2011

November

Bridge No 5

Bridge No 4

Other Activities - these led by the SA

(TEDS)

(TEDS)

(above) Bridge 5 and route through to Robertsbridge

(below) Excavation of bridge 5 and blinding

(above) bridge 4 complete. Trackbed levelled.

(below) Sub base before grading.

(above) The hopper wagon being reinforced with heavy grade steel in preparation for the coming track ballasting.

(below) A further division of the GBLV for the preparation of an office.

(SG)

(SG)

(SG)

Mid November

RVR  Construction Progress.

After a period of  intensive activity on site over the last few months there will be a lot less  visible work happening on the ground for the next few weeks.

On site bridges No's 1 to 4 still need their small concrete mounting pads cast ready to accept the bridge spans and now the piling contractors have fully finished their work there is more tidying up of the formation still to do before it is hard surfaced ready for track laying. 

Our main activity is currently focused at  the bridge span contactors engineering workshops. We hope to take  delivery of the new span for bridge No 1, plus the four reconditioned spans fitted with new sidewalks, by the  turn of the year. They  can then be installed and all then made ready for the track to be  laid from Northbridge Street back round the curve as far as the start of Robertsbridge Station. As part of that we have decided to hold off building the abutments for bridge No 5 for the time being, the last of the bridges left to rebuild on this section of line. Leaving that job until a bit later has a number of advantages including the potential of leaving us more working space near Northbridge Street level crossing where most of the bridgespans will be delivered.

Assuming all goes to plan we will have the bridges installed ready for track laying to start in February. We can then move all the rolling stock out of the way  and get started with  the contact to build the new Robertsbridge Junction  Station.

Mike Hart

Opening the month with a comment from the Trust.

Bridge 1 - No Change to the articles below.

Bridge No 3-4

The Ballast Regulator

Riverbank reinforcing.

And the first shots of the arrival of the ballast regulator at RB.

  (TEDS)

(Shown above viewing West towards Robertsbridge Junction) 

No longer speaking of the bridges, but the ‘in betweens’, the embankment between Bridges 2 & 3 is shown as leveled and graded with crushed  concrete.

(Picture below looking East towards Bodiam to finished bridge abutments 4)

  (TEDS)

The riverbank reinforcing has been completed. Ties have been fixed between the two sides of piles. The earth has been replaced and the old embankment being built up prior to starting work on bridge No 5.

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Above - The next pile of crushed concrete!

Embankment being restored    ->

(SG)

October

Meanwhile back at Robertsbridge the RVRSA Volunteers continue to work on the wagons

(TEDS)

(TEDS)

Strategising the next move!

(TEDS)

Bridge No 3

Jack and Mark are actually getting on with it though!

(MH)

The bridge (no 3) having ‘aged’ now allowed the embankment to be replaced.

(TEDS)

(AS)

(AS)

(SG)

An Update from the Engineer

We should have the contractors back to Robertsbridge next week to complete the piling works by fixing 5 tie rods to join the two rows  of piles together below finished ground level.

Backfilling has taken place at bridge 3 to approximate formation level and bridge 4 should follow on in the next few days. Bridge 5 is likely to be tackled in November.

We've also taken delivery of the first batch of 'new' track  materials for the project, with 112 concrete sleepers from one of the 'High Speed One' construction depots. Most appear never to have had a  rail laid on them...

Alasdair

(MH)

The New Track Materials

Above - The bridge sections were taken off site for sand blasting and reinforcing

  (AS)

Little more that can be added to Alasdair Stewarts comments above. New track materials have been received at Robertsbridge.

  (AS)

The Riverbank Piling

  (AS)

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  (TEDS Video)

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The riverbank between bridges 4 & 5, to the north side of the trackbed had become an issue due to natural erosion. To stablise the bank the solution was to sheet pile drive both sides of the trackbed and tie between the two. An outside contractor was brought in and with some extremely impressive hardware and know how to perform this task.

Clearly this bank will not be a problem for many years.

