A mixed bag today

Monday 18 November 

It was dry today with sunshine, wow! Three in and a list of jobs as long as a gorilla's arm. First off a bit of CCTV in the six foot drain at Toddington, then north to Stanton to fix the Aqueduct footpath, clear the veg at Culvert 6C and lastly down to Stanway to Culvert 11C to clear veg there. Let nobody say drainage work isn't varied. 

The CCTV at Toddington was a bit of damp squib to be honest. One section was done and it just had a slight build up of clay at the south end. The partly blocked section had too much clay to get an image on the camera. The Jetter has been booked for next week to give it flush out, then we should be able to see if there is a problem. 

CCTV set up in the 6' 

Clay build up inside the southbound pipe 

Camera as it came out from the pipe 

We even got synthetic rain to make us feel at home 😉

The Aqueduct (Bridge 9) footpath repair was a quick job, just a few buckets of pipe bedding dropped into the hole and compacted. 

Void in footpath filled 

Andrew took the grille off to stop the inlet end over-topping again. A design for a replacement grille is awaited. 

Andrew unbolts the inlet grille 

The concrete channel in the cess needs to be cleared of the debris washed down, it's impossible to shovel it out as the cross braces overlap and the shovel comes out at the same angle it goes in without anything on the blade 😟

Whoever designed these deserves a 🏅

The siphon culvert 6C at Stanton Fields is easy to miss, hence the trip back up to clear it. 

Culvert 6C down side before clearing 

Culvert 5C up side before clearing 

6C fenceline inlet headwall 

Down side intermediate chamber 

6C Siphon inlet,
water not quite reaching the pipe today  

6C up side, outlet chamber 

Down side after clearing 

By the time we got to Culvert 11C it was a veritable summer's day, except for the temperature. The up side embankment is being re-profiled immediately south of the culvert outfall.  

Nigel and Andrew looking for the contractors 

Culvert 11C up side outlet ditch 

Culvert 11C down side before clearing 

Nigel cutting his way down the slope 

Up side done, Andrew and Peter having a discussion 

Culvert 11C outlet ditch 

Culvert 11C up side headwall 

Culvert 11C down side 

Culvert 11C down side, fenceline 

Culvert 11C down side has been extended with metal pipe 

We don't run trains in November, it's not a peak visitor month for the Cotswolds. On a good day, like today, the autumn still presents some pleasing landscapes. 

Cotswold Autumn