Milepost project reaches a Milestone

Those of you who are, or have been, Project Managers - or who were subjected to Project Management will know all about the importance of Milestones in projects. Well the Milepost project has just reached an important Milestone - continue reading to find out how.

Thursday 6 January 2022

The twelfth day of Christmas. Back in the Tudor times this was the last day of the Christmas holiday and marked with the biggest feast. For us it was the first day back at work. Biggest question was 'is it too cold for brick or block laying?'.

With six of us in, we split into two teams. The construction team decided it was just warm enough for block laying. so went to Working Lane to commence the build of culvert 24B up side haul road exit. First they fitted the extension pipe; the collar join made with filler before Christmas proved to be water tight. Attempts to divert the flow through a temporary pipe were not too successful, so to keep water level in the working area down the pump was run quite a bit. By lunchtime and the onset of cold rain, 4 rows of concrete blocks and one row of bricks were laid.

Culvert 24B up side outlet from haul road, extension pipe and first rows of blocks clearly visible.

End of day (well after lunch) all work covered up for protection against the frost.

The odd job team first headed to Dixton Cutting. Inspection of the flume culvert 32A, the Tirle brook, showed it was running well. No sign of any flooding here like in previous years. The cutting crest ditch on the down side low mileage of the culvert which the Wednesday clearance team dug has obviously taken some flow. Maybe later in the year we will extend this about 50 yards further back. The damage done to the up side concrete drain lids by the telehandler when the pre Christmas track relaying was inspected. We worked out what we need to fix, a quantity of lids and some pea gravel. Fortunately all in in stock.

One section of the 1960s concrete drainage lids that will need replacing in Dixtons Cutting. These lids do not have reinforcing, they were not designed to be driven on!

Then on to Stanley Pontlarge to meet with the adjacent landowner as the access through his small holding is churned up. Fortunately no deep ruts, but a few depressions near the top, and immediately under our gate that will need need levelling out. Sorting this out properly will need the telehandler, some loads of No.1 stone, and some drier weather. Whilst we were there we inspected the manhole near the road at the bottom of the access, this is the outfall from culvert 28A. As expected it has a good build up of sandy silt, clearing it out will need the long handle grab; so another job to go on the list.

Finally the odd jobs team brush cut the area around the hardstanding at the bottom of the haul road at Working Lane. This is where the concrete slabs from Toddington will go as first part of the hardstanding extension.

Area cleared for hard standing extension at Working Lane.

Then as it was (a) lunchtime and (b) starting to rain, so both teams retreated to Winchcombe for warmth and dry. After lunch we spent a hour in the workshop working on mileposts. Three new heads now have caps fitted and painting of heads and caps was progressed.

Thursday 13 January

An even colder day - but at least we had sunshine. Again the question 'is it too cold for brick/block laying?'. Not quite, plus the use of some old carriage seating material which C&W were throwing out as insulation and covering of the fresh mortar makes a difference. Another case of good reuse!

We were at full strength of seven members, the member on jury service this week was not required in court. So it was a three team split.

The construction team headed for culvert 24B at Working Lane. They had the short straw from sunshine and temperature point of view, the work location was in the shadow of the embankment all day. Almost perma frost! At the end of the day, all the blocks on the new headwall were laid, and the brick facing was over half way complete. Another day will see this complete. So to end the day a supply of concrete blocks were moved to the next construction, culvert 24C up side haul road exit.

In the shadow all day, 24B haul road. Hoses from pumps visible, and the water was icy cold. Thermal socks a prime requirement today! (Photo by Dave).

Before the covers went on, end of day on 24B. No more concrete blocks required, just bricks. Our bricklayer leaves the sprit level on to show that it is dead level. We would not expect anything less!

Getting ready for the next build, blocks at 24C up side exit, this goes under both the embankment and the haul road. (Photo by Dave).

The second team took the brush cutters up to culverts 3A and 3B between Peasbrook Farm and Pry Lane. The access on both sides to both of these was cleared - ones which COVID-19 lockdowns had caused to be missed last year. At both culverts the visual internal inspections were undertaken. Then it was a quick visit to Broadway station to check on the number of concrete drain lids we have there. These will be used in the repairs at Dixton Cutting - fortunately just the right number. Whilst there, we were able to have a close look at the progress the C&M team are making on the canopy extension. Very impressive.

A problem with culvert inspections at this time of year is getting low enough to take the 'through the bore' photo. Often water is too deep - and today it was very col.d This is 3B looking from the down (inlet) side. A culvert rebuilt in 2016 as part of the Broadway project and still in perfect condition.

Then back to Working Lane, for more brush cutting and culvert inspections at culverts 25B and 25C. The former was flowing well, the later was just damp. Both are small diameter pipes and both require some attention to the outlet headwalls on the up side.

In contrast to 3B above, this is the outlet of 25B up at Gretton. A very small diameter pipe, there was once a headwall here.

Finally the third team headed to Toddington to collect some of the broken concrete paving slabs from the former garden centre site. Three loads were taken down to Working Lane, and put in place as the first part of the base for the extended hardstanding. This team then had the honour of completing the milestone on the milepost project. At Gretton they wire brushed the in place bridge rail posts for both 13½ and 13¾. Then both posts received a coating of hammerite black. And the milestone? Yes, the new replacement head for 13½ was fitted.

At last - our first replaced milepost; we should have brush cut around it before painting the bridge rail post.

Mentioned in Dispatches

Well at least in the 7th January edition of Steam Railway (No 527). On page 42 is a letter from Andy Protherough, former head of the Drainage department, in reply to their item in issue 525 'Don't neglect infrastructure'. Andy's letter is headed 'Neglect Drainage at your peril' - a sentiment we certainly endorse.

Michael Beveridge

We are sad to report to passing of Michael Beveridge. He was one of our skilled bricklayers, and a stalwart of the team for the past four years. He retired in the autumn with a medical condition which subsequently was diagnosed as acute liver cancer. Sadly this was too far advanced for treatment, he passed away just before Christmas. He is certainly missed, not only for his skills, but for his comradely and humour. His funeral took place at Gloucester Crematorium on Friday 14th January. We send our deepest sympathy to his family.

Michael Beveridge - master constructor
(Photo Stuart Hamilton)