Winter is coming

Or maybe Winter has already arrived. The last two Thursdays in November were certainly cold, with the ground white with either snow or a severe frost. And in between, we experienced Storm Bert. This coincided with the first full weekend of Santa trains, hence we received a report from Cheltenham Racecourse car park that our clearing out of the gully by the signal box crossing was working a treat. 

Rain run off from the car park at Cheltenham Racecourse flowing down to the cess thus avoiding a flood on the crossing. [Photo by Jonathan]

Also good news from our neighbours at Manor Lane, Gotherington, that after our work on culvert 36A in the summer, no deep flooding has occurred under the bridge there.

Thursday 21^st November

Six of the team braved the cold weather (the coldest working day since last January). But that is not now 60% of the team, but only 54½%, as the full team size is now 11. Welcome to new railway volunteer John who joined us for his first day.

Nigel and Martin started on the days culvert/cross drain clearance activities at culvert 17B, just north of New Farmers Accommodation bridge (19). This is probably the largest culvert we have, anything larger is classified as a bridge. Hence clearing around it does take longer than most others, particularly on a day with some snow still on the ground. The footpath bridge upstream of 17B is outside of the railway land, despite the allocation of number 18 to it. Hence clearance of it is limited to the bramble overhanging the footpath.

View from the track to the down (Cotswo1d) side inlet of 17B, foot path in background.

Looking into the brick arch bore of 17B - our largest culvert. (Anything larger is a bridge).

Jonathan started the day by replacing the battery in the Ranger vehicle. Whilst Roger, John and Andrew headed to Toddington. Here they removed some trip hazards around the porta-cabins, and used our gas monitor to check the inside of the down side cess chamber near the signal box. We abandoned the planned repair to the inlet of culvert 15A at Didbrook, the embankment side being too slippery to negotiate safely, plus working in the steam on such a cold day was not appealing. Instead at the next culvert down (16A); we removed some more of the silt in the field inlet chamber which we had identified on its inspection last week. Then on to Hayles Abbey Halt to resume clearance around cess chambers, mileposts and other lineside items.

All six of the team joined up at New Farmers Accommodation Bridge to continue with culvert/cross drain clearance and visual inspections. Before lunch this covered, cross drains 18A, 19A, and 19B. Also cleared were the gulley drains under New Farmers Accommodation Bridge (19) and Old Farmers Accommodation Bridge (20). After a shorter lunch break than normal, the final clearance and inspection of the day was culvert 20A. Then it was back to Winchcombe to warm up with a cup of tea in the mess room at Churchward House, before departing for home before the sunset.

Jonathan cleans out the inlet of cross drain 19A.

John attends to the down side toe ditch on the low mileage end of cross drain 19B.

Tree wise men? Left to right - Martin, Nigel, Roger.

Wildlife report: Not surprisingly for a cold day, animal sightings were few. However we did get brief glimpses of a hare at Didbrook and a weasel at bridge 20. As usual with clearance operations, a friendly robin or two soon appeared at most culverts/cross drains.

Thursday 28^th November

With nine of the team attending, our group split was 4, 3, 2.

Roger, John, Ian and Peter headed to Toddington then down the vacant trackbed towards Didbrook. Once again we abandoned the planned repair to the inlet of culvert 15A at Didbrook. For the second week running the embankment side being too slippery to negotiate safely, today it was due to severe frost. So it was straight on to Old Farmers Accommodation Bridge (20) to clear vegetation around the cess chambers, mileposts and other lineside items towards Chicken Curve. Here they met with the second group.

Up side cess drain exit headwall, empties into the ditch that runs down to the outlet of cross drain 20B. Winchcombe down outer home signal behind the Transit truck. [Photo by Dave]

Nigel, Martin and Dave were the second group of three. They traveled direct to Chicken Curve to undertake the clearance and internal visual inspection of cross drains 20B and 20C. 20B is one which just carries the down side cess; but the up side cess also empties into the outlet through a complex pipe route to avoid a high pressure gas main and a long ditch. 20C is a bigger structure as it carries a stream; and the outlet of the balancing pound in the orchard. Not surprisingly after storm Bert over the previous weekend this was flowing. A team of seven really does make ditch clearing quicker!

Looking the other way from the picture above, four of the team are at work clearing the up side ditch on the low mileage side of 20B. [Photo by Dave]

 

 

 

 

Another small repair job for our brick layer - half a dozen bull nose coping bricks on the down side cess exit to 20B have had a close encounter with a robo flail.

