Where did the ballast go

Thursday 15 August 

The gang split up this morning with Stuart going to meet the forestry contractors to discuss clearing the fallen trees at Culvert 45A in Cheltenham. The rest headed off to Stanton and Culvert 11A for more bricklaying and concreting. The weather has been variable this week, but we managed a dry day which let us get a lot done. 

Starting with Culvert 45A at the extreme south of the trackbed, we need to clear it for a structural examination by consulting engineers, they will pronounce on the stability of the brick arch structure. As it has been left since BR days it has become somewhat overgrown. The area looks like it has been used as an adventure playground by the local children with some fallen willow trees to use as bridges over Wyman's Brook.

Culvert 45A up side, covert location 

Culvert 45A up side, close up 

Culvert 45A up side, the obstacle course 

Culvert 45A up side, a bit of headwall visible 

To the south of Culvert 45A there's what looks like a storm water drain outlet 

Culvert 45A up side, trees that need to go 

Culvert 45A up side, another tree bridging the stream down stream 

Back at Stanton Michael had started by completing the headers on the south wall extension. 

Michael using the long level
(Photo: Alastair) 

South wall headers almost done 

Next on the list was completing the concrete pour for the down side cess outfall. About ¾ of a tonne of concreting ballast went in on Monday, that had gone off so the top layer could go on. 

Down side cess rough concrete base layer 

The bypass pipe needed to be removed first and the pump set up to take the water over the concrete.  

Hoy! mind my new bricks with that hose
(Photo: Alastair) 

Pump in and working 

Michael make strides with the north wall brickwork 

Concrete coming in via the top of the gabions a barrow at a time 

The concrete is for the footings of the new walls to protect the gabions and to hold the hedge back, it has a depression in the centre to direct the normal flow 

Stuart trying to make a good impression
(Photo: Alastair) 

North wall up to header level
(Photo: Alastair) 

Pointing up the headers on the south wall
(Photo: Alastair) 

Up at the concrete plant Dave was multi-tasking, barrowing the mixes down to the outfall and giving Alastair a hand with the mixing. 

Alastair keeping a watch on 'Dave the mixer'  

Action shot of how not to spill ballast
(Photo: Alastair) 

Down side cess outfall top part finished 

More concrete was required to reinforce the new south wall, it acts a barrier between the wall and the roadway 

South Wall - longitudinal strengthening with rebar 

As there was still some ballast left, the small triangle at the foot of the outfall got a base layer, this will stop the soft clay bubbling up through the top layer 

The missing link gets a base 

South wall concrete reinforcement completed  

The 2 tonnes of concreting ballast didn't last long, more just in time deliveries required. 

Dumpy bags anyone? 

End of day views... 

Down side from the bridge, brickwork all wrapped up 

Cess bypass pipe back in and working