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GWR Route: Hatton to Bearley and Alcester Branch

Great Alne Station: gwrga769

Photograph of a track relaying gang at Great Alne Station that appeared in the Great Western Magazine of March 1912

Photograph of a track relaying gang at Great Alne Station that appeared in the Great Western Magazine of March 1912. The company typically relayed 400 miles of track each year and it was a very labour intensive and physical activity. Possessions were often limited to Sundays, between 6:00a.m. and 4:00p.m. As a rough guide, a typical 25 man gang could relay a quarter of a mile of track over six consecutive Sundays. This included the delivery of the new track components (a quarter of a mile would require 528 sleepers and 44 lengths of 60 foot BS95 rail), re-ballasting and the removal and clearance of the existing track and debris. The track relaying programme was developed from recommendations made by divisional engineers based on the age and condition of their track, as reported by length gangers and then verified by a district engineer inspection.

Robert Ferris

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