Keep on digging

The main task preoccupying the team continues to be the up side diversion of the outlet of culvert 11B at Stanton to run inside the railway boundary to culvert 11A under bridge 11.

With over 120m of trench to dig; five new access chambers to construct and 25 new sections of pipe to lay, this is quite a large project for the team. However, we are now on the home straight, literally as the trench digging is now between the last two chambers.

However, the team did have a ‘day out’, which made a good break from digging and cement/mortar mixing.

Thursday 15^th June

Six of the team in attendance.

Jonathan continued excavating the trench - now about two thirds of the way between the second and third intermediate chambers. Polly laid the brick and block courses for the second intermediate chamber. Nigel & Roger kept Polly supplied with mortar - also they laid the first pipe in the third pipe run. Stuart and Andrew collected another tonne of pea gravel from Elliots (the 4th so far). Using the laser level Stuart checked the depth of the trench digging; however the unit is playing up in strong sunshine. Andrew trimmed the hedge alongside the third pipe run.

Early-ish finish due to the hot weather. The excavated material from the trench, mainly clay, has dried out. This will need breaking up into smaller chunks before filling in the trench.

Polly checks the size of the second intermediate chamber.

Additionally an inspection of the deep manhole on the up side of Winchcombe Yard near the oak tree by the Usk building was undertaken. This requires the brick walls raised by 5 or 6 courses, so that it is above the ground level - to prevent any vehicle running over it. Potentially a relatively simple brick laying job; however it will need temporary cover of the chamber to prevent anything or anyone falling in during the job.

The chamber near the Usk hut is already one of the deepest we have; the height extension will make it more so.

Wildlife report:
Winchcombe Yard - house martins (a puddle was topped up to provide mud for nest building)
Stanton - identified one of the wild rose species as Rosa canina (Dog Rose). The hedgerow also contained another white rose but, further investigation required to identify it correctly. There is also Heracleum sphondylium, hogweed in the hedge road alongside the trench. The sap in contact with skin reacts to sunlight and causes phytophotodermatitus.  This is similar to burns with orange blisters and the effects last over a month.

Dog rose [Photo by Roger]

Thursday 22^nd June

All team members attending - but not on the Railway! We all went to Rail Live at Long Marston.

Lots of big yellow machines that we, PWay and C&M would like to have!

Rail Live is the largest railway industry hands-on event of the year - a sort of Farnborough Air Show for the Rail industry. Literally hundreds of stands from suppliers across all aspects of the industry. Even a steam loco (1501 from SVR on an Alleys low loader).

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The only visible heritage item of rolling stock at Rail Live.

There were lots of interesting stands, quite a few relevant stands (to us) and some that were both interesting and relevant.

Some highlights ....

Aqua Fabrications www.aquafab.co.uk
Hi-Pact HDPE Ditchliner - could be useful for lining leaking crest ditches (like at Two Hedges Road) and waterproofing the ditch behind Churchward House;
GRP catch pit frames - a lot lighter to handle than the concrete ones; two standard sizes; various sump units and covers;
Carlisle Cascade system - vacuum formed from ABS sheet to make modular 'waterfall'; would be useful to prevent down and back erosion in several places (such as culvert 14B low mileage down side toe entry).

Concrete Canvas https://www.concretecanvas.com/
Core product is 3-dimensional fibre matrix containing a specially formulated dry cementitious mix on PVC backing. Also could be useful for lining leaking crest ditches - comes in big rolls but they say there are hand-portable batched rolls.

Civil Water Management https://www.civilwatermanagement.com/
TDS-400 a mat of recycled plastic panels which water is drawn and then rapidly discharged through hydraulic pressure. The demo made it look like water was flowing up hill! Possibly something to investigate where the water table is close to the track level and prone to silting - for example low mileage side of Southam Lane bridge.

Cubis Systems https://www.cubis-systems.com/uk/
STAKKAbov access chamber system - various types and grades of stackable catch pit frames. Some GRP; some other composite material with metal reinforcing. We think the raising of the manhole at Winchcombe up side near the Usk could deploy these - would avoid need to get scaffolding put in. There are various types of lid available - including those that can be fixed down.

Husqvarna https://www.husqvarnaconstruction.com/uk/
We tried the battery powered pole saw, brush cutter and hedge trimmer. With the battery on the harness they are very much easier to handle than the petrol ones we have now. Suggest when any of these tools need replacing we go for battery ones. We also had a look at the similar tools on the Bosch stand.

Skyes pumps https://www.andrews-sykes.com/
They showed us a variable rate pump (VP80 and VP100) which would be great for a fast pump out of a flooded ditch then a slow keeping the water out. However they are 415v 3 phase!

A good day out - thankfully no rain as it is mainly outdoor (noticeable that the big plush carpeted marquees were for the consulting companies).

Thursday 29^th June

A day full of obstacles! (And no team leader to sort them out!) But, some achievements were made.

Firstly the LWB Transit van which has the toolbox containing our tools was away for it’s MOT. We had to scrounge around to find some replacement tools. However, we found enough for the day; enabling completion of the concrete backfilled around the second intermediate chamber on the 11B to 11A diversion. Nine concrete rings were installed on top; this is the deepest new chamber on this diversion.

A nine ring stack. [Photo by Dave]

 The laser level decided it would not work even without bright sunshine. Hence we resorted to the old fashioned method using spirit levels.

Accurate measure of the depth of the trench is vital. Too shallow or too deep leads to a switchback and thus standing water in the pipe. In a couple of places our digger operative had been too eager; so the trench needs filling with some type 1 stone / rubble which had been donated to us. Much cheaper than extra pea gravel.

The trench digging continued; but only a few metres excavated as the wet clay and tree roots causes the mini digger to struggle. It is really operating at it’s limit here.

Digging approaching one of the famous Stanton pear trees - so finding lots of roots. [Photo by Dave]

 

Always a colourful sight. [Photo by Dave]

For the wild flower report two of items interest; the Common Poppy, Papaver rhoeas and the Common Spotted Orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsii.

Thursday 6^th July

Back to full strength of eight team members today.

We took advantage of the dry weather - there was no water flowing out of 11B’s under track bore and in the existing exit ditch to the adjoining field. So the first courses of bricks and blocks were laid for the entrance chamber at the current bore exit. We left a gap for water to flow out by the existing ditch; this length of pipe will be the final to be laid. However, we did make a start on removing the section between the new trench and the entrance chamber. This is a manual dig as the minidigger can not reach the location until the trench is in-filled.

The new bore exit chamber - blue mesh cover is just temporary at this stage - three concrete rings to add first.

The trench with almost complete pipe work stretching into the distance. All that vegetation was less than an inch high two months ago.

Two new lengths of pipe laid and connected. Another tonne of Pea Gravel collected from Elliots (the 5th) - most of which was spread around the recently laid pipes in the ditch. The hedge trimmer used to trim boundary hedge at digger site and to clear the recent growth around the trench. Amazing what some sunshine and a few showers does for growth.

Digging with the minidigger was completed to the site of the third intermediate chamber, and most of this dug out. This just leaves 30m of plain trench to dig. (The end is nigh!)

Final intermediate chamber pit dug out - so now it is just 30m of plain trench.

Wildlife report
Winchcombe station - female pheasants on the down platform at 8am
Stanton - lots of moths and butterflies, only species positively identified was cabbage white. Several poppies in full bloom.