MUDLINES

Following the major engineering works to be carried out in January, February and March 2011.

MUDLINES Update

The latest Mudlines report can be found here.

MUDLINES No 9

Issued 21st February 2011

By Dewi Jones (Traffic Manager) and Phil Sowden (infrastructure Services Manager)

Arley

As you will have seen in Mudlines 8 the up (east) platform line is back in place, ballasted and tamped. This side of the station was handed back to the contractor on Tuesday 15th to enable the platform edge coping stones to be relayed to give the correct stepping distance from rail vehicles. The contractor has now begun the task of relaying the brick platform surface from the station buildings to the north.
Ducts have been installed behind the platform walls for the signalling cable, this will allow us to remove the bright galvanised steel cable tray previously mounted on the platform face (other than the section in front of the station buildings which unfortunately we were not able to deal with as part of this contract).
We have (out of necessity due to the shear volume of water in the ground) had to carry out some additional unplanned work on the trackbed on the down (west) side between the road bridge and the waiting shelter. This work entailed a partial dig out to six inches below sleeper bottom level, the installation of a terram layer which lets water through but not solids and then rebuilding on top of this. The other areas between the platforms were dug out to depth of some eighteen inches below bottom of sleeper and both terram and geotextile (a plastic mesh) layers were installed. This work is also now complete.
The plan is to lay track through the down platform on Wednesday 23rd followed by tamping on the 24th. The platform will then be handed back to the contractor on the 25th for him to complete the platform copings and surface.
The Signal and Telegraph Department then move in to begin the labour intensive and time consuming task of digging holes and installing concrete rodding stools, rodding, signal wires and all of the associated items followed by proving and commissioning to ensure the safe operation of the railway through Arley. The point rodding run from the signal box to the south will be relocated from the up side to the down side. This will be done so that mechanical tamping of the up line can take place. The up line sees considerably more use than the down line and therefore its maintenance will be considerably easier if it can be mechanically tamped. The previous rodding arrangement on the up side did not permit the use of mechanical tampers. 
During the next few days the civil contractor will also be starting work above the brick retaining wall in the cutting immediately to the south of the road bridge to install further drainage that will connect into the main drains in the cutting.

Bewdley South Viaduct

The completion of the civil engineering is in sight. Ballast which will come up to the underside of the sleepers should be in place by the end of Friday 18th. The contractor then has a number of minor things to attend to but they should be withdrawing from the viaduct and Bewdley station car park sometime around 24th February.

After the P Way gang finishes work between Arley Station and Victoria Bridge they will move down to Bewdley and relay the track across the viaduct. This should start during the week commencing 28th February. As for Arley to reduce the weight on the viaduct the main line and Stourport Line will be relaid with wooden sleepers and not concrete sleepers as were previously used.
Work will concentrate on the Kidderminster line with the Stourport line following on.
The S & T can then begin reinstating their systems across the viaduct area.

Would everyone please note that although we are nearing completion at both sites they are still under the control of the contractor (not the SVR) and staff or visitors are not permitted on either site without prior agreement.

Mudlines No8

Photo update - 17th February 2011.

First four photos taken by Dewi Jones on 9th February:

After the concrete had dried, two layers of waterproofing were poured and brushed onto it.

New boots and trousers please!

Just to emphasise how deep down the arches are. The lighter stonework has and will be covered by sand and ballast.

Advert for anyone with concrete arches to waterproof.

The next seven photos taken by Dewi Jones on 16th February 2011:

With only one arch remaining exposed, one layer of stone and one layer of sand covers the whole of Bewdley South Viaduct.

From the Kidderminster end a second layer of sand has been laid, levelled and rolled.By the end of the day the whole viaduct should be in this state.

A close up of the exposed arch. Note from the right is a layer of stone which then will be covered by a membrane designed to let water through but not solids, this is then covered by the first layer of sand to get just above the arch and then followed by another layer of sand to cover the arch.

Two shots of Class 20 D8188 passing through Arley Station with another ballast train for Victoria Bridge.

Dropping ballast between Victoria bridge and Arley Station.

