How I revised the layout of Bulkeley Station

Preamble

The layout of Bulkeley Station has remained unchanged since the railway was first constructed in 2005 (see Progress Report 1), ......... .

......... apart from the recent addition of a siding (see Progress Report 75).

After adding a coal depot (see How I detailed the coal yard at Beeston Castle) and the brewery at Beeston Castle (Progress Report 76), I felt it was time to enhance the detailing at Bulkeley. I had already added a loading bank to the old siding for the local soft fruit harvest (see How I cast a loading bank in concrete), .....

 ......but was frustrated in being able to add much else because the sidings were on the viewing side of the main line. Had they been on the furthermost side, I could have created a half relief lineside building such as a Boneworks like that not far from the hypothetical location of the PLR) similar to the brewery at Beeston Castle (see How I constructed the brewery - pending).

The Tattenhall Road Boneworks (with Beeston Castle behind the chimney)

 So, having detailed Beeston Castle and Peckforton stations (see Progress Report 73) , I decided it was Bulkeley station's turn to receive some attention. I figured that if I re-jigged siding and main line on the Downward side of the station, I could bring the main line to the front and move the siding to the rear. I might even have space for two sidings. More importantly, there would be space behind the siding(s) for a low relief building of some sort. The branch line to the Copper Mine would require re-routing, but this didn't look to require any major engineering and so, I was ready to begin.

So, I sketched a rough idea as to how it might look:

Before....

 .... and after

Surveying the site, I worked out that if I moved the main siding closer to the edge of the raised bed, there would be sufficient room for the mainline to run between it and another siding positioned towards the back of the bed, close to the position of the original mainline.

The loading bank would have to be relocate to the other goods siding and the branch to the copper mine would need to be re-aligned, but I worked out there was room for this provided I removed a couple of rocks from the side of the cutting.

And so to work

 The first job was to lift the track.

 The screws holding the track to the breeze blocks were unscrewed and the various lengths of track and pointwork lifted.

The tops of the breeze blocks and brickwork forming the edge of the raise bed needed to be reduced in height by around a centimetre and so they were attacked with the angle grinder and a cold chisel.

A couple of the blocks under the mainline had sunk by around 10mm and so they were lifted ......

.... and relaid on a layer of sand to allow for final adjustment.

The gaps between the blocks were filled with a 3:1 mix of sand and cement, forced into place with fingers clad in heavy duty rubber gloves. I find this approach to be the most effective (and very satisfying).

The concrete was left for four days to harden sufficiently for the next stage in the process. The new pointwork was laid loosely in place to check the new alignments would work ......

..... and then it was fixed in place with rawlplugs and stainless steel screws.

NOTE: I do not screw down pointwork; it is allowed to 'float', using the fixed tracks either side to hold it in place.

Once all the new trackwork had been fixed into place.......

 .... stock was propelled through the pointwork at speed to check it was level and properly aligned.

The whole area was then ballasted using my tried and trusted approach. A 3:1 mix of horticultural grit and cement .......

...... applied dry ........

...... being pushed into place with a stiff paintbrush.

When I was satisfied, the whole area was soaked with water using a watering can with a fine rose.

This was left for three days, covering it at night in case of frost.

The station area is now in need of further detailing.

The platform now needs to be extended, the station building needs some attention as it has been neglected for a few years and. of course, the boneworks needs to be constructed behind the new siding.

The re-sited siding to the front of of the station looks a little precarious and so I will probably widen the raised bed. This might, of course, provide more room for further development. As they say, watch this space!