101 uses for a blue barrel

Saturday 5 October 

Before we went off brushcutting this morning we popped in to have a look at the drainage in Churchward House yard at Winchcombe. There's a motive behind this, it may well become our new base. After taking some levels we went back up to Little Buckland to continue with the vegetation clearance around the culvert ends. 

Level set up on the shelf at the back of the yard 

Level of the pipe marked on the wall 

Micheal and Roger working with the staff 

We had another look in the pipe carrying the stream at the back of the yard, a close look a the blue sections has revealed something rather startling... 

Misshaped blue plastic section in the stream pipe 

Any resemblance to the following may not be co-incidental 😏

Toddington Yard,
builders water tub 

Little Buckland Stables, practice jumps 

The edge of a blue barrel is visible at the outlet, the ragged cutting is further evidence; the jury is still out but the case looks fairly strong.  

Now on to the culverts, starting at 5A just south of Little Buckland bridge. 

Culvert 5A up side before clearing 

Culvert 5A down side before clearing

Work stops while P&O runs past 

Culvert 5A up side after clearing 

Culvert 5A down side, Roger just finishing off 

Culvert 5A up side headwall 

Culvert 5A down side headwall 

In between, Stuart had a quick trip back to Culvert 4A to clear the toe drain run. The pipe along there isn't in good condition. Clearing allows us to properly assess the work required to fix it. 

Culvert 4A north bound toe drain before clearing 

Culvert 4A north bound toe drain after clearing 

Culvert 5B down side before clearing 

Culvert 5B up side before clearing 

Michael on the down side 

5B, Roger on the up side 

Culvert 5B down side after clearing 

Culvert 5C down side before clearing 

Culvert 5C up side before clearing 

While we were at 5C we cleared the foot crossing next to the culvert. 

Laverton south foot crossing down side 

Culvert 5C down side headwall 

Culvert 5C up side headwall 

The up side headwall of Culvert 5C was replaced with gabion baskets supporting a concrete slab before the line to Broadway was reopened, hence the strange appearance. The black plastic pipe running through the culvert carries a smaller alkathene pipe, possibly a redundant water trough supply.   

5C down side, Michael finishes off the top section 

Culvert 5C down side cleared