Photo: Ben Fisher
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Photo: Ben Fisher
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The Project: The Project aims to build a well wagon to carry a flail cutter for use in cutting back lineside vegetation |
The Well Wagon Project Now that we have 25 miles of railway open, we have 50 miles of lineside to maintain. Proper lineside maintenance is important not only to preserve the quality of the track but also the condition of the locos, carriages and other rolling stock To complement the East Anglian Group's new clearance train we need a specially constructed Well Wagon to transport a tractor-mounted flail cutter to keep lineside vegetation in check quickly and economically. The tractor could be dismounted where necessary to increase its reach, and an excavator can also be carried to clear ditches efficiently.  The photograph shows a
similar vehicle on the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway.The plan is that the Railway Company will own the Well Wagon but will hire in a contractor to to cut back the lineside vegetation. In this way the potential problems of reliability, maintenance and insurance will be overcome. To get the best use out of the Well Wagon, it makes sense to use it on the FR as well as the WHR for precisely the same reasons. Boston Lodge estimates that the cost of constructing such a vehicle would be in the region of £10,000, so the CRhE/WHRS share based on mileage would be some £6.700. This is an approach which we have discussed with the FRS and they are minded to support it. This is not a project which the Company can afford right now, but it is still vitally needed to prevent other costly expenditure. Something needs to be done as soon as possible and this is where supporters can help. There are three ways you can help:
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