1950-1951 — Page 19

follows:

Hardwood sleepers

Bridge and crossing timbers

Stone ballast 2′′

9,428 pcs.

905 pcs.

1,508 cu. yds.

Other spot renewals with good second hand materials were as

Old 85-lb rails

Old 85-lb switches

Old 85-lb crossings

104 lengths

2 sets

2 sets

57. Rail Creep. At Mile 11, the rail creep amounted to as much as 60 inches. All rail-joints between Miles 9 and 13 were adjusted, and 3,440 rail-anchors inserted.

58. Permanent Way materials. During the year, 650 tons of 95-lb B.S.R. rails and 66 sets of switches and crossings arrived from the United Kingdom. The last batch of permanent-way materials arrived in April 1950.

59. Indents. The following indents were placed on the Crown Agents:

(a) 750 tons of rails and accessories for the 1951/52 programme

of renewal of track.

(b) A steel building 80'0 x 40'0 for a foundry shop.

(c) A Lothian open shed 100′ x 34′ for Lowu Station.

60. Junction Fishplates. 208 pairs of junction fishplates were supplied by the Crown Agents. Within one year (26.4.50 to 26.4.51) forty-three pairs were reported cracked or broken. All breakages occurred in the main line, and none on sidings or secondary lines. In order to cope with this dangerous situation, one hundred pairs of junction fishplates of more robust design (4" thicker than those supplied by the Crown Agents) had to be manufactured locally under contract. Since January 1951, twenty eight pairs of the locally made fishplates were placed in the line, and so far no fractures have occurred.

61. Sleepers. In all, 22,727 Mai Yang sleepers and 3,322 bridge and crossing timbers were purchased from the Forest Industry Organization, Bangkok, through the Siam Rice Agency Ltd., acting as shipping agents.

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