You can't stay at Stanton for ever

Tuesday 23 April 

Life away from Stanton goes on so someone said. To prove it we paid a visit to the steam loco shed at Toddington this morning to drop off some of our concrete lids for a water valve chamber outside one of their shipping containers. We even left some bricks, sand and cement so that they can create a new step. 

Concrete covers delivered 

Then it was back to Stanton as we were due a delivery of bricks, enough to keep Roger and Michael going for a couple of weeks. Alastair did a spot of landscaping round Chambers 1 and 2 while waiting for the delivery.  

Enough to keep Roger and Michael going for a while 

The lonely gardener 

Then we pottered down to Bridge 11 to assess the gully drain, we need to know what to do with it when we rebuild the channel wall. 

Alastair and Dave digging out more pipe 

The end of the channel has been missing for some time, it has laid forlorn in the grass by the wing wall. Well today it was prepared for recycling into the rebuild. 

End section of channel wall 

Bricks for reuse during the rebuild 

Dave inspects the gully drain pipe 

Having worked out that repairing the pipe was a forlorn hope, we decided to look at what had been the original end of the brick arch to see if the pipe was any better there. 

Stuart and Dave onto the scent of gully drain
(Photo: Alastair) 

A chance discovery 

Bingo! the gully drain cover was discovered by a random probe with the bar while trying to rescue a tapered brick buried in the ground. After a liberal dose of WD40 and some gentle persuasion the cover eventually opened up, but not after a quarter had been broken off.

Dave and Alastair explore through the corner 

Dave and Stuart persuade the lid to open
(Photo: Alastair) 

There is water in the bottom amongst all the silt, but the good news is that it seems to be the end of the run, no pipe was found going east under the bridge 

Probing the base with the bar 

Bar showing depth 

Wrapped up until the next time 

Stopped off on the way back to investigate reports that intruders had been seen heading along the track towards Winchcombe yard over the weekend. We found a broken fence post that stopped the gate being secured. A temporary fix was applied and a request sent out to the Lineside Manger for his fencing contractor to attend. 

Orchard access gate 

The warning sign goes on
(Photo: Alastair) 

Mystery object found today: 

• What relevance has it to the railway. It could be a late iron age angled wedge for uncovering Roman artefacts. You can send your guesses on a postcard to the 'Farmer's Dumped Scrap Competition' 😉

Is it worth any money?