Full house again

Full house on two scores. Firstly all eleven members of the team were in attendance on our last working day in January; and one of the tasks completed was reinstating the last missing milepost. However, there are still 22 other mileposts on the running line that require replacement with a correct GWR style head featuring numerals in the correct font.

After an absence of many years - milepost 9¼ is finally back! Toddington North cutting near the down bracket signal.

Thursday 30^th January

With the telehandler in use to move materials at Gretton, the team allocation to vehicles on departure from Winchcombe Yard was 4-4-2-1. (I’m beginning to feel like a football team manger trying out different team formations!)

Three vehicles headed for culvert 24A at the top of the haul road opposite the Royal Oak at Gretton. Jonathan drove the telehandler, whilst Roger, Nigel, Dave, Martin, Polly and Peter plus most of the materials and tools followed in the tail-lift Transit and the Isuzu. First task was to pump the outlet pit dry. Once dry enough; the tasks were to lay some more rows of concrete blocks for the new chamber, and to install the 450mm diameter twinwall extension pipe and elbow. The later turned out to be rather challenging; but the use of some recovered BR era hollow concrete blocks as supports helped. Polly concentrated on the block laying, Roger on the pipe installation and Nigel was chief mixer. Dave and Martin undertaking most of fetch and carrying. Peter and Jonathan took the tail-lift Transit to Bishops Cleeve to collect one tonne of pea gravel from Elliots Building Supplies. They also collected some ply wood pallets which we will deconstruct to form shuttering. On return the pea gravel was taken up the haul road by the telehanlder; as neither of our Transits can manage such a heavy load up the steep slope.

Chamber construction - concrete blocks up to above the top of the pies. Then it will be GRP rings above.

 

Meanwhile the other group, Andrew, Ian, John, Stuart, headed north to Little Buckland. The route was a little devious and scenic, as the B4632 was closed between Toddington roundabout and Grange Farm for gas main repair. (This closure is scheduled for a few weeks). At Little Buckland we met the owner of Archer Farm and his drainage contractor to view the work undertaken there; this has included a significant clean out of the embankment toe ditch alongside the farm. During this work they have discovered a sealed cross drain pipe running under the track. This is between cross drains 5A and 5B, about 20 yards south of 5A. There is an inlet pipe from the farm at the same point in the down (Cotswold) side toe ditch. On the up side the pipe is sealed; as there is no longer a working toe ditch at the foot of the embankment. We have quite a few unanswered questions about this. When was it installed? It is not shown on the original GWR plans of the line; nor on the land registry maps. When was it sealed? We know that 5A and the down side of 5B were rebuilt in 2016 as part of the Broadway extension work. What structure number shall we give this? We think best not to renumber 5B, 5C and 5D. And finally, what shall we do about it? One option is to leave it sealed, with all the northbound flow in the down side ditch going to 5A. The other option is to unseal it and re-excavate a toe ditch on the up (Malvern) side back to 5A. Both of these options depend on the outlet of 5A; which outside of railway land alongside the Little Buckland Road is a very shallow ditch which quickly disappears. There is some evidence of overflowing from this ditch onto the road and then back to the gullies under the bridge. Like Laverton Meadow Lane and Didbrook No2 bridges, the road here is susceptible to flooding during heavy rains. The road gullies empty into some long lengths of small bore pipe with a shallow gradient. So what ever we do, we can not add to flow in those pipes. We will make some more investigations; then discuss with our engineers, the land owners and the highway authority.

The deepened and straightened toe ditch on the down side along side Archer Farm. Looking south from the location of cross drain 5A.

 

The rediscovered cross drain and inlet pipes. Temporary board to try to get any flow to run south to 5B rather than to 5A.

Ian, Stuart and John investigate the sealed end of the rediscovered cross drain on the up (Malvern) side. No evidence of a ditch across the field.

Cross drain 5A outlet - beyond the fence it is a ditch that quickly disappears. Little Buckland Road at a lower level on the right - bridge 5 is just to the right of the picture.