The SVR Apprentices at work on Saturday 12th February assisting the P Way Dept by filling in between the newly relaid sleepers in the Bewdley Down Yard Siding. Without them the siding would not have been handed back on time to the Engineer - well done everyone. Photo Roger Jordan

Mudlines No7

Issued 9th February 2011

by Phil Sowden (Infrastructure Services Manager) and Dewi Jones (Traffic Manager)

So far the weather has been on our side and we are pleased to report that the works at Arley and Bewdley South are on schedule – but who knows what might be waiting around the corner.

ARLEY
The work is progressing according to plan. As readers will have seen from the pictures published in Mudlines No5 the Down platform face is virtually complete and work on the Up platform face is well advanced. The main longitudinal drain and the inspection chambers in the six-foot are now in place together with some of the transverse drains. The amount of water coming out of the ground is amazing. As can be seen from one of the pictures in Mudlines the conditions between the platforms were very bad especially in one location where the ground was like a jelly beneath the tyres of the dumper trucks, it compressed as they went over it and then sprung back up when the load came off.
At the north end of the site material has been removed from the formation to allow the installation of  terram and geotextile membranes to prevent the migration of material and add some strength to the new formation. This area of the trackbed has now been compacted in readiness for the bottom ballast.The contractors will work southward until the complete formation between the platforms has been finished to this standard.
At the south of the formation between the platforms we have agreed to an additional amount of drainage work. Once we had seen just how bad it was in that area it would have been foolish not to carry out this additional work.
A new catchpit and drain has been installed just to the south of the road overbridge to help to capture some of the water flowing off the road and also out of the bank above the brick retaining wall (you can see it from the overbridge). 

• Thursday 10th Feb: work starts on track laying in the Up platform. This should take a week to do and includes the bottom ballast,sleepers and rail as well as tamping the formation.
• W/c 14th Feb: A track tamping machine is due to be delivered to Bridgnorth Once the Up line has been tamped the contractors will lay the platform edge slabs level to the rails.
• Thursday 17th Feb: work starts on track laying in the Down platform. This should take
  less than a week to do and includes the bottom ballast, sleepers and rail as well as tamping the formation.

BEWDLEY SOUTH
All of the material from the top of the viaduct has now been removed either off site or to Bewdley Station car park. Several bright sparks have asked if we are building a giant sand castle ready for the Seaside Special weekend. I must admit that at one stage I thought we would need to put a warning light on top of the machine in view of the number of low flying chinooks we get over Bewdley !

The viaduct arches have been cleaned off to expose the original waterproofing layer which had failed in some areas allowing water to penetrate the brick arch.The new drain holes have been core-drilled through the arches and pipework installed.

• Tuesday 8th Feb: completion of the concrete pour for the capping
• Thursday 10th Feb: waterproofing of the concrete
• Monday 14th Feb: work starts on backfilling with sand stored in Bewdley car park.

VICTORIA BRIDGE TO ARLEY

The full time P. Way gang have been working between Victoria Bridge and Arley. The section from VB to the accommodation Bridge No 16 has been relaid with new steel sleepers and flat bottom rail. The remainder from Bridge 16 to the south points at Arley has seen the worn bullhead rail replaced by reusing the best rail cascaded from the Bridge 16 to Victoria Bridge section. Therefore the line is now joined up so that we can get works trains from Bewdley and Arley again.

This does go to show that we can relay a significant length of track in comparatively short time if we can have an engineering possession for several weeks at a time and do not have to put it back together for each weekend. 

As part of this relay a breather joint was installed at the Arley side of Victoria Bridge to compliment the one laid on the other side after the flood damage of 2007. This will allow the bridge and the track that it carries to expand and contract as necessary.

Several components of the south point at Arley have been changed or replaced in conjunction with moving the signaling equipment from the Up side to the Down side.

OTHER WORK
The Bewdley volunteer permanent way gang have been busy relaying the track in the car park dock siding and this is now ready for packing and leveling. They have also done a significant amount of spot resleepering in the down goods loop at Bewdley. Apart from working at the weekend they also arrange regular mid week working parties and it is not unusual to find a gang of 15 working on a Thursday.

The work on Bewdley South signal box is also progressing well but a number of the existing roof slates were badly perished and could not be reused so we have had to source suitable replacements.

The S & T department have been busy at Northwood working on the crossing upgrade and as soon as they have completed there they will need to move into Arley to start on the reinstallation of the equipment there.

Another volunteer gang meets regularly at Bewdley under the guidance of Dai Price and they are working on vegetation clearance around the station area particularly to improve signal sighting.

