All that ask ballast was entertaining to lay on Clayhanger Yard. As mentioned on Wednesday, it sticks everywhere. Standard gauge tracks in yards tend to be ballasted up to the sleeper tops but not above. Something to do with sleeper rotting I think.Anyway, while wet, the ash can be scraped from the tops with a sharpened ice lolly stick. When its dry though, things are different. Then it takes a blunt chisel slid along the tops. Good job we have some that probably have been thrown away.