(TEDS)

At the end of the month we can use the same format as the last few months. Bridge No 1 -->
All that can be done has been for now. The expectation for the spans is that they will go in after Christmas (Alasdair)
 

  (TEDS)

An update from the RVRHT mid October.

RVRHT - Locos & Rolling Stock -  "Comings & Goings & Restorations  "

1) BR  Drewry 0-6-0 Class 03 Diesel Loco No. D2112

We have  purchased diesel locomotive D2112 that  was used until recently as back up loco at Boston Docks. Rather more powerful than our existing locos, and  vacuum train brake fitted, make it idea for construction trains and then when we have completed rebuilding Robertsbridge Station and the line as far as Northbridge Street hauling demonstration passenger trains. The purchase has been possible  through a generous  gift from a RVR project supporter to cover the full cost including  transport. 

The locomotive is in excellently all round operating order and will first go as a contract to Rolvenden locomotive works for a full service including jacking to check the axlebox lubrication pads - all so as to ensure it is fully prepared for work at RVR.

The locomotive will  arrive at K&ESR in about three weeks time and as soon as the work is  done delivered on to Robertsbridge in the new year.

<- (Photo MH - dated 30th September 2011 attached)

2) Drewry  0-4-0 diesel loco D77  'Dougal' and Matisa Locomotive No 99701

'Dougal' and the large Matisa locomotive  No 99701, owned by East Anglia Shunters Ltd, have both been based at Robertsbridge for some years.  The Matisa loco will shortly be moving on elsewhere. We have taken up a kind offer from the owners to sell locomotive 'Dougal' to RVR on very favourable terms.
 

3) Matisa  R7D Ballast Regulator No. 77106

The small Matisa Ballast Regulator, that did excellent work for us on the Bodiam - Junction Road section, is now surplus to requirements at KESR as the private owner of the machine was lucky enough to secure one of the more sophisticated Regulators from the Jarvis Plc liquidation sale.The replacement Plough is far to  big to economically transport to  Robertsbridge by road for the work we are doing and so the owner has kindly sold us his small Matisa machine.  That will be moved to Robertsbridge when the opportunity arises ready to help with track ballasting next  year.

(Photo of the  ballast plough at work on the Junction Road section of RVR attached - from RVR  website)

4)  Ex BP/Shell Mex Tank Wagon No 529

Work has recommenced on rebuilding the BP tank wagon. Reconstruction of the timber framed chassis is underway at a contractors works before return to Robertsbridge ready for fitting of the running gear and tank. 

Further donations are urgently sought to help  ensure we can cover the cost of completing the restoration of this historic 1898 built wagon.  If you can help please do let Mark Yonge or David  Felton know.

5)  LNER 25 Ton Ballast Hopper Wagon  &  Three Plank Open Wagon No. B758315

RVRSA volunteers are working on the repair and restoration of these two wagons ready to help with track laying duties next  year. 

6) Other Stock - moving on.

The rail crane has been scrapped with the cash raised going a long way toward covering  the purchase of 'Dougal' - recycling at  its best! BR MK1 Coach No. 4037 left some months  back and the derelict Maunsell Coach No.1346 was removed by its owners a  few weeks ago. The Hastings Tramway Group owned PMV will be leaving us by summer next year along with their collection of tram bodies.

Mike Hart

The fast pace continues at the western end of the line, close to Robertsbridge station. By the middle of the month the Bridge Nos, 1,3,4 have made great progress. Several of the older vehicles have been removed and the crane was cut up for scrap.

No 1 Bridge

With bridge girders removed.

Showing the new watercourse reinforcing.

From Picture left looking down in to the new water channel.

  (TEDS)

  (SG)

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Bridge girders being removed......

....and stored for later use.

  (SG)

  (SG)

  (SG)

Bridge No 3

Bridge showing alignment to Northbridge Street/Clappers

Awaiting bridge deck

just curing now before soil is replaced

  (TEDS)

  (SG)

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Bridge no 4

Shuttering going in for Bridge.

With concrete setting

Alignment looking west.

  (SG)

  (TEDS)

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  (SG)

<-- The last days of the Smith Rodley as it is being dismantled and cut up for scrap!