Work has also started at Bewdley MPD on improvements that will enable the bulk purchase of oils and to generally tidy up the area around the inspection pit.

Mudlines No6

Photo update. All taken on 7th February 2011, by Phil Sowden.

Bewdley South Viaduct - the concrete pump lorry at road level awaits its next delivery. A view never seen by passengers and only a few enthusiasts.

Bewdley South Viaduct - alternate arches are capped on the 7th Feb, the remaining arches were infilled on the 8th Feb. Note how the concrete is fluted up the wall to ensure as much water is diverted away from the sandstone walls. In the foreground one of the drain covers can be seen in the concrete.

Arley - showing the new brickwork of the far side platform and the infill in place behind the nearside platform, the old ballast has been levelled and where required new ballast has been laid. The partially buried black plastic pipe in the foreground will carry signalling and telegraph cables rather than have them attached to the outside of the platform wall.

This view shows similar work being done at the Highley end by the orange mini digger. The contractors will retreat to the centre and withdraw from the track bed before removing the temporary earth access ramp. Only the platform wall in front of the station house will not have been attended to in one shape or form.

Mudlines No5

Photo update, issued 3rd Feb. All photos by Dewi Jones, Traffic Manager, taken on 1st February 2011.

At Arley: With the drainage work at the north end of Arley Station complete, the base material has been vibrated ready to accept ballast for the sleepers.

A close up of the drainage materials. The main drain runs below the "six-foot" will additional feeder drains running like a herringbone from the platform walls.

With kind weather good progress is being made with the rebuilding of the platform walls. Machines in the distance are clearing off the top half a meter of contaminated ballast for disposal off site.

Although not planned for 2011, but with such good progress the opportunity was taken to extend the "six-foot" drain the whole length of the station. Hopefully it will now dry out the alcoves shown with so much water in previous "Mudlines".

At Bewdley South: The new drain holes have been drilled and plastic drain pipe and gutter is ready to be inserted. Note the core sample showing the remains of a four course brick arch.

The view looking towards Kidderminster shows some of the drains having been positioned. The top of the drain will be in line with the concrete capping for the arches.

Looking back towards Bewdley Station we can see that the carpenters are building the wooden shuttering ready for concrete pouring.

At Victoria Bridge: Standing on the north end of Victoria Bridge, the rails, sleepers and fixings can now be seen in place.

With the use of the road railer, steel sleepers are positioned ready to accept the next lengths of rail.

Mudlines No4

Photo update, all taken today 27th January 2011 by Traffic Manager Dewi Jones.

A more in depth report will be issued after the Railway's engineers have a progress meeting with its contractors on Monday 31st.

The view of the trackbed looking towards Victoria Bridge.

Machines and men on a break, but it shows new sleepers and rail installed.

A close up of the newly installed insulated flat bottomed rail joint.

Bricklayers at work on the Up platform at Arley. Apart from one layer of bricks and the coping stones the Down platform brickwork is complete.

It was only two and a half weeks ago trains ran along here.

The Down side platform ramp, showing the new alcoves built to take signal equipment.

View of Bewdley South Viaduct looking towards the station. The exposed arches show that the tar laid down in c1850 has not survived which was letting damp into the brickwork.

The last of the ten arches at the station end being exposed.

Trial pits for the new drainage shows that after not having rain for days the base material still has not drained. This is what will be corrected with this new work.

MUDLINES No 3

Issued 20th January 2011 - additional photos added 24th Jan.

by Phil Sowden (Infrastructure Services Manager) and Dewi Jones (Traffic Manager)

