Illawarra Light Railway Museum Trackwork

[mjm@uow.edu.au (Michael Milway)]

After more years than I care to think about the Illawarra Light Railway
Museum's triangle is nearing completion. On Satuday 4th December 1999 the
last two lengths of rail and 8 sleepers were inserted on the second leg
of the traingle to complete the actual track laying. Approximately 50 sleepers
still remain to be packed before the triangle is ready for heavy traffic.
Does anyone have a 2 foot gauge tamper that they do not want? Please!

Immediately after the last rails were laid our small Ruston locomotive
was parked backwards in the carriage shed, ready for the the regular running
day on the next day. Some interesting comments were heard as it dawned
on people that it was facing the wrong way. It looked different but no-one
could pick what was wrong.

Initially the triangle will be used solely for turning locomotives and
rolling stock. It may be used to add some operational variations ( the
word 'excitement' is deliberately NOT used here) in the future, especially
on any special enthusiast's open days.

The triangle is laid with 42lb/yd rail on steel sleepers, fastened with
pandrol clips. The straight apex leg is laid in part with 60lb/yd rail.
Points are laid with wooden sleepers. It has been interesting reading recently
in aus.rail about some light standard gauge lines in NSW being laid with
45lb/yd rail.

Construction of the triangle began in about 1982 when the first set
of points and a short siding were laid as part of the mainline construction.
By about 1995 the first leg was complete, including the top, or apex, points.
The second set of mainline points was inserted in early 1998. Work this
year has concentrated on laying the second leg and on upgrading the the
first leg.

Michael Milway
Member Illawarra Light Railway Museum
Albion Park Rail, NSW