Permanent Way

Permanent Way

The Permanent Way team generally meet on Saturdays. A trip in the brake van, with its wood-burning stove, and friendly banter, is an experience not to be missed, but which money cannot buy… all you have to do is volunteer! No formal skills are required. Experience the railway from “the other side” – the platelayer’s view – authentic railway charm, but with modern safety standards.

The simple combination of wooden sleeper, stone, and steel, has not changed for almost two hundred years. Its maintenance is not only a physical challenge, but also a mental challenge, as it has intricacies to confound the best of us. Whatever your physical build, or walk of life, you are sure to enjoy working within our team.

If you volunteer then you are helping to maintain surely the most scenic line in Scotland, if not Britain. Come and help us realise the potential of this fantastic line.

There is PW work every week led either by Tom Dubern or Jonathon Enright.

Watch these YouTube videos below courtesy of Tom Dubern

Here is the latest – Never mind the weather! https://youtu.be/F9DHifnF0Qg

https://youtu.be/ulAQpemFbrA

Bulletins

August 2015 Bulletin

NEW SIDING JUNE 2015

The railway is laying a new siding off the Keith end of the Dufftown loop. The siding will be two 60 foot rail panels long giving approximately 120 feet of siding. This length will be sufficient to hold a 2 car DMU or about 4 or 5 wagons or both our shunter locos.

The 1st photo above shows one 60 foot panel of rails in situ and sleepers for the second panel in place. The ex GNSR van with the red tarpaulin on the roof had to be moved back about 10 feet to allow room for the siding to pass. 2nd photo shows the 1st panel of completed track and the sleepers for the second panel.

Left photo above shows the siding from what will be the buffer stop end. The right photo shows the rails in place back to the loop, with just visible in the distance a wagon and the UDV shunter parked on the start of the Dufftown loop.

SLEEPER CHANGING

The PW team has been working in the Douglasbrae area this season. On 23rd May 2015 they had their lunch break while the service train passed then got back to the task of sleeper changing.

REFURBISHED POINT BLADE

The point blade leading from the main line into the Keith end of the Dufftown goods loop was badly worn and was removed for repair at the beginning of the year. The point was locked and clamped out of use until the point blade could be repaired.

First photo shows the condition of the point blade prior to removal for refurbishment, second the refurbished point blade being reinstalled, last photo the refurbished point blade in situ.

Above photos show the UDV shunter taking a works train across the refurbished point.

This page last updated: 06/03/22