Track at Bury Bolton Street
 

Just a question for the more knowledgeable ELR people here about the track at Bury Bolton Street.

I couldn't help but notice that just outside the short bridge/tunnel at Bolton Street there's a peice of track that appears to have a fair ammount of ballast missing from under it - and the track dips rather visibly when a train runs over it and makes a rather loud clinking sound. I know track is supposed to dip slightly when trains run over it but I can't recall ever seeing quite so much "dipping" on any peice of line I've ever seen. :p

It's been there for a long while now since I've noticed it before but I was just curious as to if anyone else knows about it (sure they do) and if it's a problem - since I would imagine it would wear that peice of rail out rather significantly?

I'll be honest with you, I don't know the answer to this. Which end of the station are we talking here, north or south. Either way I'm sure that there'es nothing to worry about, our P-Way department is very good. Hopefully Mark (Mushroom) will be able to give you a better answer when he's next on.

It's at the North end I think, heading towards Rawtenstall, though I'm not great with my North's and South's. :p

I'll tell you where I notice it, on Bolton Street, where the chicken wire fence is near The Trackside, which just had the wood replaced on it this weekend, when a train runs over there you'll know exactly what I mean.

Of course I wouldn't question anyone who works on the ELR as you all do a fine job but it's just been bugging me a little and you never know what might have been missed, it's a remote possibility but one nontheless.

Perhaps someone else who regularly visits knows where I mean?

Just so this is clear in my mind, are we talking between the station footbridge and Bolton Street tunnel? I'm going to have a look today anyway, as a few of us are painting the inside of a brake van at the moment, and we've got it stabled in that sort of area. P-Way will definately know about it anyway, by the sounds of it it's right outside there messroom.

Pavarossi - can you advise me please?
 

Adam, while you're here, I wonder if you could give me a bit of advice. My family have got some Australian relatives staying with them for a few weeks, & I offered to look after them for a day, which was going to be a trip to the ELR on Sunday (He is a goods train driver in Oz so I thought the steam trains might be attractive to him).

However, I've since remembered I have a christening to go to on Sunday, so it looks like Monday will now be the ELR day. I notice from the website there's a kids event on Monday (Teddy bears picnic) so I'm not sure if it's a good day to go. Would you know what services will be running and what would be the best time to get the train to Ramsbottom, was thinking of walking through the park up to Irwell Vale & getting a train back from there. But don't want to be overrun by rugrats.... (I like kids, but couldn't eat a full one.) :)

Also if you're around on Monday would be nice to say hello.

Pete

By the way it sounds like that bit of track is opposite the little hut that gets used as a model shop when you turn left at the bottom of the footbridge on the platform with the pub on it?

I think...

Pete, I've had a look into it and here's what I've come up with. The odds are that most of the trains will be full of kids. However, I'd imagine that trains heading away from Ramsbottom in the late morning through to the early afternoon may be quieter. Also, the first and last services will probably be quiet. We'll be running to our high season timetable, which I'll posta link to. The only thing is, we've got a steam shortage at the moment, so we'll almost definately only have one steam hauled train. I think we'll be running a diesel hauled service and a multiple unit as well. I hope this information helps. As much as I do enjoy meeting other forum members, I'm afraid I won't be on the ELR on Monday as I've arranged to go to Barrow Hill with some friends. Anyway, I hope you enjoy your visit.

http://east-lancs-rly.co.uk/timetable/?t=ttyellow

I know exactly the rail section in question, and agree that it does dip a lot, although I have seen worse at Manchester Piccadilly. The rails at Bury Bolton St have been there since the very beginning and are somewhat tired, they are inspected weekly by the permanent way team and must be still all right as nothing has been done to them as yet.

This weekend there may end up being no steam!, yesterday the general manager was flying backwards and forwards like a demented bee trying to sort trains for the weekend out. I'll keep people posted when I find out, they've got to tell me at some point, im guarding all 3 days this weekend, i need to know what I get to play with!

What's happened to the Jinty then Mark?

As far as im aware its still running in, this may be wrong now, they tend not to tell us the important things like that.