 

A different scenic detour took the group back to Toddington station for a walk up the line to install the head of milepost 9¼. Unlike two weeks ago, when a trolley was required to move the bridge rail length, we could easily manage carrying the new head; the bolts to secure it with, a drill to drill the holes, a spanner to tighten the nuts and, most importantly, a spirit level to ensure the head was level. So now all the quarter miles on the running line (4¾ to 19) have a marker of sorts – but they are not yet all the correct GWR pattern. One marker will never have a proper post; that is 12½, as it is inside Greet tunnel. It is a white paint mark on up side tunnel wall. It is almost in the middle of the tunnel, 15 chains in from south (Winchcombe) portal; 17 chains in from north (Gretton) portal. After Toddington North the group ventured to Gotherington to repeat the head installation exercise for milepost 15½; located between the platform ends and the signal box.

Proper heritage mile post 15½ sits well alongside the private collection of railway items at Gotherington.

 

 

 

Whilst at Gotherington they noted the work undertaken by our Lineside Clearance team and a vegetation contractor on the down side embankment. This has included the removal of a large multi-trunk tree that was growing far too close the inlet of cross drain 35B. This clearance work has also improved access to the chambers on the boundary hedge/fence for the pipe which connects the cess drain in the old 6 foot through the platforms to cross drain 35A. So a quick check that all was well there was undertaken. Then back to Gretton to join up with the rest of the team opposite the Royal Oak.

What a transformation - the down side embankment at Gotherington with the stump of the tree removed from the inlet of cross drain 35B.

Before a late lunch, all 11 of us spent a hectic hour finishing today’s chamber block laying and packing pea gravel around the twinwall extension pipe. When using rapid curing cement you have to be quick!

Orange army! Seven of the team (and the shadow of the photographer) at work on 24A.

 

Stuart ensures pea gravel is packed under the extension pipe.

 

After lunch Jonathan with the telehandler and Ian and Stuart returned to Winchcombe Yard. Here the task was to extract some old dumpy bags filled with pea gravel and other material which we can use as infill at 24A. These were at the back of an area which S&T require for outdoor storage. As some of the old dumpy bags were rotten, this task involved quite a lot of shovelling to transfer the contents to better condition bags. The rest of the team tidied up the site at Gretton. Another example of inter-department cooperation here; PWay have loaned us a lockable tool store to deploy on site. This means a lot less shifting of tools and items like bags of cement at the beginning and end of each days work.

Just enough warmth in the sun for an al-fresco lunch. Use of the ballast shoulder as a seat can only be undertaken when the line is closed under a possession. (Left to Right Nigel, Roger, Martin, Dave - the other team members preferred the tail lift of the Transit  and the back of the Ranger).

 

Sate of construction at the end of the day. Another 20 blocks needed for the chamber and around 3 more tonnes of pea gravel to cover the pipe. Then it will be bring in the infill.

The tools that won't fit the tool store are loaded on the tail lift Transit for the journey back to Winchcombe. Its our favourite view from the line here - at its best on a clear sunny winter's day with no leaves on the trees.

Last task was to turn off the pump on the inlet (down or Cotswold side), so water starts running through the new extension for the first time.

Next week we plan to complete the block courses of the new chamber; then we can start the task of infilling the hole. So our ‘shutdown’ project is on schedule, we are looking forward to seeing Cheltenham Gold Cup race trains heading past a graded landscaped area at the top of the haul road.

Wildlife report: Close encounters with large mammals today – a large dog fox at Little Buckland and a couple of muntjac deer at Gotherington. Bird wise nothing unusual to note – just the plentiful number of red kites, kestrels, buzzards, and robins. Very noticeable was an increase in back birds, both in numbers and the volume of their song. It must be that spring is on the way! Confirmation of this was the observation of the first flowering of snowdrops . On the sunny side of the cutting at Toddington North it is very apparent the other spring bulbs are rapidly growing. Not quite so on the shady side.

Wet and dirty - for a change

 

A common misconception is that we in the Drainage team spent every working day in chambers or ditches, getting wet and dirty excavating silt and mud. This is far from the truth! However, occasionally there are days when that does apply, the fourth week of January was one. At least for some of the team.

