Wednesday 21 September 2016

Preparations for signal re-furb


Tuesday 20th Sept

Four of us on duty today so off to Cheltenham for some maintenance work.

Signal No.3 at the southern end of platform 1 at Cheltenham Racecourse Station is due for a re-paint - but before we can dismantle it there is a precaution we have to take. Because this signal controls the points in Hunting Butts we are going to instal a temporary ground signal . This (hopefully) will be visible to the engine drivers right at the end of the slope of platform 1.

We are anticipating that this work will take about 3 weeks (weather permitting) . This needs the erection of scaffolding to strip off all the fittings and the cleaning and re-painting of  the whole lot.


The ground signal is to be bolted to two concrete blocks where we have dug out a base 


A fair bit of manhandling required - at least a 2 man lift ( the signal needed 3 of us)
Here it is suitably mounted and secured with 4 bolts. We will connect the signal wires and
electrics next week.



We finished off the day by continuing to bury the new 30 pair electrical cable which runs the length of platform 2 from the bridge to the signal box. A good idea to have it out of sight and to protect it from damage and hot coals.


Still another 3 or 4 panels of track to go but that will have to wait for next week.


Paul, John P and Malcolm having a well earned rest! Digging out ballast is always a pain. The cable
is now up against the platform wall and about 3" underground.


Curly

1 comment:

  1. Very interesting. If you have sighting problems with the ground signal, many years ago before SVR had just purchased the track etc. from BR for the section of Hampton Loade to Highley, we inherited a signal adjacent to one of the docks at Highley and due to the poor sighting, it was positioned on a pole, assumedly by BR but could have been by GWR. Just a 'for instance' that you might consider if the problem became great (depending upon how long the signal refurb is scheduled to take + a bit). Regards, Paul.

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