Here is the News....
News from the line, updated as frequently as possible
Click here for the news index and archive news stories
A number of CR volunteers maintain their own websites on which you can see recent pictures of work around the railway. Dougal Watson's site is here; Graeme Muir's site is here; David Lawson's is here; and Graeme Fullerton's is here.
- 25 May 2007 -
Website notes...
Dougal Watson, one of our regular volunteers, has set up an excellent railway fotopic site. This is updated regularly with work from around the railway. Named Caledonian Railway Unofficial, it can be viewed here. Well worth adding to your favourites!
Bridge work...
Balwyllo bridge near Bridge of Dun has recently received a makeover. The bridge has had a full clean and paint, and the abutments have seen extensive pointing work. New height warning signs were purchased from RBLI and fitted to the Bridge, finishing it off nicely!
Balwyllo bridge in the sun on 25/05/2007. The new signs having just been fitted.
Naming Ceremony...
The highlight of this year's diesel gala was undoubtedly the naming ceremony which took place on the Saturday at 2pm. Our class 37, number 37097 was named "Old Fettercairn" by David Doig, the manager of Fettercairn distillery. The locomotive was named in recognition of a donation kindly given by the distillery towards repairs to the class 37's engine. Steve Moir, chairman of our Diesel Group presented Mr Doig with a framed print of the locomotive and visitors were invited to have a dram of whiskey to toast the locomotive.
Some of the volunteers and owners around the now named 37.
37097 "Old Fettercairn" looking brilliant at the buffer stops in Brechin Station.
Shunter repairs...
Another step forward in the repair of our Ruston 48DS has been the removal of the transmission from the the loco. Ian and Duncan, a couple of our midweek volunteers, have taken on the project of returning the locomotive to working order. Graham Volkes spent several weeks dismantling the transmission ready for the lift, which also required the removal of the cab roof. Hopefully the wee Ruston will soon be working hard again. Pictures of this can be found here (external link).
WLEP (Wagon Life Extension Programme)... (!)
As part of the refurbishment of Flatrol EAB No.KDB900105, one of the ends has been needle gunned to remove all of the scale and then primed. The deck of the wagon has been removed for replacement. New wood has been purchased for the new deck and will be fitted as time permits.
The original chain pockets, which would have been used to store the chains for securing the load when the wagon was unloaded, have been removed due to extensive corrosion. These will be replaced by new sections of deck, installed using the same method as the rest of the deck, this requires four new steel cross members to be fabricated and installed.
These are the 'golden screws' (although they are silver) that we fitted in the
position of the last caley sleeper on the line.
22nd of February 2007
At present we are in the middle of our most ambitious trackwork programme to date. On the 14 January 2007 we lifted 21 of the 32 foot long track panels for refurbishment from the Windyedge straight. This event marks the culmination of many years work with the elimination of the final batch of “Caley” chairs from the running line. These track panels are being replaced by panels with the superior AS1 type chair, fastened with screws rather than the four pins of the Caley system. The section of line has long been subject to speed restrictions and its removal is a major step forward for the railway. It also marks the point where we have now re-laid over a mile of track on the mainline with new sleepers, or one quarter of the branch.
The same system as previous has been used again, with the panels being lifted onto wagons for refurbishment at Bridge of Dun. Here 294 sleepers are to being changed and the chairs replaced. As of 11 February we have changed 196 sleepers.
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The rail crane in action lifting the final Caley chairs (painted white)
The same sleeper is seen being removed at Bridge of Dun, where we intend to preserve it as an example of the kind of track materials we inherited.
18th of December 2006
The past two weekends have seen the Railways Santa specials smash all previous records with an amazing 16% increase in the amount of passengers carried and with what looks to be a definite increase this past weekend too, although figures are still to be calculated. Pictures are a bit few and far between due to the mammoth task of organising and running an event like this but your webmaster did manage to get out on Sunday to take pictures of the last train.
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| Above: Harlaxton leaves Bridge of Dun on the 16th 16th D Watson. | Above: Harlaxton powers from Bridge of Dun past Leuchlands on the 17th on the last train of the day G Muir |
13th of November 2006
Over the past 2 weeks the p-way department have been putting the finishing touches to the relayal of the penultimate section of 'Caley' track. Ballasting has been performed and the track now looks very neat and tidy as seen below.