 

The combined group then moved on to tackle the clearance of the cess chambers between Greet Road bridge at Winchcombe and the south portal of Greet Tunnel. They also cleared the chambers on the cutting crest on the down (Cotswold) side; the crest drain here collects a large volume of water which flows off Langley Hill. With seven in the group and five brushcutters in action, they were able to complete this task before lunchtime.

Meanwhile, the remaining two (Jonathan and Andrew) visited Little Buckland. This was to view the progress on the drainage works at Archer Farm with the farm’s owner. This includes some modifications of the inlet of cross drain 5B. The drainage contractor has also commenced deepening and straightening the embankment toe ditch along side the farm. We were able to accurately determine the point where the flow in this changes from towards 5B to north towards cross drain 5A. The effect of storm Bert was evident with standing water where the field is yet to be re-profiled – when the work is complete this will drain into 5B.

Deepened and straightened down side to ditch on the high mileage end of cross drain 5B at Little Buckland. It will not require dredging out for a fair number of years!

 

Can I have one of these for Christmas, please! Jonathan examines the excavator at Archer Farm.

 

Next for the group of two was a check of Meadow Lane bridge at Laverton. The roadside silt traps were less than one third full; the gullies were flowing so the only action required was to remove a small quantity of leaves and debris. Hopefully this will prevent any deep flooding here in the next month of so. Finally on to Didbrook for another post storm Bert check. This was culvert 14B – it was still flowing strongly. No obstructions on the outlet (up or Malvern side); but the storm had deposited more old sleepers from an old occupation bridge on the down side inlet. These are in the stream by the footpath bridge just outside of the railway boundary. We will return with more manpower to remove them before another storm washes them into the bore of the culvert. (Full length wet sleepers are far to heavy for a two-man lift).

Old sleepers deposited above 17B inlet courtesy of Storm Bert.

Did you know that the footpath bridge just outside railway land by the inlet of 17B is named "Frank's Bridge"?

 

Following lunch (in the warm of the Churchward House mess), all nine found some useful housekeeping jobs in Winchcombe Yard. Some of these are a prelude to a bigger reorganization that will be required when the S&T move to their workshop and the C&M lead yard sort out completes.

Wildlife report: Lots of pheasants this week – on the track bed and the up (Malvern) side around Didbrook and Hayles Abbey. Maybe there were there as a shoot was taking place east of Hayles Abbey. Also we noted several wood pigeons, a large flock or crows, a kestrel (so low we at first mistook it for a larger raptor) and as usual several friendly robins. But not so friendly to get close enough to photograph well!

There is a robin there - honest!

 

November – no trains and no rains

Maybe the title of this blog post is not quite 100% accurate. Since the end of the normal running season on 31^st October, we may not have witnessed any passenger trains, but we ensured we stayed clear of shunting movements at both Winchcombe and Toddington. The later were in connection with the departure of the DMU cars to Scotland. For the rainfall, we should insert the word significant. The first two Thursdays in November started dull and damp with a little mist or drizzle but both stayed dry and kept warm. On the 14^th the sun even came out, enabling an al-fresco lunch-break at Hayles Abbey Halt. The important item is no heavy rain; immediately obvious in the watercourses we have inspected – the levels are much down from earlier this year and in comparison with this time last year.

Thursday 7^th November

Seven of the team in attendance; so we split into three groups to work at three different sites.

Jonathan, Polly and Martin continued with the toe ditch reinstatement on the down side alongside Archer Farm at Little Buckland. This included removing some tree stumps with a chain saw. The ditch now extends around 50 yards on the high mileage end of cross drain 5B; getting progressively shallower. As this is now where the adjoining field is slightly higher; there will not be much more excavation to complete.

The small mini-digger is ideal for excavating a narrow ditch in restricted space such as the toe of the embankment on the down side at Little Buckland high mileage of cross drain 5B. [Photo by Jonathan]

Roger and Dave worked on the section between Stanton Fields bridge 7 and Stanton Yard. Essentially this was brush cutting around anything other than culverts and cross drains. So included cess chambers (51 of them!); cess ditch covers, mileposts, slip markers, foundations of an old pway hut and Stanton Aqueduct. The wet summer and early autumn have not been kind to the aqueduct or the down side embankment there. Also noted was a apple tree that has fallen and is partially obstructing the vacant track bed between Stanton main road bridge 8 and Stanton Fields bridge 7.

