Temo 'Jupiter' tamper

Friday 15th September marked an end of a phase of a project not only good for the railway but a project started not long after I started at the L&B and was something I wanted to see through.

Anyone who does any kind of trackwork knows how hard it can be and what it can be like in various weathers.

On Exmoor the weather can be a big factor and the various options for machinery to pack and level the track can be heavy ( especially as we are all getting older). Costs of hire of various items and the overall job it can do also needs to be taken into account.

Dissusion quickly turned to various options and ideas. After time and research we settled on this Tamping machine from a company in Austria called TEMO. This machine can Tamp and lift as required and has lining technology as well. No more heavy machine holding as the two petrol engines are suspended in the frame.

With Covid (restrictions were longer in Austria) it has taken over a year to get this completed and shipped to Woody Bay.

Today Ronald and Julius from Temo came to Woody Bay to show us all how the machine should be and can be used.

Phase two will be volunteers having the chance to practice further ready for the Winter maintenance period.

Special thanks must to go to the various members of both of our boards who have supported this great move forward for our volunteers and the railway.

And as ever big thank you to our volunteers who turn up week after week to carry out this essential work.

Stuart Nelhams - General Manager