Last week a track walk was performed to make sure that the running line is up to standard for the 2006 Santa Specials. This involved walking the whole 4 miles of the Branch with two p-way hammers some keys and a note pad. The line was found to be in good order and only required a few keys knocking into place
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| Above: Freshly ballasted track | Above: During the track walk |
11th of October 2006
The P-Way department have been cracking on with the relayal of the penultimate section of 'Caley' track work on the running line at Windyedge. This refurbishment has involved the usual sleeper and chair replacement with new sleepers and S1 chairs.
37097 has had some work done on its brake cylinders to prevent them leaking whilst the loco is in service, this has involved removing them from the loco, cleaning out the insides of the cylinders and replacing the worn seals, along with a re-paint.
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| Above: Some of the refurbished track panels. | Above: The gap at Windyedge Bridge |
14th of September 2006
With the final train of the season about to grace our metals the mainstay of the railways workforce has turned its attention to P-Way once more. This started on Sunday the 10th with the cutting down of trees along the Windyedge straight so we can slew the Crane when we start to lift the track for refurbishment. A recently completed Job by a member of the P-Way department was the installation of a water supply at the current track panel refurbishment area. (pictured below)
The Next running day for the railway is Saturday the 16th of September, this is in conjunction with the Brechin Arts Festival and will be a single return Journey of the line starting at Brechin at 14:00 (2pm), Real Ale will also be available on this Train, which will be hauled with 37097, which has been repainted into BR Blue with full Yellow ends.
28th of August 2006
With the end of the season drawing nearer its hard to believe the amount of running days and events of this season. Thomas in July and a Thomas just at the weekend. it has to be said that our Thomas events bring in the majority of our income which allow us to continue to operate and maintain the 4 mile stretch of Branch from the former Strathmore Mainline station of Bridge of Dun to the Cathedral City of Brechin.
Our last running day is on Sunday the 3rd of September and will be a steam day running to our 'Pink Timetable'
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the people who came to our Thomas events and supported us. I would also like to thank all of our valuable volunteers without whom the whole event and running season wouldn't be possible, everything from Engine Drivers, Ticket Staff, Train Staff and even Diesel, Steam and Coach Restoration gangs and of course our P-way gang.
Photographs to follow.
23rd of July 2006
A few weeks have passed since the last update but a few things have happened, we have started our Summer Saturday Diesel days running D5314 (26014) on the 15th of July and 37097 on the 22nd of July. Also we have been running steam on Sundays with Barclay 2107 Harlaxton. The Angus Transport Group is running a free bus service to local tourist attractions in Montrose from Bridge of Dun station click here for information.
In other news, a Permanent Way Squad has been out cutting back the vegetation in the cuttings and embankments along the line and doing general maintenance of points and checking keys in chairs.
The Diesel Group have started their re-paint of 37097 into Rail Blue. The past week has seen vast amounts of body work preparations and initial painting.
Dr Pegg re-packed the driver side cylinder glands on Harlaxton to improve its running. This seems to have done the job and she was out today, hauling trains from Brechin to Bridge of Dun and return.
Above: Harlaxton running through Magdalene cutting Above: 37097 during its re-paint.
12th of July 2006
Over the past two weekends we held the first of our popular Day out with Thomas weekends. They were very successful and a good day out was had by all staff and passengers alike. Thomas preformed well both weekends only having to miss out on one train due to being a naughty engine!
Thomas arrives at Brechin Station.
19th of June 2006
Percy is now back on the rails. Saturday saw various members of the railway helping to move percy from his place on the concrete in the shed back onto the rails in readiness for final painting before our Day out with Thomas event on the 1st, 2nd, 8th and 9th of July.
The Fathers day specials at the weekend went past successfully and a good time was had by all fathers and their children. Sadly by the end of the day the weather had turned to rain but this failed to put off passengers.
Barclay 1863 takes a drink of water on Sunday.
12th of June 2006
This weekend saw one of our popular Driver Experiences.
31st of May 2006
Saturday the 28th if may saw our first running day of the season, this was a good start to the season with quite a good turn out of passengers.
