Electric Roads Turnout Relay.

The winter project for 2008 is the rebuilding of the turnouts leading to roads 7&8 of the Carriage Shed. These two roads come off the Branch Line and are the Electric Tractions loco depot.
The usual problems of life expired hardwood sleepers and some very worn rail in places are the main defects. The project will see complete re-sleepering of both turnouts with replacement point blades and stock rails. It will also see the replacement of the present throw over point's levers with switch lock levers and woods key locked derailing blocks. Insulated joints will also be installed for future signalling and interlocking. Drainage through the whole site will also be improved.

The present set up. Grass encroaching onto both sides of the track. Built up ground on the inside of the curve causing drainage issues. 1/10/06.

In preparation of the relay, the inside of the Branch Line was cleared and levelled of all material for about one hundred metres. An interim access road was also installed across the track. 26/4/08.

The first half of each turnout are to be built up on site and moved to one side ready to be dropped into place once the track bed has been cleared. Road 7 turnout beginning to take shape. 17/5/08.

Road 7 turnout nearly complete, longer closer rails to be installed. The existing check rails and frogs are to be reused from each turnout. 18/5/08.

The first half of road 7 turnout complete and moved to one side. Points lever and interlocking coming together. 25/5/08.

This project has seen a lot of extra work undertaken in the workshop. The four replacement point blades all needed 5 new holes drilled to take the point and detection rodding, with any old holes plugged.

Modified 91lb turnout riser plates to fit 70lb OB rail profile on road 8 turnout. This required machining of the side plates and welding these to the base plates for additional stability

Article by Peter Jenkinson, Photographs by Peter Jenkinson.