Thursday 23^rd January

Eight of the team in attendance, all occupied with one task – the rebuilding of the main outlet of culvert 24A opposite the Royal Oak at Gretton. Hence it was a convoy of three vehicles that set off from Winchcombe Yard, with the blue LWB tail-lift transit laden down with tools and materials. We had not used some of the tools, such as the cement mixer, the portable generator, and the submersible pumps for several weeks. So these all required checking before we set off.

The first job on site was to pump out the pond between the under tack bore and the under haul road pipe; also to pump out the inlet chamber on the down side to prevent water flowing through the bore. The main source of water is through the down side low mileage cess drains that run back to Greet tunnel, but there was also some flow from the stream that enters from the bottom of the pub garden. Nigel was chief pump operator (well qualified as a former firefighter). Once the water level was low enough, Roger and Andrew donned wellingtons to enter the pool to determine the exact location of the new chamber and to measure the lengths of the 450mm twinwall pipe to be added. Once the pipe lengths were determined, Jonathan and Peter headed back to Winchcombe to cut the 6m length of pipe to size and bring it back to site.

Submersible pump inserted into the down side inlet chamber of 24A.

Roger (left) in the pond and Nigel establishing the position of the new chamber. Its size is dictated by the GRP catchpit ring just behind Roger.

Meanwhile, Dave, Martin and Ian undertook some landscaping of the surrounding area. After removing logs, tree stumps and old sleepers from the remaining area of scrub between the top of the haul road and the vacant up side track bed; this was brush cut. They stacked the logs by the boundary fence; the old sleepers were placed on the downhill edge of the haul road and the tree stump remains went to a compost pile. They also cleared the outlet ditch of 24A downstream of the haul road. Over the years this ditch has scoured quite a deep course. So some recovered mostly broken concrete slabs were placed in this ditch as anti-scouring material. With no water flowing through the culvert, this task was much easier. More like laying a crazy paving path.

Martin recovering another old sleeper from the area between the top of the haul road and the vacant track bed where the up line was.

 

Logs piled near the boundary fence to create a wildlife habitat for insects and small mammals.

Not a crazy paving path! Broken slabs in the bottom of the 24A outlet ditch to prevent more downcutting. John and Dave clearing by the boundary hedge.

 

With the position of the new chamber marked, Nigel mixed some mortar using rapid drying cement. This does dry very rapidly, so the best method is to mix just a bucket load at once by hand. Roger was on block laying duty; with Andrew bailing out the hole and attempting to remove as much silt and mud as possible. By lunch time, the first course of blocks were laid.

Half of the first course of blocks laid; water on the left shows the edge of the concrete base which we laid in 2019.

The tricky first course of blocks for the new chamber completed. New 450mm twinwall pipe, elbow bend and a GRP catchpit ring in the background.

 

A view from the down side outlet through the bore of 24A. In a few weeks time the only way to get a shot like this will be with a remote CCTV unit.

Unlike the past three weeks, lunch was on site rather than in the Churchward House Mess. Certainly not al-fresco, as a short sharp heavy shower of rail came through. After lunch, we trial fitted the new length of 450mm twinwall pipe; checking for vertical as well as horizontal position. As this will need to sit on the second course of blocks of the new chamber; we did not fit it. We also decided to let the mortar for first course of blocks to fully harden – so we will add the subsequent courses next week. Hence after lunch the team spent some time tidying the site; removing broken bricks from the excavated infill and keeping an eye on the pumps. The last thing before heading back was to turn the pumps off – and within five minutes water was flowing through the main bore. Hence the first job next week will be to pump this out again.

An archaeological mystery. There is the remains of a small diameter steel or iron pipe on the high mileage end of the old headwall. That end of the headwall is in remarkably good condition; all the mortar joint are solid.  We have removed all the loose bricks.

Wildlife report: Evidence of another mammal was spotted near the top of the haul road – moles. There were several piles of nice fine soil in tell tail mole hill shapes. No sign of any mice today – after watching BBC-tv Winterwatch, some of the team think that last weeks sighting was a wood mouse not a field mouse. There certainly are plenty of small mammals around, as in the sky we spotted Red Kites, Buzzards and a Kestrel. Another Red Kite was circling very low over platform 2 at Winchcombe; whilst one member reported a sighting of a Peregrine falcon on his journey home.

A large hole has appeared ...

... and at least four men are looking into it.

