What a difference in the weather today. Blue skies but very cold and windy. The Cambridge branch was closed with a 27 hour engineer's possession. I took a few photos of the points and some new track panels being lowered in. Previously 200 metres of track had been replaced in preparation for the new junction. Today a ninety metre section of the down line was removed and the existing ballast scraped back, The rail mounted crane apparently weighed 130 tonnes. Similar work on the future Hitchin North junction will be carried out in one go during a 54 hour possession over Christmas. Work on the branch is more difficult than on the ECML because of the need to move First Capital Connect rolling stock in and out of the sidings at Letchworth.
On approaching the junction, you can see the crane and five ballast wagons. Two more trains were out of sight in the cutting on the other side of the Stotfold Road.
A closer shot shows a track panel being attached to the crane. After this is installed, the crane moves forward on the track it has just laid ready to install the next one.
The panel is lifted.
Moving round to the highest point of the adjacent field, a shot from a different angle.
Zooming in you can see the panel hanging from the yellow and black lifting beam.
Even closer shot.
Crane collects another panel. Work will continue until around 4.00am tomorrow.
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