RVR Sunday 26 February (SG)

Feels like Spring already, and this made for a good turnout of volunteers on Sunday.

Work began on further improvements to the VSOE building, which houses the shop and visitor centre. For the time being only the shop will be opening as works proceeds in the 'visitor' section to create new display units and boost wall space available for photos, maps and posters etc, by rearranging interior cupboards and erecting a new partition. Wiring and plumbing work will be needed.  The hot drinks service is suspended temporarily.

We admired the stacks of concrete-sleepered 30 ft track panels newly deliver to the site during the week, still complete with the pots that recently carried third and fourth rail electrification. Bit of a clue perhaps as to where these panels have originated! 

In the mess van we finally laid lino in the kitchen,  with some patching to follow around two edges.  Work continued on the rescued lamphut, removing old paint, and on painting the northern end of the mess van.

 

Wednesday 22 February

A dull windy day. I wandered down towards Bridge 1 and saw the newly delivered 30 ft panels of track freshly delivered, with more due in a few days. The bullhead is still bright steel on top!  Starting soon, these must be dismantled to allow the rails to be welded up into 60 fts, with the help of something to lift the panels off the stack and move the rails etc around.

I also took a look at the newly placed bridges once more, now that the walkways have been finished off and very impressive the whole project looks. Notches have been cut in the parapets of Bridge 2 to allow the trains on and off the bridge, in due course, and also to allow excavators to access westwards. As a result, Bridge 1's eastern abutment now sports a large hole behind it,  ready for formwork and placing of concrete, to take the bridge span kit.

Back at base we began reviewing the contents of the right hand van body to see what could be discarded immediately, as the start of our preparations for relocating to somewhere beyond the loading pad once the initial tracklaying work has finished. We have quite a few  heritage artefacts stored, buried behind the clutter. In the mess van our new volunteer cook did us proud with a juicy-fry up, and the office area now sports a built-in counter and looks to be fully clad already.  We also heard that plans to further improve the shop and visitor centre/museum area have been approved to proceed.    SG

Wednesday 15 February - SG

Nursing a slight hangover, I managed to lose a second quality digital camera in 12 months on the train down from London this morning. Phone pictures are not the same, but will upload a couple shortly.

When I arraived, work was underway using a pneumatic drill mounted on a small digger to trim the overheight concrete parapets on Bridge No 2 (the abutments of which had been erected a few years ago by the local water company). Work will then no doubt follow to complete Bridge No 1 abutments ready for the new bridge kit to be erected over the little river beneath. New to the site is a 360 degree excavator which has ro-rail capability, recently acquired by our contractor Andrew Young who is in almost permanent reisdence these days. He has now cleared most of the south side of the embankment west of bridge 1 and carried out some reprofiling and widening.  All that now remains on that side of the track is a large heap of rails plus various sleeper stacks, plus the Weatherhill loader awaiting collection by its new owner. A large area has been set up to receive new trackwork supplies due in shortly. The 'B' road has now been cut back to the loading pad, while the main running line has been cut back to the lorry crossing under the Oak Tree, to allow easier crane and lorry movements.   

Main event of the day was a shunt around in the station yard to allow the antique LNER van , which has also been sold, to be released from the south end of the platform. This entailed disconnecting the mess van's power, gas and water and ensuring the plates inside did not fall off the shelves, then reconnecting everything.  Dougal and Titan were both required for this exercise. The crossing from the platform road to the middle road was put to good use - possible for the first and last time, as the trackwork at the station end is due to be remodelled completely later this year.  Some work was done on the mess van office cladding, on the tanker wagon chassis, and on tidying-up in anticipation of spring!   

Wednesday 1 February - bridgemaking day (SG)

By the time I arrived at Northbridge Street, around mid-morning, one of the refurbished bridge spans had already been placed by contractors Coussens at bridge No 5, and work was under way on assembling walkways to the other three spans. Through the day these were loaded in turn onto a flatbed lorry and driven the fairly short distance along the temporary road laid beside the footpath, and lifted carefully onto the abutments of bridges 4, 2 and 3, in that order.  At bridge 2 the old unrefurbished span which had been placed more than 10 years ago was removed so that a refurbished one with walkway could take its place. 

 This photo shows bridge span 2 being lowered into place (SG).  

The weather was fine, though the wind was cold. The ground was dry and on only one occasion did the contractors' flatbed lorry look like getting stuck at the assembly area until rescued by their Scania. There were a few dog-walkers and onlookers. Geoff and I managed to get about 100 photos which have been uploaded to the RVR archive, and many now made public.  

All in all a most enjoyable and exciting, well-organised day.  At long last, we saw four of the five bridges on the land we control at Robertsbridge now virtually completed after months of careful planning and preparation by the project team. All that remains is the completion of Bridge No 1, followed at some point by tracklaying activities and the inevitable fencing presumably.     (SG)

Call for Volunteers for Bridge Arrival Marshalling

Dear Members and Volunteers,

We have heard from the Trust who have made a request for volunteers to help at Robertsbridge, but do not wish to upset the village or transports getting through by having too many well wishers so early on. Hence this closed and unusual post method, normally reserved only for volunteers.

The RVR have a requirement for a couple of Vounteers every day

quote++

Update on the programme:
Monday 30 Jan - Walkways and Bridge 1 deck despatched from Wales. Arrive Afternoon at Robertsbridge.
Tuesday 31 January - Bridges 2 - 5 decks despatched from Lamberhurst and decks set on Northbridge Street carriageway, assemble walkways, take down cricket club fence and replace with temporary.
Wednesday 1 February - lay trackway and start bridge deck placing, Transport old bridge 2 deck to RBJS yard.
Thursday 2 February - complete bridge deck placing, complete bolting down of decks 2 - 5 and assemble bridge No 1 deck.
Friday 3 February - available if weather interrupts progress. Re-erect fencing to Playing and cricket fields.

We will need one or two volunteers from mid day Tuesday to direct traffic and prevent the general public from placing themselves in danger. Full PPE will be required and we will need to arrange some briefing sessions. Any response to the rota for 2 hour shifts from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

++unquote

It is hoped that our members will rise to the challenge. If this would interest you, although the work is light and simply to avoid people going under the bridges whilst things are being put in place, then please get in contact with us at reception@rvr.org.uk.

14th January 2/2 Paul King

Yesterday saw the delivery of the Corrugated Hut donated by Network Rail still covered in ivy over the walls and roof.

It's in very good condition and once given some TLC will be sited somewhere along the line at Robertsbridge.

January 14th 2012: - Paul King

Today saw the Forestry and Conservation Department working from Bridge 3 along the embankment by the football pitches to just short of bridge 2 hacking back the undergrowth.

I would like to thank a returning volunteer Duncan for his hard work today it was a shame that one of the brush-cutters decided to throw its air filter fixing screws into the scrub and stayed hidden so we only had one machine in action and the use of a scythe which made progress slow. Our next working weekend will be early February date to be announced.