Miscellaneous stuff in deep-level spaces

I think convenience is the word. Most work in the underground areas can only be done in engineering hours when the service stops and traction current is switched off which can be, depending where you are, only a 2 hour window. Obviously, you'd want to spend the least proportion of your time in moving equipment and materials to the work site which could be several hundreds of metres away. 100 25kg bags of fresh ballast would be required to replace just few sleepers! You've probably seen a fair few spare track crossings lying in the ten foot. Imagine if one these needed replacing the night before morning traffic and you had to carry it down the track?

So some stuff is left there for good reason but some is scrap that needs to be taken away. When not occupied with other duties P-way do a regular sweep of clearing scrap. Engineering trains are booked specifically for this purpose and a gang will spend the shift filling up wagons with unwanted track components. For instance, scrap rail will but cut into shorter lengths with burning gear and old ballast bagged and stored in tunnel alcoves ready to be picked up. This is what we call good housekeeping and I think a reported increase in trackside fires may have led to complaints from LU.