ARLEY

As reported in the previous issue of Mudlines the contractor started work on schedule.
The first job was to lift all of the platform bricks and edge caping stones on the Down (west) side, the bricks and coping stones being stored for reuse. Once the surface had been removed the platform face between the waiting shelter and the road bridge was taken down to ground level. To say it was demolished would be an overstatement, it could be virtually pushed over. We could not have left this section of the platform for any longer even if the full works had not been put in place.
Once the face was down and the first sections of the platform backfill was removed we found that within minutes a significant pond had appeared (it put the Hampton Loade's duck pond to shame!!).
At the north end of the station a pit was dug in the six foot about 15 feet deep to enable us to connect into the culvert running beneath the platforms and tracks. From here a new drainage pipe has been laid in the 'six foot' as far back as the station building. A series of other drain pipes will drain the areas between the platform walls and the 'six foot' feeding the main drain pipe. The water beneath the ballast has already started running into the pipes and draining the surrounding ballast. The true extent of the clay beneath the trackbed through the platforms has also been revealed. Both the amount of water and the extent of the clay confirm why it was proving more and more difficult to keep the track in a stable and safe condition through the station.
The new brick platform face between the Down side waiting shelter and the road bridge is now well (3/4) on the way to completion and we have decided to increase the amount of drainage behind this wall to hopefully reduce the likely hood of a future failure resulting from the extent of ground water that builds up behind the wall. Hopefully this small amount of additional work will eliminate the need to revisit the site and have to lift both track and signalling runs at this location next year. 
The new platform wall is being constructed in blue brick to match the sections of wall that were rebuilt during the 1990's and are still sound. Trial brick walls were built for comparison of colour before building. Some of the existing wall while being sound will require some minor work to ensure that the levels are correct. Discussions have taken place with Arley station staff who are as they say are 'in the know' over the platform surfacing. We hope to carry out some changes which will bring the finished surfaces more in line with the way in which they would have been laid as the various platform extensions at Arley were done. In case anybody does not understand this comment it is clear from the materials used in the construction that the Up platform has been extended and modified on at least three occasions by its previous owners (two extensions and one change in height).
Work will also be starting during the next few days on the bank immediately above the retaining wall in the cutting, south of the road bridge to stabilise and improve the drainage in this area. Once the drainage beneath this retaining wall, the first sections of the platform face have been rebuilt and the P Way have installed some longer timbers beneath the south end points we hope to be given partial access to the site so that the S & T can start on their new point rodding runs.
The P Way gang have now moved onto site between Victoria Bridge and Arley. Track dismantling is in progress as part of the replacement plan for sleepers and rail.

BEWDLEY

At Bewdley the S & T completed their disconnection and removal work at Bewdley South viaduct and the P Way moved in on Thursday 13 January. Both tracks and part of a turnout were removed by Tuesday 18th. The contractor immediately started scraping the ballast off the 10-arch, 275 foot long viaduct. The method of work is for two mini-diggers to scrape off the ballast and load it into two Hydrex road-rail dumpers shuttling it to the car park for loading onto lorries and disposal off site. Some of the ballast removed from the viaduct will be reused on the new track installed in the 'EMF/LNER/GWR' dock siding. Probably on Monday they will start removing the sand layer down to the arches. A trial dig by hand shovel has revealed the black tar covering of the brickwork now about two foot below the surface.
During the weekend of 15/16th January the remains of the sleepers in the dock siding were shovelled up, the formation graded with the road-railer and the replacement concrete sleepers put into place.
Bewdley South box yesterday was scaffolded and by the end of today the western side slates and laths had been removed and the exposed timber roof covered with felt to keep it dry.
This work is being carried out by the Bewdley Carriage subcontract team and volunteers. As part of the preparation work for this the redundant telegraph pole near to the north west corner of the box was removed. The opportunity will be taken to carry out some work on the stoves and chimneys in both North and South signal boxes while the line is closed to traffic. Scaffolding has also being erected inside the Goods Shed in preparation for installing safety equipment associated with wagon repairs.

Please note that the viaduct will be fenced off at both ends and crossing it is now prohibited.
Therefore access to the Bewdley to Kidderminster or the Stourport Line P Way area will have to be accessed from the Kidderminster direction

The contractor’s fenced compound in the Bewdley car park has taken up a significant area and therefore parking space is limited.

Erlestoke Manor Fund coach – opening Saturdays and Sundays as staff are available
LNER/Station Fund Shop – opening every Saturday and Sunday
Bewdley Buffet – opening Saturdays and Sundays 8.30am until 2.30pm

It is planned that during the weekend of 22/23 January S+T work will be carried out at Northwood Crossing to bring it up to the current standards required for such crossings. This will entail the installation of additional and better road warning lights together with some changes to the 'white light' indication given to train crews. This is a Health and Safety Executive requirement that affects all level crossings of this type on both Network Rail and Heritage lines. Official notices will be posted to advise locomotive and train crews of the changes before the line reopens.

