Find below some photos taken during the Belmore Place Tunnel re-grouting that took place during February.
On Monday, February 4, the re-grouting project kicked off at the western portal. At the bottom left of the picture is the portable generator used to provide electricity to the lights on the the elevated platform. Now the tunnel roof is no Sistine Chapel ceiling, but the stone mason tackled this task not all that different to Michelangelo, but had something Michelangelo did not have..... a bean bag to support his back........
At the completion of the work, a closer view of the western end of Belmore Place tunnel where the previous photo showed the stone mason applying the grout. The crevices created by years of rain water running down the portal of the tunnel and washing out the original grout have now been filled in again. This photo also indicates that the thickness of the sandstone blocks are near 2ft thick and packed tightly into the arch and mantained by that well known force...gravity.
Applying the grout did not involve any complex technology, just the skill of using a specialised trowel suited for the purpose.
Once inside the tunnel, the two most noticeable types of erosion become visible. Acidic 'salting' of the face of the sandstone blocks from 144 years of pollution and wind, and grout erosion between the blocks from either water seepage from above, or locomotive exhaust blast from below.
Mid way through Belmore Place tunnel and work is proceeding without the distraction of mid week train operations.
The Toyota Skyline Hi-Rail vehicle, imported specifically from Japan for this task, has proved more versatile than scaffolding, and has reduced the time estimated to complete the roof re-grouting of Belmore Place tunnel.
A more detailed photo taken of the tunnel roof and indicates one of the worst areas of surface and edge wear of the Sandstone block roof. The grout has fillled in some of the more worn edges between the blocks, yet the grout itself in only a few inches deep in the worst affected place. The grout is only able to penetrate only so far into the space between the blocks. The first two photos give a better indication of the thickness of the sandstone blocks of the tunnel lining.
[img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8235/8509772818_8d3c4ee19a.jpg[/img]Steady progress and the Eastern end of the tunnel (Lithgow end) brings the hy-rail back out into daylight nearing completion of the Belmore Place tunnel.
From the half way along Belmore Place (Middle Rd) tunnel looking toward the eastern end. The fresh re-grouted sandstone blocks in the roof are readily apparent.