   Bridge no 6. remaining a challenge,,,,,, for now-->

  (TEDS)

September

The bridge rebuilding continues at a fast pace.

Bridge No 1.

Latest on Bridge No 3.

  (TEDS)

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August

Late in the month. Bridge 1

One of the water courses of the Rother dammed for works to improve the water course.

  (SG)

  (SG)

More No 3 Bridge

  (SG)

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  (JE)

And after a week

Pouring for No3

  (AS)

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More No 1 Bridge

With Soil infill

  (AS)

  (SG)

  (SG)

No 1 Bridge Early Month Update

The first concrete arrives

First infill

RVRHT - The Robertsbridge - Northbridge Street Section.

Another Progress Report.

The first loads of concrete were poured today for the reinforce structure that is being built behind bridge No 1 abutment.  Great isn’t it when one has finished  demolition and new construction starts to rise from the ashes.  Further work will progress next week  with the contractor also kicking off work on building new bridge No 3. Bridges 4 & 5 will follow once these first two are largely out of the way.

Meanwhile we are making  plans to lay the mainline and loop tracks on their new alignment from Bridge 1 back to the start of the station once the bridge builders can free  up the formation - probably around November. That track will use stock rail fitted in newly purchased secondhand pre-stressed concrete sleepers with the old reinforced sleepers cascaded to the sidings. About half the curve will though be  a bit tighter radius than it was originally and so that will be laid on jarrah sleepers to accommodate check chairs/check rail. 

As part of these preparations for track lying in that area we will be clearing the  site boundary fence to boundary fence from where the bridge spans are stacked  round the corner up to start of the high embankment on the curve. Once cleared the levels can then be  sorted out and crushed concrete laid to create the sub-base. Just about all the land width is needed in that area so last weekend we surveyed whats lying on that  land in whats a rather  cramped Robertsbridge site. To get that clearance started K&ESR C&W have been asked to look at all the rusty bits of buffers, draw hooks and the like that have been laying there for years and then, once we have checked  what we need to keep for RVR rolling stock projects, they will take the rest away. 

There are large numbers of soft wood sleepers piled up along both sides of the formation, in the way, with  only a tiny handful of any use whatsoever. Apart from keeping some as dunnage the rest will soon be taken away by a contractor. While some have a  resale value we are looking for a job lot deal where all will go whatever their  condition - so we aren’t left with those that are falling apart and would  otherwise cost us money to remove as we want to avoid mega smelly bonfires on site. 

We are also looking to find a good home for the dismantled ex Etchingham(?) signal box lever frame  that’s been slowly rusting away on the trackside. That as Robertsbridge wont be signaled  but use token locked lever frames on the loop points that will access the  mainline both ends of the platform. One of those token locked lever frames is in stock at Robertsbridge but  we need two, so the perfect solution will be some sort of  swap. 

Great work is being done to clean up the stock ex Staplehurst bridge spans by volunteers under the leadership of  Peter Brown. Peter will also cut  off the redundant bracketry before blasting.  All this saving significant money as otherwise the shot blasting contractor would have had to do it - at a cost. Our  volunteer bridge engineer is coming at Robertsbridge tomorrow to meet Peter and finalise which are the best four spans for use on the line as far as Northbridge Street.

Mike Hart

(SG) Reinforcing steel for bridge construction

(AS)

Update to No 3 Bridge

July

In addition to the bridge constructions the bridge spans are being laid for use.

(AS)

(AS)

(AS)

Each section will have to be cleared off and additional  iron work removed.

Bridge No 1

(AS)

(AS)

(AS)

Preparing the footings behind No 1 Bridge West abutment.

Meanwhile at No 3 Bridge all footings are being dug out.

Notice 19th July 2011

RVRHT - the Robertsbridge - Northbridge Street Section

Work continues in the current phase of the project - rebuilding the four bridges on the Robertsbridge Northbridge Street section of the  line.

