A sunny interlude

Thursday 22^nd October

With named storms Austen and Boelo due to blow in over the weekend, and a couple of days of continuous and occasionally heavy rain at the beginning of the week, we were luck to have a rain free and sunny day. Observing how our ditches, drains, and culverts cope during or just after wet spells is very interesting and informative. And some time unexpected.

Today we carried on working on the Defford straight, with three structure inspections and clearance and several odd jobs. When trains are running working on this section, from Hayles Abbey Halt south to Chicken Curve requires some careful planning. The reason is that there are very few places to safely park a vehicle the required safe distance from the running line; particularity the Transit pick ups with rear wheel drive. The Rangers and Isuzu with their four wheel drive are better, we can get them off the vacant track bed in some places after checking the ground and cutting the grass and brambles. So today, after dropping the two teams at their work sites, Jonathan and Martin (S) took the vehicles on to Toddington before the first down (Cheltenham bound) train departed.

Nigel, Dave and Andrew were the southern most group. They cleared and inspected culvert 20A, and cross drains 19B and 19A. There was nothing flowing through 20A, but both the inlet and outlet ditches were damp. In contrast 19B, which is only just the other side of Old Farmers Accommodation Bridge (20) was bone dry. We expected 19A to be dry as well, but found the outlet ditch damp. The inlet side revealed that the recent flow was all from the down side cess; which indicates that is working well. Ian joined the group, after some workshop time repairing a hedge cutter.

Inlet of 20A, field drain outlet just visible at top. No flow today, but signs of recent water.

Peter and Roger’s initial task was on the inlet chamber of cross drain 18A, which is just on the high mileage of New Farmers Accommodation Bridge (19). This was silt removal and some minor repointing inside the chamber, something that had been on our ‘to do’ list for quite some time. So now crossed off. Unfortunately, whilst there they investigated the toe drain running south – it appears to have some obstructions. So one job off the list; another added!

The block toe drain leading into 18A. [Photo by Roger]

After returning from Toddington with the vehicles (and parking the Transit pick up at Hayles Abbey Halt); Jonathan and Martin (S) cut some steps to improve access at the larger culvert 17B.

Jonathan cutting steps at 17B. [Photo by Martin(S)]

The groups combined to undertake a rod through of 19A. Only a minor amount of silt and some straw came out. But the large diameter plunger end of the road also pushed out quite a bit of water, which indicates the pipe has a bit of dip in it. Whilst rodding was underway, Roger used up his bucket of mortar on another small repointing task.

Roger repointing, whilst Martin (S), Ian and Peter assemble the length of drain rods at 19A.

Last track-side job was to determine the amount of repointing required inside the arch of culvert 17B. Fortunately this is just inside the entrance and exit; but at the exit there is some pooling water which is more than ‘boot’ deep. So some silt removal will be required first.

The pond at the exit end of 17B which will need removing before we attend repointing.

We returned to the mess room in Churchward House for a late lunch. Whilst it was a dry and sunny day; the wind was picking up. After lunch some of the group stayed on to do a bit of tidying up in Winchcombe Yard.

Like with a lot of volunteers on the railway, Stanier Black 5 45110 has been a big hit. We love that hooter than can be heard miles away.

Wildlife report: A pair of dunnocks and a pair of robins were serenading us whilst at Old Farmers Accommodation Bridge. And the skylarks were soaring above the fields – and they were singing away too. Several pheasants were clacking away too; quite a few of their feathers were on the track-side. We also spotted buzzards, red kites and crows, and another flock of finch like birds. One day we will get a closer look to positively identify them. First thing on arrival, some of the team spotted a large roe deer bounding across the line near Hayles Abbey Halt.

Evidence of pheasants.