others are working.

When we said we would start at Whitmoor and work towards Wisbech, the Chairman took off to Wisbech down the line! We are actually moving back to the Crossing to do a quick job there.

A quick check to see how the fence is, and putting up a poster on the fence to let people know the crossing was improved by volunteer members of the Bramley Line.

There is never enough Staples to go round when you want them!. The gang are back out next Sunday from 9.30am again. If you want to get involved, let us know, e-mail bramley_line@yahoo.com.

ROADSHOWS are out the week, details to follow shortly...