New  bridge 3, 4 & 5 will be the same design as bridge No 2 which was replace a  few years back.  The reinforced concrete firm who will build the new foundations and abutments have been appointed and will now start work next week.  Meanwhile our job is to dig out the sites and provide a concrete sub-base for the new reinforced structures - the  first is complete, as in Alasdair Stewart photo below, with the others to follow as the contractor progresses back toward Northbridge Street.

(as always all photos are linked to full size ones in our library)
  (AS)

The  same contractor will also repair the western abutment of bridge No 1 and build  the concrete invert for the stream that runs under that bridge. The steel span for bridge No 1 will be newly built to suite this wider bridge. The interesting photo below (sequence of bridge 1 with soil removed) by Trevor Streeter shows us what the back of  a Colonel Stephens mass concrete bridge abutment looks like.

Today the ex Staplehurst bridge spans previously acquired by RVR were  laid out in the yard by crane and the shot blast firm we have appointed came to  do a bit of test blasting. We were  all somewhat relieved to find the spans had not suffered too much from years of  standing in the yard and once refurbished will be fit for many years  service.  Four of these spans are being renovated for installation at new bridges 3, 4 & 5 and the other to replace the rather poor span at bridge 2. Another of Alasdair photos from  today below shows what happened.

 
  (AS)

The  pair of ex BR bridges we have purchased for Reading for use east of Northbridge Street will not now arrive until later in August but the site in the yard at Robertsbridge is all prepared and ready to accept them.

Mike Hart

As mentioned above the cutting preparation for No3 Bridge is significant

  Place of Bridge No 5 with a temporary crossing.

   ...and Bridge No.4...place of temporary access to 3.

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(AS)

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(AS)

After Two Weeks Earth Works

NOTICE

ROTHER VALLEY RAILWAY  HERITAGE TRUST  - 5th July

Work Progress on the Robertsbridge - Northbridge Street Section

A brief update as to the bridge rebuilding.

The back of bridge No 1  west abutment has been dug out enabling engineer John Sreeves to visit site yesterday to finalise his design for the new concrete abutment that will be  built behind the old one.  As soon as we have his drawings reinforcement bar can be ordered and then concrete poured to get that part of the works complete before moving on to build the new stream invert.

Bridges 3-5 inclusive are  all demolished and the remains the old concrete abutments are being broken  up. That has enabled ground conditions to be confirmed and foundation designs finalised.  As we speak the reinforcement bar  schedule is being drawn up so that can be ordered preparatory to the concrete works contractor arriving to build the new abutments for these three new bridges. 

Starting in August four of the ex Staplehurst bridge spans in Robertsbridge yard stocks will be shot  blasted and primed followed by fabricating handrails and walkways etc.  Three spans will be used on the new bridges 3, 4 & 5 and the other swapped with the existing, rather poor, bridge No 2 span

Looking to the future we have taken the opportunity to acquire two ‘through’ type ex BR bridges both in excellent condition that will be ideal for use east of Northbridge Street in years to come.  All being well  they should arrive in the next few weeks and will be put into storage on the  made up land at Robertsbridge site Oak tree area.

Mike Hart

The major push started in June as a project of the Trust towards Northbridge Street shows great improvements.

By the first weekend of July the entire trackbed top had been scrapped through. The Bridges 3,4,5 have been demolished and made ready for new constructions. Bridge 1 has been dug away from behind, on the west wall

Bridge 1 with soil removed.               

Looking West

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Bridge 4 has now been completely removed. -->>

(TEDS)

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<- Place of bridge No 5 is where the clay is evident on the trackbed.

And looking West from Northbridge Street                               ->

(TEDS)

(TEDS)

Meanwhile the Supporters Association continue to prepare the tools and vehicles for the effort.

<- Hopper wagon finalising its coat of paint.

Titan, as with all vehicles receiving rust coating ->   and primer

GBLV nearing Kitchen Completion

(TEDS)

Photograph Contributors in this section

(JE) = Jack Evans
(SG) = Steve Griffiths
(MH) = Mike Hart
(AS) = Alasdair Stewart
(TEDS) = Trevor Streeter