Viaduct Progress

The viaduct project is now well under way. All of the concrete sections were cut down the middle.

Aligning the piers. A temporary pile of slabs was built to ensure that the correct gradient is maintained.

Everything needs to be checked for gradient, width and track alignment. A wooden frame was constructed to ensure correct spacing.

The structure was temporarily put together as a final check before concreting the piers in place.

A final alignment check.

Ready for concreting.

The viaduct sections were then removed and the centre of the piers shuttered before filling with concrete.

The piers shuttered and infilled with concrete.

A view back towards the tunnel.

April 2022 Update

 The garden and the railway.

Paxton's Conversion

This short video shows how Paxton was converted to battery power, radio control operation and found his voice.

The Viaduct

Today I've started work on the extension at the top of the garden. This section is highly experimental as I need to widen a single track Cain Howley viaduct to take double track.

So far, so good.

Hopefully I will be able to make more progress tomorrow.

A New Arrival

Paxton has arrived.

He will be converted to battery power with radio control and a sound unit. I also intend to cut out the cab windows.

Extending at the top of the garden

At the top of the garden the ground drops away so the plan is that the railway will pass over a short viaduct and a bridge (recycled from the Sandwell Valley Railway) before entering Stoke Prior Station. This will be the end of the double track section. From Stoke Prior Station the single track branch line will descend on a spiral and then pass under the bridge on the double track main line.

Looking down the garden from the tunnel

Looking towards the site of Stoke Prior Station

The viaduct of bridge. Both will need to be widened to take double track

Planning the spiral

Another view of the bridge and viaduct

Shed Update

The shed station now has dagger boards and lights, and I've started work on the ticket window.