The Railway was visited by Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectors on 17th January as a follow up to their inspection last year and the opportunity was taken to show them the works currently underway at Arley and Bewdley together with other improvement works that have been carried out during the last few months. They acknowledge and fully endorse the work being carried out and planned for the next five years.   

Phil Sowden inspecting the trial brickwork at Arley. The darker blue bricks are a closer match to the original and this is to be used as their pattern. There is no truth that brickwork can be reused by Arley staff as a BBQ! Photo Dewi Jones.

The fifteen foot excavation shows the round top of the original brick culvert and the new inspection chamber. Notice the hole is dry - Traffic Manager, Dewi Jones is looking into it (get the pun!) 15th Jan.

Machines have dug the trench in the "six-foot", laid the drain and covered with teram sheeting to reduce the amount of debris getting into the pipe. 20th Jan. Photo Dewi Jones.

The other end of the buried trench can be seen here.The new brickwork is covered with hessian to keep the frost at bay while the mortar dries. 20th Jan. Photo Dewi Jones.

Bricklayers work under a tent, the new bricks. All the platform surface bricks are stored ready to be relaid. Rails in the four foot are those lifted at Arley and will be relaid. 20th Jan. Photo Dewi Jones.

 
Part of the platform wall is breeze block with a brick facing, here we see the indents to the wall to take S+T rodding compensators. The remedial work will get rid of the pools of water that this site 'floats' on. 20th Jan. Photo Dewi Jones.

 
A week previously the view is of the platform wall just been demolished and the ground excavated for the alcoves for the S+T equipment. 15th Jan. Photo Dewi Jones.

Bewdley Viaduct looking towards the station on 17th Jan.

Bewdley Viaduct looking towards the station on 20th Jan.

Bewdley Car park with the next load of spoil from the viaduct being taken away off site 20th Jan.

The roof of Bewdley South Signalbox 20th Jan.

The Bewdley Cattle Dock Siding having been removed is graded with the road-railer 23rd Jan.

The Bewdley Cattle Dock Siding relaid with concrete sleepers and awaiting rails 24rd Jan.

MUDLINES No2

Issued 12th January 2011

by Phil Sowden (Infrastructure Services Manager) and Dewi Jones (Traffic Manager)

Before we do anything else we must put on record our thanks to the small Santa Team at Arley who pulled out all the stops and managed to clear the equipment into storage within the grotto coaches in double quick time. We must also thank the volunteers at Arley Station for their work in clearing the platforms of benches and similar furniture in readiness for the contractor to move on site. The Santa Grotto coaches were shunted ,as planned, out of the siding on Sunday 2nd Jan and returned to Kidderminster for storage whilst other engineering department vehicles were repositioned ready for the start of the work. The Santa marquee was dismantled by our supplier and taken off site, as planned, on Tuesday 4th January which then gave the engineering department a clear run at the job.

While this work was going on the S & T Department took the Down Loop out of commission and started dismantling the signal rodding runs and wires. This work was completed during the weekend of 8th and 9th January. The Permanent Way department moved into Arley on Friday 7th and made a start on dismantling the track through the platforms. The site was handed over to the main civil contractor on scheduled on the 12th January

Would everyone please note that Arley Station is now closed to members of the public and anyone else not directly involved in work at this station. Unless you have a valid reason to be working on site you will be asked to leave.

To avoid any confusion we will be reusing the existing rail through Arley Station but changing the sleepers to wood to give a more traditional feel to the station and lessen the continuous load on this less than ideal land. While we are rebuilding parts of the platforms the opportunity will be taken to correct the gauge clearances and levels. The other change that will become evident once the work is complete will be the relocation of the point rodding from the east platform face to the west platform face, this will then permit the use of on-track tamping machines through the Main platform.

Arley Station now seems to have two barbecues on the up platform. Keep reading Mudlines for a full explanation.

So what else has been happening:

The bad weather before Christmas caused problems in bringing permanent way materials onto the railway. Lorries from Crewe in Cheshire fortunately made it through the snow and ice to deliver 48 x 60 ft lengths of rail into Kidderminster on 23th Dec. This rail is currently on wagons at Bewdley awaiting movement and laying between Victoria Bridge and Arley.
Lorries with 60 foot loads can not negotiate the lane to Arley Station. Some of you will remember that during the flood repairs of 2008 we had to bring 30 foot lengths of rail into Arley to be moved to Eymore Cutting and then welded together on site.

