Transforming the team

The last Thursday of July was an unusual working day for the Drainage Team. Firstly, all nine team members were in attendance. Secondly morning coffee break was taken on the platform at Winchcombe. This was because of the presentation of new hi-vis PPE, generously donated by Pulsar UK. Each team member now has a set of shell jacket, over trousers and long sleeve polo shirt from the new environmentally responsible collection, PULSAR® Life collection. Pulsar UK and GWSR press photographs were taken - that below appeared on Pulsar's social media channels in the afternoon. Quite a transformation of the team - perhaps the only time all will be seen in clean bright orange.

Before (upper, faded old kit) and After (lower, new clean kit). Photo by Pulsar UK.

Monday 22 July

The team leader put in an extra days work accompanying a team from a CCTV survey company working on behalf of Atkins and thus Gloucestershire County Council at Cheltenham Racecourse station. This was to survey the cess drain that runs in the 6 foot from the signal box back to the Evesham Road bridge. This is in connection with potential routes for drainage from the new cycle way on the A435. The survey has shown that some of the chambers are quite silted (one to a depth of 9") and that some sections of the pipe have silt at least 5" deep (so over half the diameter of the 9" SGP). Thus we do need to clear this some time sooner rather than later.

Silt in the 6 foot cess at Cheltenham Race Course. Probably this is the accumulation since the rebuild of the railway there over twenty five years ago.

Thursday 25 July

Before the PPE presentation, we recovered some of the serviceable Intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) that were scattered around Winchcombe yard with a view to using some for transporting water to sites where jet washing of drain and culvert pipes is required.

Following the Pulsar UK PPE presentation and the press calls, it was almost lunchtime when the team departed for Stanton, down side of cross drain 11B. With the demise of the white LWB Transit with a crew cab, we required a convoy of three vehicles to convey the whole team and the materials to site. Further bricks were laid on the new 11B entry chamber; and concrete back and infill poured. This included around the join between the plastic extension and the original SGP pipes in the bore.

Bricking of the new 11B entry chamber progresses.

The pipe leading from the low mileage ditch.

A sub team of three also investigated the chamber on the crest of the cutting immediately on the low mileage down side of bridge 11. This requires some silt clearing from the chamber and the inlet and outlet pipes and then the top brick course removed and replaced with new mortar.

All the bricks in the top course were easily removed as the mortar had disappeared.

Thursday 1 August

Back to an attendance of six, on a very hot and humid day.

First job at Winchcombe station was to remove a buddleia bush and then dig a trench to lay an electric cable for the burger stand by the hard standing between the toilets and the Tim Mitchell building. Then some preliminary clearing of vegetation on the wing walls of the River Isbourne bridge.

 

River Isbourne bridge showing overhanging vegetation on the down (Costswold) side high mileage wing wall. [Photo by Jonathan]

Main job was at Stanton, down side cross drain 11B new entry chamber. This was adding concrete backfill and reinforcing bars to all the brickwork completed so far.

Concrete back fill up to the level of all the brick courses laid so far.

 

Secondary job at Stanton was the crest chamber on the low mileage down side of Stanton Road bridge (10). Access from the trackbed and through the roadside hedge was cut. Then the chamber was cleaned out and all the existing bricks on the top course removed and cleaned (all can be reused). We decided it was too hot for the rebuilding - as the mortar would have gone off between mixing and using. The mixer is on site at 11B.

Cleared access on down (Cotswold) side low mileage wing wall of Stanton Road bridge 11.

 

One working and three watching! But it was a very hot day and there is only room in the chamber for one person at a time. Left to right at back, Polly, Nigel, and Roger, whilst Dave is in the chamber.

The Stanton bridge crest chamber cleared - unusually this has a brick bottom. [Photo by Dave]

Wildlife report: mouse and rabbit at Stanton 11B, however the rabbit was deceased and in the hot weather was rather smelly. Plenty of butterflies. Small plums on the trees at the entrance to Stanton yard are starting to ripen - another week of warm, sunny weather will do the trick.

Blue is the colour

 

The replacement LWB Transit with a tail lift. On 1st August it was not yet licensed, so we had to make do with the older blue short wheel base Transit which does not have a tail lift!