On the way back from Cheltenham, we stayed at Beddgelert in Snowdonia. The Welsh Highland Railway is a recently re-installed steam line. We noted the expansion joint between the rails on the platform. On a hot day, rails expand which would make them to deform and cause derailments. To prevent that, it was traditional to leave frequent gaps between the rails to give the rails space to expand into. As the train rolled over the gaps, you got the traditional "clickety-clack" noise. I had noticed that it had disappeared but hadn't thought much of it. Apparently we now have Continuous Weld Rails which have to be securely bolted to the sleepers. This bolting down prevents distortion due to expansion.
This is looking along the track from where the first picture was taken. I think the next joint was before the hut.
