Wet start at Stanton

Saturday 8th June

The weather has been too good over the last couple weeks, we'd got used to dry conditions under Bridge 11. Well, it was too good to last, after a drenching yesterday we were back to the mud caked boots today, it makes the job just that bit harder. At least the weather improved during the day and progress wasn't hampered.

We kicked off the morning by bringing more bricks down from the yard, then Roger and Michael started to dry the area ready to start brick laying. The water level in the culvert was lapping the edge almost, so it was touch and go whether we started. On the positive side, it has shown where the roadway needs to be built up to prevent water pooling 😊

Roger and Alastair unloading the bricks

Roger unloading the bricks again 😠

Flow increased following the rain yesterday

It's the bit in the middle that needs to come up a bit

While the bricklayers got started, Stuart ran over the new hard standing with the plate compactor to take some of the bumps off.

The 'whacker plate' in action

The bricklaying all seems to require bending this year, we haven't managed to find any that can be done standing up.

Michael keeping supple

Trying to avoid the flowing water

Roger building up the outfall end

Michael resetting the line

Just before lunch, Stuart went back to Winchcombe to collect James from the Carriage & Wagon Workshop team for a test fitting of the new grille that will protect the inlet of the siphon culvert 7A. C&W are manufacturing this so that we don't have the expense of going out to industry, the budget is tight again this year.

Culvert 7A down side - it's there somewhere

7A inlet end

7A Inlet end with covers removed

The bridge rail covering one end of the short inlet channel has seen better days, it's hardly adequate for protecting the opening.

Delamination from the bridge rail

James manoeuvring the second section

Trial fit successful

Temporary covers back in place

James has taken the grille back to Winchcombe to add some lugs to secure the 2 parts into the culvert channel walls.

Back at the brick-face, Michael and Roger had made some magnificent progress

Great strides by the dynamic duo

View from the arch end

Twenty more arch bricks are needed to finish the next course of the side wall, the only way to get hold of them quickly is by dismantling the strange headwall on the down side inlet pipe. An operative went to investigate and half the structure fell off in his hand again!

The arch brick supply

While all the brick work has been going on Alastair has kept busy by keeping the team going with the mortar supply. In between times, he seems to have spent the day cleaning things