A down side cess chamber with small retaining wall on the high mileage end of bridge 8, the B4632 main road at Stanton. [Photo by Dave]

 

On the up side just south (high mileage) of bridge 7 is this concrete base, we believe this was the location of an old PWay hut. [Photo by Roger]

Stuart and Andrew attended to culvert/cross drain clearance and visual inspections between Toddington yard exit and Didbrook No2 bridge (thus 14A, 14B, 15A). All had evidence of the heavy rains in September and October. At 14B, an old footbridge in the adjoining land had been washed away, three of the old sleepers from this were inside the bore of the culvert. It was just possible with a two man team to remove these once they had floated out into the outlet pond. Also removed two footballs and one tennis ball. At 15A we noted some displaced slabs in the inlet channel. To fix these will require a return visit with a larger workforce equipped with wellie boots.

Two of the old sleepers and one of the footballs removed from the bore of culvert 14B.

 

Inlet of culvert 15A with the concrete slabs forming the sides - a corner of one that has fallen is just visible in the stream.

Wildlife report: The local pheasants have noted the lack of trains; there were many of them on the line at all three locations. We spotted two weasels - one at Toddington and one at Didbrook (close enough to identify as weasels rather than the bigger stoats). A large patch of wild mint was detected by smell whilst cutting around milepost 10. Finally, with dusk being a lot earlier, we saw large numbers of starlings  heading for a roost near Hayles Abbey Halt.

Thursday 14^th November

Eight of the team attending with work at four sites. Hence not a straightforward allocation of staff to vehicles.

Jonathan and Ian recovered the mini digger from Little Buckland back to Churchward House Yard. Jonathan then cleaned and greased it. Afterwards Ian collected Andrew from Toddington to return to Little Buckland for a site meeting with the farmer at Archer Farm and his drainage contractor. The later is one of the local firms that have undertaken work for the railway in the past. The overflow from the farm’s pond to cross drain 5B has been replaced and whilst the larger digger is on site we agreed on improvements to the embankment toe ditch inside of the railway fence line.

Replacement 225mm twinwall pipe connecting the farm pond overflow with the inlet chamber of cross drain 5B. [Photo by Jonathan]

 

The old concrete pipes removed - most blocked with clay. [Photo by Jonathan]

Nigel, Dave and Martin spent the whole day on clearing two cross drains, one culvert and one bridge. These being 16A, 16B and 16C at Didbrook and bridge 17A south of Hayles Abbey Halt. 17A is big enough to be classed as a bridge. Here there was a considerable obstruction in the inlet stream – yet another instance of large branches and other debris washed down by the heavy rains in September and October.

There is a stream down there somewhere - the upstream side of bridge 17A before clearing. [Photo by Dave]

And after clearing - headwall of the bridge in the foreground. [Photo by Dave]

Roger and Polly (and initially Andrew) first attended to the cess chambers and other items that needed trimming between Toddington and the south end of Stanway viaduct. This includes the site of missing milepost 9¼. The new up side crest drain installed by Walsh earlier this year was inspected – the top section was dry but with signs of recent water flow.

An inspection chamber on the new up side crest drain at Toddington North, Stanway viaduct in the background. The stabled goods vehicles look authentic - but in the 1940s chambers did not have blue mesh lids. (Plus there would have been telegraph poles!)

The up side slip markers were checked, no noticeable movement detected. A worrying discover was signs of badger activity at the end of the Toddington North siding. There is a hole in the ballast in the 4 foot under the last wagon (a ballast hopper) by the buffer stop. On the down side there are holes in the embankment with fresh earth and on the up side behind mile post 9 there are signs of digging.

In Toddington car park, forlorn unrestored class 117 DMBS W51372 awaits it's transport back to Scotland.

Before joining the rest of the team at Hayles Abbey Halt for lunch, Roger, Polly, Ian and Andrew checked various chambers around Toddington Signal Box. This is were the complex feeds from the car park, loco shed and up and down cess merge, then flow eventually to the down side ditch towards cross drain 14A. Fortunately we did not find any obstructions.

Lunch time at Hayles Abbey Halt - left to right Nigel. Dave, Martin. Usually the weather requires us to use the shelter here rather than the outside bench.

After lunch, Nigel, Dave and Martin completed the clearance at bridge 17A; whilst Roger and Ian attended to clearing the cess chambers between Didbrook No2 bridge and Hayles Abbey Halt. Polly and Andrew undertook the visual inspection of cross drains 16A, 16B, and culvert 16C. We also cleared fallen leaves from the roadside gullies under Didbrook No2 bridge (16); this is another location where heavy rain can cause problems. Part of cross drain 16A empties into a roadside gully on the down side – here the headwall has been damaged, probably by a flail clearing the verge of the road. We measured up for the rebuilt – surprisingly at least 50 bricks will be needed!

