That's it for 2020

Perhaps the phrase 'It's been an unusual year' doesn't quite sum up what has been going on this year, let's hope that next year allows us get back onto a proper work programme. There's just a bit of activity to report from the last couple of weeks. 

First week of December Dave and Nigel had a couple of jobs, first was to drop the height of a catch pit in the 6 foot at Hayles Abbey Halt. Our track team had reported that it was a little bit too high as it's on the sleeper ends. 

All photos from Dave. 

Hayles Abbey Halt high mileage central catchpit 
after top ring removed 

Next stop was Bishops Cleeve to check on the works done on the down side cutting crest south of Two Hedges Road bridge. 

Pecked Lane contractor site cleared 

New down side cess catch pit 
crest drain entry on the left side of image 

New manhole and chamber on DS crest 

DS crest, pipe into chamber 

DS crest pipe out of chamber 

Leaky bend now in the skip 

The following week they took a trip out south of Winchombe to check the culvert clearance states. The culvert under Prescott Road bridge, Culvert 31B, has a restricted outflow, this is outside the railway boundary, but it does cause the water back up in outlet channel. 

Culvert 31B up side outlet 

Culvert 31B up side outlet overflowing 
into the neighbouring field 

Further along towards Bishops Cleeve there's a similar problem, this time there is no backing up. 

Outlet channel from Culvert 37E 

Pipe taking water from Culvert 37E 
under the adjacent land 

Meanwhile the Friday team of Andrew and Martin were sorting out some vandal damage at Hunting Butts Tunnel. This area should be fenced off as soon as the ground get's dry enough to get the plant on site to complete the work. 

All the remaining photos from Andrew. 

Low mileage end of the tunnel, anti-vandal lid has
failed the vandal test 

GRP clip has been snapped,
some tools must have been employed 

Lid replaced and weighted down
until a fix can be sorted out  

The high mileage end manhole lid has been smashed off, this was concreted onto the concrete top of the chamber. 

Hunting Butts high mileage cess drain end manhole 

Debris dropped in the HM drain manhole 

Drain temporarily made secure until a fix can be applied 

While in the area Culvert 44A was checked... 

Culvert 44A down side 

On the way back to Winchcombe they called in to check Culvert 24C up side end, it's one that needs some work done and a new trash screen. They cleared the trash screen before knocking off for the day.  

Culvert 24C up side, screen needs clearing 

The following week they were back to do a proper fix on the low mileage end of the tunnel cess catchpit 

Two Hedges Road work site reinstated 

Cleeve cutting down side south end ditch 

Then they were off to the Race Course to access Hunting Butts low mileage end to install a new anti-vandal lid. 

Hunting Butts, new lid installed with 6 clamps 

Next in area job was a look at Southam Lane bridge, where the cess drain improvement work along the down side abutment was completed last year. 

Southam Lane bridge ds road drainage 

Bridge 42 Southam Lane,
down side abutment drain still running 

The last working day before Christmas was back at Gretton to meet a contractor at Culvert 25A to discuss some planned works. then up to the area behind the Royal Oak to take some more concrete blocks out of the down side cess to help to drain the cutting slope and toe area. 

Culvert 25A Gretton up side drainage 

Culvert 25A up side drainage 

Martin digging grips on the down side toe 

Royal Oak, water build up behind the concrete blocks

Royal Oak down side, a bit of pooling water in the edge 

Culvert 24A up side, suspended works site  

Culvert 24C up side, Martin clearing the ditch 

That's it for 2020, a big thankyou to all the team for struggling on despite the pandemic and all the restrictions which that imposed. That leaves just time to wish all out readers and supporters a very happy Christmas and thank you for all your comments on the blog, it is appreciated.

Let's hope there is light at the end of the tunnel in 2021