Stanton Weather Watch

Monday 10 June 

The forecast for today was enough to put anyone off, so we kept a close watch on the clouds circling the Cotswolds. The rebuild of the channel wall has become a bit of race to keep the bricks above the rising waters, so far we seem to be winning. 

After the morning brief we split into 2 trucks, one loaded with the equipment for the day and the other taking more hardcore up to the stockpile at Stanton. The second move wasn't exactly planned but we needed  the truck to collect more sand and C&M had left some hardcore on the back; we just added more and headed north. 

Nigel and Alastair getting warmed up loading hardcore 

The stockpile at Stanton 

Nigel preparing a bag to catch the sand 

As if my magic the sand moved from one bag to the other 

Alastair was sorting bricks for disposal, these are too far gone for reuse 

Alastair the brick assessor 

The rebuild only needs one more row of taper bricks then it will new bricks for the backing and recycled for facing. 

Roger building up the ends
(Photo: Alastair) 

Outfall end 

Brick arch end 

Nigel gets a turn on the brick cleaning station
(Photo: Alastair) 

While nobody was looking the headwall on the inlet pipe got de-constructed, the taper bricks are needed for the south wall rebuild 

The headwall has gone 

A hive of activity 

The inlet pipe is going to be removed, it's blocking the flow from the down side cess drain into the culvert. The first task is to expose it, then it will be cut open to get the flow established. Eventually it will be removed altogether and the south side wall extended to replace it. 

Stuart and Nigel clearing the inlet pipe
(Photo: Alastair) 

The ratio of supervisors to workers has gone awry 

The umpires decided that play would be abandoned at lunchtime, the threat of rain washing the bricks away was too real.  

Summer in the Cotswolds  

The afternoon wasn't totally wasted, another batch of concrete lids was cast. The stock of 40N mix is nearing the end so this will be the last full batch. 

Nigel and Roger on lid production