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Territorial Army Relay Track at Brynglas

The Territorial Army visited the Talyllyn Railway on the weekends of 19/20th and 26/27th January 2002 to lift the main line through Brynglas, dig out and replace the ballast (contaminated with silt following a flash flood in 1993) and relay the track. The units comprising the working parties were 108 Welsh Field Support Squadron (Militia) and 225 Plant Squadron; military railway expertise came from 507 STRE (Railways)(V).

The loop had already been removed, S&T equipment removed, and other preparations made. The three points were lifted out as complete units, and the plain track from the main line stacked on trains of flat wagons at either end of the work site, five panels on each train. No. 9 "Alf" worked the train at the east end, and No. 10 "Bryn Eglwys" that at the west end.

120 tons of ballast was then removed, and used by on a local farm; in all 200 tons of fresh ballast was laid.

Territorial Army relaying track at Brynglas
Collecting ballast from the stockpile at Wharf station

Territorial Army relaying track at Brynglas
Fresh ballast being laid at Brynglas

Once track levelling was completed, the loop points could be replaced and relaying commence.

Territorial Army relaying track at Brynglas
Relaying the penultimate panel of the "west" half of the main line

Territorial Army relaying track at Brynglas
Relaying the main line - lifting track panels off the flat wagons

Territorial Army relaying track at Brynglas
Relaying the east end loop points

In addition, soil in the "car park" area opposite the Block Post was dug out and replaced with hardcore.

Territorial Army relaying track at Brynglas
Levelling the "car park" area prior to spreading hardcore

The job was completed on Sunday 27th January and handed back to the railway. Tasks for rhe railway include reinstating the loop, aligning and leveling the track throughout the site, adding top and side ballast, replacing the point rodding and overhauling the rodding cranks.

Territorial Army relaying track at Brynglas
The job finished - track relaid throughout

Territorial Army relaying track at Brynglas
The gang photograph!

We offer our thanks to Major John Charles and Capt Marcus Reed and all the members of both 108 (Welsh) Field Support Squadron (Militia), 225 (City of Birmingham) Plant Squadron (Militia) & Regimental Workshops REME (V), also to Lt Col Richard Brown and Major Mike Hann, Officer Commanding 507 Specialist Team Royal Engineers (Railways) (Volunteers) of Military Works Force (V). Thanks must also go to George Evans, the British Red Cross, Tywyn School, residents of Brynglas and the lane and the railway's own staff and volunteers.