Windy day at Stanton

Saturday 10 August

It's supposed to be the middle of summer and what do we get today, gale force wind blowing across the top of the embankment with scattered heavy showers. Luckily it was fairly sheltered down under the bridge so we cracked on.

Slight change in the plan today, it was too wet to concrete the down side cess base, that left us with the only dryish option; the up side end of the brick arch, this got coated in the red 30N mix. It should look very attractive when it's dry.

Stanton is Summer - it sums up the weather today 

Alastair was missing today, Nigel got to be in charge of the mixer and a good job he did too, especially with the unfamiliar Forest Red chippings.

Nigel at the mixer  

Dave's first task was to build some shuttering for concreting over the brick arch. This brought out another talent he has kept under wraps.

Dave digging out for the shuttering 

Meanwhile, on the down side Michael had installed a bypass pipe for the cess, this took the flow away but it was still too boggy for concrete.

Down side cess temporary bypass pipe 

The new south wall on the down side is taking shape, Roger was building while Michael backfilled the void behind the wall with concrete and stone.

Michael adding stone to fill the void behind the south wall 

Roger building up his muscles with the blocks 

Blockwork finished 

By this time, Dave's shuttering was ready

Arch shuttering 

Dave adds some support to stop it moving 

Painting a coat of PVA to seal the new mortar joints 

Brick arch ready for the Forest Red 30N concrete 

Michael took on the task of plastering the concrete skin on the arch

Repairing the crack 

Looks as good as new now 

A test mix of concrete was dropped into the end of the up side cess to finish off the junction point. 

Up side cess outfall shuttering 

Michael showing that if the mix is right it will hold in place 

There's nothing like working with an audience...

Possibly another design conference 

Using blocks for the backing on the down side south wall extension has cut down the build time considerably. 

Roger waist deep in the channel 

Brick skin almost done 

All that work building the brick arch, only for it to be covered from sight.

Michael may take up plastering next 

With the south wall gone as far is it can, a start was made on the north wall

Roger puts a slight curve on the north side 

By close of play, a fair bit had been achieved despite the weather.

Roger tidies up the pointing 

Down side end of day 

Up side end of day 

Looking thought the bridge, there's still water pooing in the centre, we are thinking about installing another gully drain in the middle of the roadway. The surface can't be levelled any higher as it would decrease the clearance required for the traffic.

Looking though the bridge up to down side 

Let's hope that no tractors need to use the bridge until the shuttering comes down on Monday.