Polly clears the roadside gullies under Didbrook No2 bridge.

The damaged headwall of the 16A down side outlet at Didbrook.

Wildlife report: A buzzard at Little Buckland; flocks of finches at Didbrook, evidence of badgers at Toddington North (see above). Unlike the past few weeks, we saw very few pheasants.

Double figures

Thursday 24^th October

This was a historic day for the team—for the first time ever in the GWSR history the number of drainage team members working was in double figures. Yes, all ten of us were in! Primarily this was to enable all the team to undertake the confined spaces training lead by Kevin Jarvis. Kevin also mentioned that this is the first time ever a whole department has completed this training in one session. The training (and exam) took about 90 minutes—so it was after morning coffee break we set out from Winchcombe.

Jonathan, Ian and Peter headed south to Cheltenham to attend to a couple of small jobs. First was to remove silt and debris from the road gully which runs just outside the down side crossing gate opposite Cheltenham Racecourse Signal box. They also deepened the soak away on the low mileage end of the crossing. Hopefully this will stop the large puddle forming on the crossing by the down (platform 1) line when there is heavy rain—and thus keep the signalman's feet dry when exchanging tokens.

Gully just outside of the down side of the crossing gate at Cheltenham Racecourse Signalbox cleared out. [Photo by Jonathan]

The second job was to secure the blue mesh chamber lid on the cess drain in the 6 foot right by the north portal of Hunting Butts tunnel. The clamps had been removed, possibly by trespassers or possibly by the contractors working for GCC on the cycleway.

It is a tight squeeze in the 6 foot at Hunting Butts; the sleeper ends touch the concrete rings of the chamber. Acceptable as these are sidings, not running lines. [Photo by Jonathan]

Our colleagues from the Wednesday Lineside Clearance team have been working at Hunting Butts in recent weeks to clear access for an external inspection of the tunnel portal. This view from above was taken on Wednesday 23rd October. There is no access for the Timberwolf chipper - so all cut material had to be burnt. [Photo by Ian S]

The other seven team members traveled north to Little Buckland. Nigel and Polly sorted out some minor brick work repairs to the down side of culvert 4A and later re-pointed most of the cracks on the up side.

Polly attending to re-pointing around the barrel of the up (Malvern) side headwall of culvert 4A.

Dave, Stuart and Martin got stuck in with brush cutting. One section was on the down side low mileage of culvert 4A to reach a toe drain chamber and an badger set to enable inspection.

Badger sett entrance.

The other section was on the high mileage of cross drain 5B alongside Archer Farm, to ensure the mini digger can access the length where the toe ditch needs digging out.

South of 5B ready for re-excavating the toe ditch.

 

Roger and Andrew went to cross drain 3A at Peasbrook Farm to complete the inspection of this. This involved putting the confined spaces training and procedure into practice, as to clear logs and other wooden debris from the up side outlet chamber entry was required.

Outlet chamber of 3A at Peasbrook is a confined space - as demonstrated by Roger. Note the gas detection unit deployed before entering.

Then with the repairs to 4A completed, that was inspected. After lunch, it was clearing and inspecting of culvert 5C and cross drain 5D; plus some of the toe drain chambers alongside the up side boundary on the low mileage side of 5D.

Stuart clearing the outlet side of culvert 5C - this is one where the Broadway extension work is starting to show its age.

Wildlife report: The warm sunny weather had brought out the insects, several butterflies (Red Admiral) and lots of flies noted. A kestrel was spotted hovering over culvert 4A once we had finished - no doubt looking for small mammals. No sign of the badgers who occupy the sett on down side low mileage of culvert 4A today. Near to this under the hedge line we spotted a pheasant's nest. Also apparent was a multitude of fungi growing on the sections of south facing embankment that we have recently cleared at Little Buckland.

Sunday 27^th October

The second day of the Autumn Showcase (aka Mixed Traction Gala) is our traditional department day out. Seven of the team met at Winchcombe for a whole line round trip; with suitable breaks first at Broadway then at Toddington. An important aspect of the trip is to met and chat with other departments and teams. As we were all off duty, lunch was taken in the bar section of the Cotswold Halt – a very comfortable and peaceful spot. Quite a bit of our time at Toddington was spent chatting to the chaps on the 76077 Toddington Standard Locomotive stand; and inspecting the boiler for that locomotive. One of the team is also an active supporter of that group, so some of us bought raffle tickets. Maybe Lady Luck was smiling on us, as both the first and second prizes were won by members of our team.

