Vegetation clearance in full swing

Thursday 3 October

Autumn is the vegetation clearance season, we need to go round all the culverts to clear the ends and make paths down for access. This year we are due the 6 yearly inspection of 4 of the north end structures and this has led to the programme being adjusted to get these done before the engineers arrive in November. With a forecast break in the wet weather we headed out to Peasebrook Farm to start on Culvert 3A and 3B.

Culvert 3A up side before clearing

Culvert 3A down side before clearing

Culvert 3B up side before clearing

Culvert 3B down side before clearing

Major works were carried out on these two culverts before the track to Broadway was laid, the contractor hydro-seeded the embankments. That's why there's not too much vegetation on 3 of the sides. But, there's always a but, the up side of 3B wasn't touched, that was a bit more of a challenge.

Culvert 3A down side headwall

Culvert 3A down side after clearing

Andrew clearing round the chamber on Culvert 3A up side
(Photo: Alastair)

Culvert 3A up side Chamber
(Photo: Alastair)

Culvert 3B down side after clearing

It looks like the pigs in the adjacent field were expecting us to bring them some food, either that or they were very interested in what we were doing 😃

Drain gang fan club meeting

Culvert 3B up side, 3 brushcutter is action
(Photo: Alastair)

Culvert 3B, Michael in the stream, while the safety team look on
(Photo: Alastair)

Culvert 3B up side headwall

There's a toe drain running along from 3B to the accommodation bridge (Bridge 4), it's another line of chambers to catalogue.

Bridge 4 to 3B toe drain

Chamber 1 catching Bridge 4 gully outflow

Next stop was 886 yards south for Culvert 4A, it's a 2 ring brick ring. The headwalls on this one were both repaired by Andy Protherough and the gang back in 2016. The up side has developed a crack, probably caused by tree root growth.

Culvert 4A down side before clearing

Culvert 4A up side before clearing

Culvert 4A down side brick ring

Culvert 4A down side headwall

Culvert 4A up side headwall

Culvert 4A up side crack

Culvert 4A has a short toe drain running along the down side, this only has 2 chambers

Michael discovers the north chamber

Culvert 4A south toe drain chamber

The service road up to Bridge 4 has some vegetation encroaching. As the structural engineers will need to get up here the side got a quick trim. There's no room to turn round up this stretch, so it's a half mile reverse to get out (or in for the brave). There is a gateway to the field half way along, but that has a ditch at each side that needs to be cut out before chancing the truck in there 😉