Jonathan, Nigel, Polly and John contemplate the hole at 24A. Old headwall just visible at the bottom.

 

But no need to worry, it was intended. This was the main phase of demolition and excavation for the rebuilt of the under track outlet of culvert 24A on the up (Malvern) side opposite the Royal Oak at Gretton.

Thursday 16^th January

Almost a full team arrived at a lovely sunny, but cold, Winchcombe. However, mist and fog was not far away, all of the team reported instances of low or very low visibility on their various journeys in.

Initially our split was 5-3-2. The group of five, Dave, Ian, Peter, Stuart and Martin finally resumed our milepost replacement programme. With the line closed for PWay work at Didbrook, both of the main sets of carriages are at Winchcombe, so the platform roads at Toddington are empty. We took advantage of this rare occurrence, to use use a Permaquip trolley to convey tools and materials from the steam loco yard up to Toddington North cutting. This is one of the locations which is very difficult to access except on foot. Carrying a 6 foot length of bridge rail and a bag of Postcrete cement by hand is an impossible task. Hence the use of the trolley. The objective was to insert the bridge rail as the upright for long missing 9¼ milepost near to the Toddington down bracket signal. A crowbar was found to be the best tool to make a two foot hole in the ground in which to plant the post. A bag of Postcrete and a splash of water to fix the post and it was job done. The already manufactured head will be installed in a couple of weeks time.

Ian uses the crowbar to start the hole for 9¼. [Photo by Dave]

 

Peter celebrates after checking the position of the post - vertical in the plane parallel to the track, a slight lean away in the plane at right angles. [Photo by Dave]

Then the milepost team repeated the exercise at Gotherington. Again, this is a not an easy site to reach with heavy materials because of the double track of the loop. Here the task was to replace milepost 15½. Although this was in reasonable condition (thanks to Bryan at Gotherington Station) it was mounted on a wooden post and the hollow wooden head needed some attention. The group followed the same process to inset a length of bridge rail. A new solid wood head is also ready for fitting here in a few weeks time; the replaced head and cast figures will be refurbished and reused. Quite possibly for milepost 15¼; which the group passed on their trolley trips to and from Gotherington Yard. This is currently a BR style yellow metal head on a wooden post; but at least it is now vertical. Having planted two mileposts before lunchtime, the group contacted the team leader, expecting to be directed to help out at 24A, Gretton. However, both the other groups had also completed their planned tasks for the day; so it was a return to Winchcombe. So for the third Thursday in a row, lunch was in the Churchward House Mess; much more room and more importantly, much warmer.

A reasonable head but on a wooden post - not 100% authentic! Martin about to undertaken the removal at Gotherington. [Photo by Dave]

 

The replacement bridge rail post is far more appropriate for a heritage site. [Photo by Dave]

15¼ gets some attention. [Photo by Dave]

The group of three was Nigel, Polly and John whose initial task was replacing six coping bricks on a down side cess headwall that is part of culvert 20B at Chicken Curve. A straightforward job and quickly executed by our top class bricklayer. Two short marker poles were added behind the headwall to make the location more obvious to operators of robot flails and other clearance devices. Then it was back to Winchcombe Yard to collect a supply of concrete blocks and off to 24A at Gretton.

Cess outlet headwall of 20B at Chicken Curve back to full health - and with marker poles to make it more visible. [Photo by John]

 

Meanwhile, the remaining two (Jonathan and Andrew) had gone straight to Working Lane, Gretton and up the haul road to 24A opposite the Royal Oak pub. However, the excavator driver from our contractor beat us to it – he had the machine warming up. So, after removing the red plastic safety barriers from the trackside, and some remains of an aggregate enclosure from the 2019 work here; digging commenced. The large excavator with a skilful operator (Mark) made quick work of digging down to end of the bore. We carefully monitored this, as we knew there was a buried S&T cable which had to remain intact. The old (probably BR era) extension with brick walls and now badly corroded steel plate lids came out easily in a couple of bucket loads. To our surprise, this revealed a complete brick headwall with lovely coping stones. As the copings were in very good condition; we carefully removed them; they will be very useful elsewhere. However, the mortar of the top few courses of the headwall was shot; so these were removed.