Peckett 1376 has been undergoing cosmetic restoration so it can be used as a stationary Percy at our Day out with Thomas events in July and August, also Dr Pegg has rigged up a whistle so children can go and blow Percy's whistle.
Above: Peckett 1376 Painted Percy Green Inside Brechin Shed.
16th of May 2006
This weekend saw the permanent way department clearing the silt out of the Water Tank at Magdalene Chapel, hopefully this will improve the drainage on this part of the line as the pipe work seems to silt up very quickly.
Above: Before the clearing work. Above: After the clearance work
11th of May 2006
The start of the Month saw our annual Diesel Gala 'Sulzerfest 06' taking place, sadly due to electrical faults 25083 was not present for the gala but 26014 and 27024 preformed faultlessly over the weekend and delighted customers young and old. Click here for photographs or here for photos and more information about our next diesel events our 'Summer Saturday Diesels' www.crdg.co.uk
Last Sunday saw the p-way squad out in force replacing some of the drains at Magdalene Chapel. This is an area of the line which is prone to flooding because of silted up drains and underground springs. This weekend it is planned to finish off this work and to de-silt the water tank just south of the Magdalene Road Bridge.
Above: 26014 freshly re-painted.
4th of April 2006
Sorry for the lack of updates, but a lot has been happening at the railway since the last update. The permanent way department have managed of finish off the re-layal of 18 panels of track up at Windyedge.
The Diesel Group craned the radiator tanks back into 25083 on the 3rd of April. This will allow the Diesel Group to re-connect up all the pipework for the vacuum system and the water cooling system which brings this loco much closer to being operational again.
The Coach department has removed the toilet area from 4495 and the bulkhead where the toilets once were is now being panelled over with wood. BSO 9315 has had the rotten area of the guards window cut out and a plate welded over it.
Left: Dave Lawson cuts out old panel, Right: new panel tack welded in.
6th of March 2006
Despite the snow the P-Way department were out in force refurbishing the last of the six track panels in the relay. Now that these panels have been refurbished the p-way squad will start relaying these panels up at near Windyedge over bridge which is around the railways 2 mile post. This will hopefully be completed next week which means the track will be reinstated in plenty of time for the Easter Specials on the 15th and 16th of April 2006
Above: Sulzer 27024 braves the elements outside the diesel shed at Bridge of Dun.
15th of February 2006
A few weeks have passed since the last news update, but a lot has happened. The P-Way department have been tidying up the site a bit ready for the next relay, which is currently in progress. The department have already refurbished six of the eighteen panels in this relay.
Right : Six completed panels loaded back onto the wagon.
The Diesel department have been continuing progress on 25083 with the Locomotives Vacuum Exhausters being refurbished, more information on their website here.
17th of January 2006
The P-Way Squad were out on Sunday unloading 1500 S1A chairs from a warflat wagon. The task was undertaken by 4 members of the squad and was completed successfully by the end of the day when a sigh of relief was heard from all members. The chairs were arranged into stacks which will allow the least amount of transportation to the panels they will eventually be put into. See pictures below.
Above: Chairs on Warflat before unloading Above: Chairs after unloading at panel refurbishment area stacked in easily accessible piles.
The Diesel Group have been cracking on with 25083's new water tanks, see their website for progress. Click here
10th of January 2006
Happy New Year to all our Website visitors.
The new year has started off well with the P-Way squad repairing a collapsed culvert in Brechin Station Yard and replacing some of the timbers on the nose of the Shed Road Points. Both pictured below.
Above: Culvert dug out for repairs Above: New timbers go into Shed Road point.
The Diesel Department have finished manufacturing all the components for 25083's stainless steel new water tanks and are in the process of being sent away to be welded together. See continuing progress on their website here.
Above 25083's water tank components (not all shown)
Some members of the P-Way Squad made a trip down to Kincardine Power Station for the collection of Track materials being removed from the Stirling to Alloa line which is being completely re-laid, this has allowed the railway to acquire 1500 AS1 chairs for use in our track refurbishment program. Also the railway were able to receive a number of lengths of 60 foot rail which will be used to replace some of our current 32 foot panels.
