Bullhead rail has likely been used in place of the point, for the time being, because, as electric train says, mixing in bits of flat-bottom rail (all of 30ft or so) in the middle of a load of bullhead doesn't make much makes sense when it's all going to be lifted and replaced shortly anyway.

In addition to the lorry trailer with the bullhead track panels at Moreton, there is another loaded with flat-bottom rails and new timber sleepers which look like they are for some of the new pointwork.

Why is it surprising to see steel sleepers on the branch line? The track on that bit of line at Honeybourne will be used by trains travelling at low speed entering and leaving the branch and sidings and will last for many years - no need to gold-plate it, just adopt the most cost-effective solution to each aspect of the job, just like using recycled track lifted from Chipping Campden tunnel two years ago to provide the sidings. Someone within Network Rail may be able to explain why concrete got the nod for the main line rather than the steel used for recent renewals - probably just something as basic as the price was right compared with steel.


Through neglect? Not exactly. The track still had useful life left in it until early 1980s - then a lot of it reached the end of the line at much the same time, at a point when BR was very short of money, hence the resulting threat to end loco-hauled services to reduce wear and tear. Renewals, particularly through Oxfordshire, were eventually funded.

Other bits of bullhead on the line hadn't worn out then and lasted past 2000. And flat-bottomed rails (on timber sleepers) of only slightly more recent vintage than the mid-1950s bullhead rails at Moreton are still in use around Evenlode and in Honeybourne station.

Some pictures taken at Honeybourne and Moreton-in-Marsh today are online at http://www.flickr.com/photos/willc2009/

Discounted admission to this annual one-day agricultural and horse show is available to people holding rail tickets valid for travel to Moreton-in-Marsh on September 3, when presented at the gate at the showground, which is in Batsford Road, a short walk across the Fosse Way from the station.

Arrive early and you can combine an outing with a bit of Deltic-spotting http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=9242.0 - this train should be at Moreton 9.10ish based on an 08.25 departure from Worcester.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western), Network Rail and the CLPG^» (Cotswold Line Promotion Group - about) will have adjacent stands.

For more show details, see http://www.moretonshow.co.uk/index.php

Work to fit the lighting into the handrails of the Charlbury footbridge seems to be making headway now, so the mobile generator and lamp units in use since June may soon be removed.

Really getting down to the last chance saloon for this trip - now just 40 seats left in standard class.

Steve, could this have been it?

55018 Ballymoss via the Cotswold Line, then running round at Shrub Hill - January 1978 and running westbound rather than up Chipping Campden bank, which the September trip will be doing.

http://www.napier-chronicles.co.uk/18_29-1-78.htm

The equipment cabin is now in place across the tracks at Moreton-in-Marsh next to the one put in place previously.

The car park at the disused British Legion club next to the station has been hired for the next few weeks to make up for the loss of spaces at the bottom end being used by Network Rail and contractors. It has been given new white lines and normal FGW^▸ (First Great Western) parking charges apply.

What looks like a foundation pile for the post for the new reversing signal has been laid out next to the track near the crossover. It has a screw fitting on the bottom.
 

Not aware of a previous Deltic visit to the line myself but someone else may have the answer.

Single-line token for the section to Moreton-in-Marsh wouldn't release from the machine at Evesham. All working okay now.

What looks like being the first special train on the Cotswold Line post-redoubling will be a Pathfinder tour on Saturday, September 3, taking Deltic 55022 Royal Scots Grey from Crewe and the West Midlands to Weymouth via the Cotswold Line, returning via Bath and Bristol.

More at http://www.pathfindertours.co.uk/index.php/tour-calendar-reader/events/the-dorset-deltic-explorer.html

Not sure that's why, as the turnback signal will be much placed closer to the crossover, to be beyond the rear of a 2+8 HST^▸ (High Speed Train) standing at platform 1, see http://www.flickr.com/photos/willc2009/3846919800/
There is room to put in a signal post already. The only track removed so far was the pointwork. The rest of the siding is still in place down towards the road bridge.

The slight detour in the siding here was because the original goods shed was a big Brunel timber design with the roof covering the siding as well, so extra space was allowed for the supporting wall to fit between the tracks. See http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrmm976a.htm I seem to recall that a fire accounted for this building in the 1950s, and it was replaced with the rather more modest brick structure now used by Network Rail.

Looked as though the equipment cabin sitting in the car park was going to be lifted over the line into position near the signalbox tonight. A crane and lorries transporting the jib sections were parked at the south end of the car park when I arrived home. Lot of what I took to be signal and telecoms staff around at the station this morning.

A couple of pictures from Moreton-in-Marsh showing where the point has been removed are now online at http://www.flickr.com/photos/willc2009/
Taken rather late this evening, so the lighting is not fantastic.

Trains are now running again, so fingers crossed you should be okay for the morning.

Someone may know what trains work which particualr diagrams, but all sorts of sets tune up. FGW^▸ (First Great Western) two and three-car 158s, South West Trains 158s on hire to FGW, hired Arriva 150s, FGW 150s and even pairs of FGW 153s have all been seen at Worcester and Malvern this year.

Just to be clear, the down refuge is the long siding south of London Road which has recently been fettled up. What has been disconnected is the old goods shed line, which also had a short headshunt alongside some cattle pens (the pens have long since replaced by car parking spaces). The bullhead plain line should be a temporary measure until the flat-bottomed rail is installed, along with new sleepers, next month.

Insider has the correct location - an odd choice perhaps, given that the line there is staying single - it is called Grintleyhill Bridge and unlike a lot of the accommodation bridges on the line is accessible by the public, as it carries a footpath between Combe, East End (a hamlet) and North Leigh.

Work to renew Chipping Campden level crossing's barriers and warning equipment (and reinstate double track there?) is starting ahead of the blockade, with the crossing being closed to road traffic from 10pm this coming Saturday until Monday, August 22nd.

Blockley level crossing will close at 6am on the morning of Saturday, August 6, and reopen on the 22nd. The base for an equipment cabin has been built next to the crossing on the Paxford side of the line.

Haven't been to Clayfield crossing recently, so not sure when it will be out of use.

People have coped with my slapdash way of doing things for two years (Tuesday will be exactly two years since I posted the first pictures) so I'm sure they can manage for five more weeks, because that's all the time there is left for the project to run but I will make sure to include a link every time I put pictures online until the big day on August 22.

And if anyone can't find a link to my pictures here, there is one on the homepage at clpg.co.uk - the Cotswold Line Promotion Group site.