Still some mist around as Tom Clarke's big excavator gets to work.

 

The mist recedes and the excavation gets deeper.

The exposed old headwall, after removal of the coping stones. Before the extension was added, the edge of the embankment must have been very close to the old up line.

By the time that bricking group arrived with the concrete blocks; most of the excavation was complete. Just a little bit more digging to ensure the sides of the hole were stable; and to give sufficient room around the site of our new chamber; and then it was job done. Some of the old bricks from the headwall; and various bits of concrete slab found in the undergrowth were taken to the exit ditch of 24A on the far side of the haul road as anti-scouring material.

Whilst excavation was in progress, we had a visit from the editorial team of UK Plant Operators magazine. With the Railway’s press office permission; they were collecting material for an article on our work, particularly on how we use a combination of our own plant and that of contractors. They also took some drone shots and filmed an interview with the team leader. So look out for that on their YouTube channel (@ukplantoperatorstv).

UK Plant Operators magazine staff filming progress.

Final scoops to stabilise the sides and make sufficient room for the chamber.

Safety barriers back in place. The undamaged S&T cable is visible. No access for vehicles along vacant trackbed of the old up line for the next few weeks.

One of the recovered end coping stones from the old headwall - it has chamfers on two edges.

 

After lunch, we undertook some unplanned tasks. Our supplier of pipes had delivered the length of 450mm twinwall pipe and a 22½° elbow collar for the 24A work. So they were safely stored by the wooden shed. Some of the team made a quick visit to Stanton; to see how Walsh’s are getting on with the rebuild of wings walls of bridge 10. They also took the opportunity to fit end caps to the safety rails we installed on the down side headwall of cross drain 11B last year. Back in the yard, other members attended to wheelbarrow maintenance; stripping a broken brush cutter to enable a welding repair, and extracting the replacement heads for mileposts 9¼ and 15½ ready for installation. With the increase in the team’s numbers (eleven of us now), we will be able to make better progress on the milepost replacement programme. Ian and Stuart have volunteered to organise this, plus the programme of fitting safety markers and handrails to headwalls that are less visible.

However, the focus of the team for the next few weeks it to get the extension to 24A and it’s new chamber built; and that large hole in-filled. Cheltenham Gold Cup Race trains can not be delayed!

Wildlife report: A field mouse was noted hurrying away at Gretton as we started work. Great tits, long tail tits, kestrels, red kites and buzzards were amongst the bird life observed there. In Winchcombe Yard we noted several pied wagtails. No sign yet of any spring flowers, but we are only half way through metrological winter just now!

Inspections complete, demolition started, roads cleared

The title of this post neatly sums up the achievements of the team on (so far) the coldest day of the winter.

Thursday 9^th January

Eight of the team braved the cold weather. Minus 5C was the lowest temperature reported on the journeys to Winchcome, at Sedgebarrow. The maximum day time temperature was not much above 3C, but at least it was sunny.

First the inspections. John, Polly and Andrew headed to Cheltenham, south of the station to undertake the annual visual inspections and clearance of culvert 45A at Wymans Brook and 44A just south of Hunting Butts tunnel. More evidence of the autumn and winter storms at the later, with fallen trees and branches lying on both the inlet and outlet headwalls. Removing these will be a task for a bigger group with saws. Fortunately there were sufficient gaps in the branches to see the headwalls, and nothing in the stream impeding the flow. Then it was back to Gotherington, to complete the inspection of culvert 33B at the yard by the Skew Bridge. In our haste to finish at lunchtime last week, we had overlooked checking the small chamber where the low mileage down side cess is piped to the culvert inlet. How we forgot that is a mystery; it was one we rebuilt early last year. Then the final inspection; cross drain 25B at Gretton. Unusually this claimed the accolade of the last item inspected this season as it required low water levels. The outlet from this briefly enters the adjoining field on the up side; the landowner has recently excavated his section of ditch; so the water level was back to normal.

The down (Cotswold) side entry to culvert 45A, Wymans Brook, is a very deep manhole. This is just inside our boundary, on both north/south and east/west axis. The brook is piped from the lake in Pittville Park; the pipe then enters the original culvert bore to the right of this manhole.