Residents that live near to or may be affected by the works at both Bewdley and Arley have been advised by letter of the work to 'keep them in the picture'.

Visitors to Bewdley may have noticed that Station Road and part of the Station Drive were resurfaced by Ringway Infrastructure Services on behalf of the local council on the 4th January. The council required this work to be done before the schools returned after the Christmas break.

The sales coaches located at Bewdley next to the car park have also been shunted out and repositioned in Platform 1. This now allows the Bewdley P Way Department to relay the siding by replacing the wooden sleepers with concrete ones

Situation at end of day Wed 12th Jan:

At Arley

• SVR P Way Dept have completed track dismantling work and moved off site
• SVR handed over site to contractor today on schedule
• Contractor started work two days earlier than anticipated and has started removing formation and platform walls
• Staff mess coach and 40 tons of rail moved from Kidderminster to Arley

At Bewdley

• S+T signaling disconnected as scheduled on South Viaduct
• Two road-rail dumper trucks delivered ready for use
• 5764 on pit for cleaning in preparation for repainting
• Empty Rudd wagon on pit for loading with ash in preparation for MPD area clean up
• Class 20, 6 wagons of new and reusable sleepers (for VB-AY relay),6 loaded ballast hoppers and ballast plough van

Next Planned work

At Bewdley South Viaduct

• 13 & 14 Jan    P Way to remove track on Bewdley South Viaduct
• 17 Jan            Contractor site set up in Bewdley Car Park
• 19 Jan            Contractor starts removing formation off viaduct
• 19 Jan            Scaffolding erected around Bewdley South Signalbox (for re-roofing)
• 19 Jan            Scaffolding erected inside Bewdley Goods Shed for installing safety equipment for working at heights (van roofs etc)

For any SVR working members wishing to assist the Bewdley P Way Gang they have earmarked the following as work days: Jan 27, Feb 10, Mar 1 and 17, Apr 7 as well as Saturdays and Sundays

Also if you’d like to join the vegetation clearance gang working just north of Bewdley Station they will be at it on: Jan 23, Feb 6, 20, Mar 6, 20.

Bewdley Cattle Dock Siding, dismantled and awaiting replacement sleepers. Photo by Dewi Jones.

Three photos at Arley on Monday 10th January. Photos by Dewi Jones.

Three further shots at Arley. Photos by Phil Sowden

Phil Sowden and Dewi Jones
12th January 2010

Mudlines No1

Issued 10th December 2010

by Phil Sowden (Infrastructure Services Manager) and Dewi Jones (Traffic Manager)

A number of reports have appeared in various publications and newsletters about the engineering works that are scheduled to occur on the SVR during the first quarter of 2011.

Some of these reports while being correct in principle have contained errors.

The purpose of this newsletter is to inform readers of what will be taking place on the Valley during the next few months. Due to enormous amount of work and varied tasks facing the railway it was felt that the best way of keeping our staff and others informed was by resurrecting a newsletter similar to that of the “Floodlines” issued in 2007-08

The first of these newsletters will give details of the various locations at which major work will be carried out, it will also explain the reasons for carrying out the work, the ways in which the work will be carried out and the intended timescales.

Subsequent newsletters will advise on progress at the various locations to keep people 'in the picture' as the work progresses.

The locations
There are two major civil engineering worksites, these are at Arley Station and Bewdley South. In addition other work, primarily associated with track will be carried out within Bewdley Station and between Victoria Bridge and Arley. We will also be taking advantage of the engineering possessions to carry out some other smaller projects.

Why are we doing the work?
The simple answer is because the infrastructure at the various locations has now seen 40 years intensive use and we need to carry out work to ensure that we can continue to operate into the future.

The work at Arley results from the need to install new drainage systems beneath the track. We have for a number of years been aware of the poor ground in this area which has resulted in mud and clay pumping up between the sleepers which consequently gives us problems in maintaining the track alignment within the required limits. However the work on the trackbed will necessitate dismantling significant sections of the platform and we will take the opportunity to rebuild the platforms to the correct alignment and levels using traditional methods and materials.

The work on Bewdley South (Sandbourne) Viaduct is necessary to ensure that the deck of the viaduct is waterproof and the drainage systems are working. This will form the first phase of work on the structure, subsequent work will involve replacement of sandstone once the structure has dried out. This viaduct is a substantial structure the size of which is not generally appreciated. To give some idea the viaduct has 10 arches and an overall length between the abutments of approximately 300 feet.

