Steaming to Ironbridge
Steaming to Ironbridge Appeal
Horsehay & Dawley to Lightmoor
| Lightmoor to Buildwas
Stage 1 : Heath Hill Tunnnel to Lawley Common
The first stage of the development plan is therefore to establish passenger train operations within the
boundaries of the 'self-contained' TSR system for which a Light Railway Order is not required.
Immediately north of Heath Hill tunnel the original track formation was obliterated by open cast coal
workings. This left thousand of tons of spoil blocking the exit from the tunnel with no route onto
Lawley Common. To create the northern extension we have to clear this spoil and remake the track bed
for some 250 yards beyond the tunnel.
Considerable progress has been made on this project and the workings can be seen easily from the vantage point of the footpath that runs along side the earthwork.
TSR started excavating the infill in 2001 and have now removed sufficient material so that the remainder
can be sculpted to form the necessary embankments, cuttings and base for the trackbed. This work will
commence later in 2006 when contractors will arrive on site with earthmoving equipment. Boundary fencing
and drainage for this area will be completed as part of this process.
Update 10/07/2008
Lawley Common
The contractors left around the 5th of April. We have spent time looking for, and eventually buying, a JCB 3C and a Dumper Truck.
Ballast and other materials will be moved to site using one of the ex-Ironbridge Power Station
'Weigh Wagons'.
This has a drop down end panel and will allow unloading over the buffer beam in the confines of the cutting and tunnel.
Now that we have two diggers one can load at one end whilst the other is used to unload at the other end.
We have purchased drain pipes and have started work on putting back the tunnel drain. Unfortunately recent bad weather
means that heavy mud is back and this is hampering progress whilst we wait for summer!!!
In the meanwhile the diverging point which will be placed immediately north of the tunnel mouth to give the two platform roads
is being fabricated in the yard. All the timbers and chairs have been sourced from stock. The timbers have been pegged and laid out, with the appropriate chairs.
The row of chairs on the 'straight edge' have been fitted, and a temporary piece of track put in them to enable
us to set the crossover into the correct position to gauge. Once this is done the position of the point blades can be
accurately located and the remaining plain stock rail can be cut to length and fitted.
Students from Telford College, on an apprenticeship scheme have started refurbishing one of the signals recovered from Wellington
Station a few years ago. This will be used as the new starter signal for the new station.
During the last week of January English Partnerships' fencing contractors put in the new boundary fencing.
It came as a surprise just how big the site looks.
On Monday 4th February the contractors took possession of the site and their surveyors moved in. Later that week earthmoving equipment arrived on site.
We hope to maintain a photo library of the work in progress on our
Photos website.
The first photo shows the site on 31st January.
Fancy lending a hand?
If you would like to help us with this project - either in person or via a donation - please visit the Steaming to Ironbridge Appeal page for further details.
