20/21 December - Replacement of 91 bullhead with 95lb rail on platform road started. Three way point finally being removed. That's it folks till next Wednesday as we all take a very well deserved rest from relentless trackwork for the Christmas break. Stay tuned for more trackwork shenanigans next year...

91lb rail and chairs replaced with 95lb - passenger running line.

14/18 December - Yard end buffer stops on back and middle road receiving new bracing, using lengths of bullhead. Last rail required on platform runround installed and gauged. A few remedial jobs on track (such as fishplate adjustment and ballast removal from under point tie bars) performed. Apparently the volunteers Christmas party on Saturday 17th went swimmingly...I was in Belgium stocking up on tabs and booze.

effect of Xmas blowout - picture from D. Felton

Blowing Holes for bolts

Yard - a work in progress

10 December - Still progressing trackwork in yard - this is the volunteers main focus. Middle road is presently being actioned, extending back from runround to bufferstop.

Picture of buffet from bonfire night...

16 November - From last report, we have relaid half of track nearest trams, spread a carpet of ballast along the path of the middle road, started to lay out the point for the platform runaround, and disposed of surplus earth to build up the bank behind 'the potting sheds' - as one volunteer calls the van bodies! Things didn't quite go to plan on setting out the timbers under the points - the lengths were miscalculated slightly for the current positions under the frog - this will be easily rectified but not today. The minidigger went off hire - but it goes to show what a bit of mechanisation and some motivated volunteers can achieve.

Laying out the frog.

10 November - Mini digger on site for a week, so trackwork can finally resume. A big push this week to get the most out the hire we can - so there is an on site gang everyday this week, the idea is to continue the trackwork in the yard as much as possible, as it was never originally ballasted on two roads and we only had a buffer stop on the platform road - so all this along with jacking and packing, and a lot of pointwork will be progressed. A great step forward is that a pit has been dug as we so desperately need to build our infrastructure on site to allow for routine maintenance and inspection on locos and rolling stock, this of course still needs to be cemented and rerailed.

The inspection pit is dug.

Middle road has a buffer stop, now being relayed on a bed of ballast. The 'Flying Flea' behind Geoff is actually an accomplished trackwork vehicle, making J&P much easier.

Ballasting, jacking and packing.

7 November update - Unfortunately management issues have seriously impacted on forward progress on site - hopefully these will be thrashed out at the end of November and we can get 'back on track'. However, a solid week of trackwork will take place for the next seven days with the help of a 4 tonne minidigger and as many volunteers as want to help us out on site.

22 October update - Drewry locomotive delivered to site Thursday 13th October, needs repairs to control panel and some other minor repairs to go into service. Trackwork has stopped yet again, particularly due to need for mini digger hire which cannot be financed at the moment, the lack of some specialist point chairs is now also an issue. At the moment loco repairs and painting / cleaning are being carried out mainly until situation can be sorted out with the RVR Ltd. Below some pictures of site developments. On a more positive note, a lot of very hard physical work has been done by some volunteers in pouring concrete and doing foundations for the platform ramp.

Our second 'new' loco - a Drewry similar to Titan. Needs some work to become serviceable.

5 October update - Matisa is serviceble, with minor defects, allowing us to shunt and finally continue with yard trackwork. Stock moved to facilitate track lifting in yard, which has commenced in preparation for ballasting and new sleepers/rail, and completion of pointwork. Toilet block area staked out as this will be essential for when open to public in future - at back of yard near trams

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28 September - Day spent on new loco - delivered on Monday 26 September. This is a diesel-electric Matisa (Swiss built). We should have a diesel-mechanical coming shortly, but without an operating loco and lots of trackwork to do, it has been imperative to try and get this operational. By the end of the day, the loco was succesfully started. More work needs to be done to put into service - although the Drury loco expected soon is already known to be a 'runner' and will be the priority when on site.

21 September - Spent most of day clearing up on site - as so much trackwork has been done recently, there were chairs, bits of rail, and fittings and scrap all over the place so things have been tidied up a bit. Late afternoon, some stock movement took place as a couple of wagons are due to go off site shortly and we can complete new trackwork configuration in the yard.

18 September -A bit more trackwork and some stock movement onto runround / second track.

After stock movement

14 September - Placed a temporary panel in on third road, to enable extraction of brake van. We had to level the area and clear rubble, put 15 sleepers into place with chairs, then manually shift two 45 foot / 95lb PY rails into place, as the crane driver was taking a well earned holiday. It was then all drilled and screwed down, and the brakevan backed up 10 metres using pinch bars and human weight against a small gradient. This will allow the track to be slewed over properly. A good days work.

Manhandling rails

10 Sep - Instead of our previous annual sponsored walk out to Bodiam (Hoppers Weekend) we decided this year to instead have a stall promoting our project to the punters for the whole weekend, instead of the usual hour while we tanked up on beer and burgers for the return walk to Robertsbridge. It was deemed a better PR exercise, and the volunteers are only prepared to restart sponsored walk in the future, once the project has got somewhere a bit further (say Northbridge Street). It has turned out to be a resounding success, and this is being written up on the 1st day (Saturday), with lots of people who didn't know of the Rother Valley Railway' being enlightened. The intention now is to do this every year. Pictures below.

Bodiam station yard and other exhibitors - Spreading the word...

4 September - Sunday morning spent banksman training, as it is imperative that all volunteers within crane proximity know how to work properly with the crane driver (Dave). Afternoon spent drilling and screwing frog down and getting ever closer to track work in the yard to complete run round. Pictures taken 8 Sep.

3 September - A stall was taken at the local Robertsbridge Garden Show and Fete, on a hot day...

1 September - Run round almost complete. Needs lots of Jacking and packing.