The trackwork between Victoria Bridge and Arley Station is to be renewed to bring it up to the current requirements for our level of operation, this will entail full renewal of rail, sleepers and ballast over approximately half the distance and rerailing of the remainder.

Work at Bewdley Station will concentrate on the track where the EMF coach and others are usually located, the sleepers in this location being life expired. We also hope to carry out sleeper renewal along part of the Rock Siding. A detailed inspection of the track between Bewdley and Northwood will also be carried out to address a number of concerns we have in this section. If we have sufficient resources we may also be doing some further work near to the Kidderminster end of the tunnel.

We also intend to carry out work on Bewdley South Signal box roof, Arley Signal Box steps the installation of additional safety equipment within Bewdley Goods Shed and a number of other smaller projects.

How will the work be done?
Several months ago a number of contractors were invited to submit tenders for the civil engineering aspects of the works to be carried out at Arley and Bewdley South Viaduct. Following appraisal of the tenders Walsh Construction Ltd of Worcester were selected to carry out the works. They have recently been carrying out work to rectify the landslips on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway.

Prior to the contractor moving onto site and again upon completion the work associated with signaling and trackwork will be carried out by SVR staff and volunteers.

To comply with current legislation all members of SVR staff (paid and volunteers) should be aware that once we have removed the track the site will be handed over to the contractor until they have completed their work. This means that we cannot have our staff wandering into the worksites 'to see what is going on'. Only authorised SVR personnel will be permitted into the worksites, anyone else who is found on the contractors site without permission will be asked to leave.

The remaining sites will be under the jurisdiction of the SVR but please do not just turn up without making prior arrangements.

At both of the major sites there will be a significant number of road vehicle movements, all materials being removed from beneath the track have to be taken off site for disposal at designated sites and all replacement materials have to be brought in by road.

The sites at Arley and Bewdley while both being under the control of Wash Construction will run concurrently and be treated as separate contracts each with their own designated work force.

The timing of the work
In order to carry out the major civil engineering projects it is necessary to close the railway between Highley and Kidderminster to all non engineering traffic.

The closure of the south end of the railway will take effect from the last traffic movement on the evening of Monday 3rd January. If everything goes according to plan (and I am writing these notes while the temperature has just risen from –5˚C and the ground is still frozen!!)the railway will reopen on the 26th March. However by that date we will only have reinstated a single line through Arley. The complete railway will be back to normal operation in time for the Easter operation and the Tornado visit.

The timing of the start of work at Arley is critical to ensuring that we can get the railway operational again at the scheduled date. The Christmas team at Arley have agreed to pull out all the stops to enable the site to be cleared by 4th January in readiness for the contractor to move in during that week. The work involved in clearing the site after Christmas should not be underestimated, it takes months to set up and to strip it all out within a week is a big challenge.

The contractor will also be moving into the Bewdley site during early January.

Other points to note
The contractors work site at Arley will occupy a significant part of the current car park area. Members of staff may be asked to park their vehicles in the field near to the river. Signs will be posted at the various entrances to Arley Station to advise visitors that the station is closed to the public (although the road bridge is an ideal viewing gallery).

At Bewdley the contractor will be based on the station car park and approximately half of the car park will be fenced off to form a site compound. Access will be maintained to the Carriage and Wagon via a designated walking route.

During the coming weeks there will be an increasing level of activity as we prepare for the work. Materials and spares for the track relays will be brought in and loaded onto rail vehicles, and will have to be positioned in readiness for the works. This may cause disruption to traffic and siding space will be at a premium possibly resulting in additional shunting.

Bewdley will require major reorganisation to ensure that all materials required for the works can be accommodated on rail vehicles within the station area - once the line is cut at Bewdley South and Arley we cannot easily bring in things like 60ft lengths of rail!

The next four months are going to be busy!!

We want volunteers to continue coming to the railway to carry out the many other tasks that are needed to keep the railway going such as vegetation clearance, cleaning of locomotives, sprucing up stations not to mention general routine maintenance. A list of work and persons in charge is being drawn up. This newsletter will be updated as and when interesting or significant developments take place or when suitable information needs to be published.

There will be plenty to do so just because half the line is closed don`t start to think that you can take half the time off!!