2807 in world war II  unlined black livery with Caerphilly works style GWR lettering at Winchcombe - at least one team member mistook it for 3850 (also currently in black).

Green diesels in the C&W down side yard at Winchcombe.

Like a lot of folk, we ensured we took a ride on the class 117 DMU, as this was it’s last day in service before departing for Scotland. Certainly unusual to see the DMU getting as much attention as steam and diesel locomotives.

Enjoying the rear view from the 117 DMU leaving Winchcombe.

Last 3-car class 117 DMU arrival at Cheltenham.

Unusual view for us of the Malvern Hills framed by a Mk I compartment window.

We rounded the day off with a very enjoyable meal at Ye Olde Hobnails Inn at Little Washbourne. We did not encounter the resident pub ghost, but we certainly agreed the food was excellent both in quality and quantity.

Thursday 31^st October

A glorious autumn day—perfect for working outdoors, sunny, warm but not too hot and importantly no rain. And with two steam trains to interrupt work! Seven of the team enjoyed the day; the last normal operating day of the 2024 season.

The most significant item was the commencement of the excavation to the toe ditch on the down side high mileage of cross drain 5B alongside Archer Farm at Little Buckland. Jonathan was operating the mini digger, with Polly and Peter providing assistance with clearing more vegetation and broken bits of fence. At the end of the day the ditch extended through the hump on the high mileage side of the cross drain. With a short side extension into the farm's field the big puddle in the field started to drain. This really pleased the farm’s owner. Peter also spent some time clearing out more obstructions from the ditch on the low mileage side of 5B.

Jonathan operating the digger whilst Polly and Peter check the ditch on the low mileage side of 5B at Little Buckland.

First job for the digger was to clear a flat area to enable safe work to commence on the excavation of the ditch. [Photo by Jonathan]

Peter waves to 3850 on a down train passing Archer Farm - hedge/fence/ditch clearing has opened up this location. [Note - this picture was taken from the grounds of Archer Farm with permission of the farm's owner.]

 

Reinstated down side toe ditch south of 5B - dug out to the low point in the adjoining field. More to dig next week! [Photo by Jonathan]

Side ditch into the field already filling with water. [Photo by Jonathan]

The other four attendees first attended to some clearance and inspection items left over from last week. Nigel and Dave attended to the up side toe drain chambers north of Laverton Meadow Lane bridge.

Nigel locates one of the up side toe drain chambers - this drain runs almost the whole length between culvert 5C and cross drain 5D. [Photo by Dave]

Whilst Roger and Andrew tackled the down side north of of culvert 4A. This is the site of a badger sett, with many entrances. Unlike the two entrances uncovered last week, some of these appear still to be active. We also found badger bedding inside the toe drain chamber by rail length 18 of milepost 6.

Summer lodging for a badger - it will be too wet in the winter!

 

Once the 12.15 from Broadway passes it is time for lunch. Quite rare for us to be in just the right place at just the right time on a day with just the right weather - and for the loco crew to oblige with a fine exhaust. (35006 P&O at Laverton Meadow Lane)

After lunch the gang of four completed the clearance and inspection of cross drain 6A, culvert 6B, cross drain 6C and culvert 7A. Also cleared around milepost 7 & quarter (the one that was lost in the undergrowth a few years ago); the fences at the foot crossing by culvert 6B and it's sound whistle signs.  Between culvert 7A and bridge 8 (B4632 main road at Stanton) a safe vehicle parking spot was cleared.

A scenic view to illustrate the location of cross drain 6A - that is Bredon Hill in the distance.

To avoid entering confined spaces, for some inspections we use a remotely operated camera. This is the outlet (up side) of 6A.

Outlet side of syphon culvert 7A, showing the depth of water due to the shallowness of the ditch in the adjoining property.

The outlet of culvert 7A on the upside is going to need some more work, but the main problem here is the ditch in the adjoining property is too shallow. There is some flow out, but our observations indicate quite a bit of the flow from the stream which comes under the B4632 road appears to be going into the cess drains then flowing north to culvert 6B.

Autumn glory - with the sunshine now from the up side, 3850 approaches the B4632 main road bridge (8) at Staverton with a mid-afternoon down train.

Wildlife report: Not a great deal of interest noted (apart from the evidence of badgers at Little Buckland). Several crows, one buzzard and a few pheasants were noted. Plus quite a few unidentified fungi.