The Logging, Gravel & Brickworks Railway

The train now pushes back to drop off the last empties into Quarry siding for loading....
 
The wagons are loaded with gravel. A newly painted yellow gravel loader can just be seen behind the first wagon....
 
The other portion of the train moves back into Weybourne Yard, whilst the other wagons are loaded. As soon as they are ready, the train will push back again to collect the final wagons and then return back to Sheringham.
 
Following a visit to a convention of G Scale Train Operating Companies (TOCs) in Nottingham this weekend, the CME of the W&GLR, informed the GM of the LG&B of the availability of a bogie wagon, suitable for dual use both for carrying longer logs or for infrastructure duties.

Thus, when V51/52 were despatched to Notts to tow back a Mallet Loco for the EM&BHR, as reported elsewhere on this forum, the newly purchased bogie wagon was used as a barrier vehicle between V51/52 and 'Sumpter Valley'.

The picture shows the special on its arrival back at Sheringham, 'Sumpter Valley' having just departed with a train of gravel wagons to Jackschurch. Not that the former TOC logos had been hastily painted out before shipment....
e000cf3761a1409b8216f6e61edbb952.jpg
 
The new wagon was immediately taken into the works for the paintwork to be cleaned up and re-painted as required. The wagon was in good condition and minimal painting was needed, as the livery of the LG&B Infrastructure Dept is also yellow.

Although allocated primarilly to Infrastructure, carrying rails and sleepers, the wagon can also be used in revenue service for longer loads of logs that the local Forestry Customer now requires transporting. It is hoped another similar vehicle will be transferred from the EM&BHR in the not too distance future.

The repainted wagon No 1526 can be seen having met the approval of the CME, today sporting his new Hi-viz jacket, his previous one having faded in the strong Suffolk sun....
290a03c941a74d989447e3574a708616.jpg
 
The Financial Year has ended, and the LG&B continues to prosper and turn a profit.

So it has invested in some new bogie wagons....
b5271c13e6894c79bd14d4671ba1e795.jpg
 
Three new wagons have been purchased in order to satisfy a requirement from the local lumber company, for the LG&B to transport longer logs....
8f41b1087d604552bd1ca760359522f4.jpg
 
However, before the new vehicles were accepted into revenue service, some loading and gauging checks were carried out, with the wagons being ballasted with some track. The Matra Crane, being one of the heaviest vehicles in the LG&B's fleet, was added to the rear of the train....
8030d762cfcb47d58c9ab52d9da0f6b2.jpg
 
It was found that the longer vehicles were slightly out of gauge when travelling around the inside curve at Weybourne, so the train was authorised to work 'wrong line'.

The wagons caught the trackside fencing between the Weybourne Ring Road and the curve, but this fencing is due to be replaced as part of the LG&B's Infrastructure Plan later this year....
4f2649f2c2db4d60a8817f87df0cbd3c.jpg
 
One concern of the CME, was the ability of these wagons to cope with the tight curves and short radius points that are of necessity on the LG&B, but these vehicles coped with this S Bend test admirably....
480737cbca5b495fae6e4eb2916c8301.jpg
 
Later the train used the chord from Weybourne North Junction to gain access to the station and the Up Main Line (UML)....
0f300073a2b94ea590f4a8cb0c96cc5a.jpg
 
To gain the UML from North Junction, the train has to snake across several points and crossovers....
f09e96f910b24c8ca6c98228d82130b5.jpg
 
The train now rounds the UML on Weybourne curve. The inner track was the one where the gauging issues were found as mentioned previously....
3ed9a8f98d994d1b98ad7d76a94df836.jpg
 
The next test was to see if the train could cope with the crossover at Quarry Junction, again a section involving 2 facing points and S curves....
d7da1653c5c9469d83f11a1400b17fd5.jpg
 
The train then continued on its journey towards South Junction....
7f7e44f373614841ba7451e9d0533ed6.jpg
 
Once past the curve at Quarry Junction, the train is tested at the maximum permissable line speed on the long straight alongside Pebble Beach....
f3d18002e4434683bdc92c30c7d4f42c.jpg
 
Sheringham South Junction is where the train has to apply the brakes, in order to negoitate the 3 Way Point next to the exchange siding....
0398fdffb69348a7bfa9176444bcd046.jpg
 
Finally, at Sheringham, the CME accepts the wagons into service, subject to restrictions of use around Weybourne Curve.
2f3a690923f3454a84cfb0d6e8abd68a.jpg
 
Back
Top