We are going to need more than a hedge trimmer to clear the fallen trees on the access to the down side of culvert 44A.

On the west side of the road by Gotherington Skew bridge is an odd headwall constructed of fake Cotswold stone blocks. Maybe these were sourced from a garden centre many years ago.

 

The chamber we missed last week - 33B low mileage down side cess.

With the water level below the outlet pipe, we can now see what passes for a headwall at cross drain 25B.

 

Next the demolition. Jonathan and Martin travelled to the top of the haul road opposite the Royal Oak at Gretton. The task was the preparations for the rebuild of the outlet of culvert 24A. First item was the removal of the temporary parapet wall alongside the vacant up side track bed. Temporary in this case was just under 5 years.

Gone! The great (temporary) wall of Gretton above the outlet of culvert 24A. [Photo by Martin]

 

Next was clearing of vegetation to create a working space for the required plant and materials. Useful assistance for this came from the robo flail of Tom Clarke, as this was on site to clear some of the vegetation towards Greet tunnel.

Robo flail making short work of clearing a working space. [Photo by Jonathan]

 

Then some manual excavations in the outlet pond between the trackbed and the haul road to confirm the exact location of the concrete base for the new chamber. We had cast this back in 2019!

Inside of the 24A extension (probably BR(W) era) with brick walls and now corroded steel plate roof. This we will replace with a pipe to the new chamber. [Photo by Jonathan]

The outlet pool of 24A between the trackbed and the haul road; this is where the new chamber will go. [Photo by Jonathan]

 

A very temporary safety barrier now above the 24A outlet. (Yes the modern red plastic items do have some useful deployments.) This will be very temporary; will be gone by the time Gold Cup race trains run. Note the Malvern Hills in the distance.

 

The road clearance team was Nigel, Dave and Peter. Following the heavy rain and snow melt the previous Monday; we suspected some flooding still to be present under some of the troublesome underbridges. The first location checked was bridge 6, Laverton Meadow Lane. The flood had receded there; so it was just a case of clearing the silt traps under the bridge and ensuring the roadside gully grills were free of debris. Then a similar exercise at bridge 16, Didbrook No2. Same situation; apart from the fact this bridge does not have hard silt traps at the roadside beneath it. At both locations, we think the main cause of the flooding after heavy or prolonged rain is that the exit pipes of the roadside gullies are too small to handle the volume of water. Hence the deep puddles form and take a few days to drain away.

Bridge 6, Laverton Meadow Lane from the down (Cotswold) side before clearing. [Photo by Dave]

And from the up (Malvern) side after cleaning. [Photo by Dave]

Bridge 16, Didbrook No2, down side low mileage roadside gully cleared. Roadside verge here is soft. [Photo by Dave]

The PWay team working on the Didbrook track relaying above bridge 17. [Photo by Dave]

 

All three groups then met at 24A opposite the Royal Oak. Although midday and sunny; a cold wind had now got up. So not a comfortable spot for lunch. Hence the decision to return to Winchcombe and the warmth of Churchward House. But before that, a couple of quick jobs. Peter tested his wellies (waterproofing and warmth capabilities) by wading into the outlet pool of culvert 24A with tape measure to measure the diameter of the pipes under the trackbed and under the haul road. The new chamber will fit between these. Finally three of the team attended to the outlet ditch of culvert 24C at the foot of the haul road. Clearing the grill at the boundary fence here is another one of our regular winter tasks.

Regular blog readers will recognise this - the outlet ditch of 24C (up side) at Working Lane. One day we will build a proper silt trap here - but even then that will still need regular cleaning out.

 

After warming up over lunch, the whole team attended to some housekeeping tasks at Winchcombe. This included moving a delivery of cement under cover. Also we combed our stock of twinwall pipes to see if we had any that would be suitable for the 24A rebuild. Unfortunately not, hence we will have to order a new section.

Wildlife report: Working in an urban environment at Wymans Brook we noticed quite a lot more garden birds. Identified were sparrows, yellow wagtails and wrens. Plus the inevitable robins. Behind a large sheet of plywood propped up against the wall of the shed in Winchcombe Yard we discovered a neat nest – again this probably belongs to a robin.