Wet, Wet, Wet

You can always rely on the English weather! That is relying on the exact opposite of your wants. After one of the driest February’s, March has gone the other way, very wet. This has played havoc with our plan to progress the 11B to 11A upside outlet diversion at Stanton. We do not want to churn up our neighbour’s field by bringing in the digger on a trailer. Plus of course, it is very hard to work in excavations that are filled with water! At least work on the aqueduct repair is generally out of the water.

Thursday 16^th March

Six of the team in action today. Two of the team attended to Stanton Aqueduct. Main activity was to plan the construction of the shuttering for the grout on the up side to restrain the new collar. The area under the trough cleaned out as much as possible including removal of the second old roller. The hole outside of the railway fence on the outlet was covered with a blue mesh cover; anchored into the ground. On the down (Cotswold) side we checked that all the slip marker posts were still upright and in line. We did notice several spots where water is seeping out of the cutting side. The likely source of this water is the land drains in the adjoining field; at one time these may have emptied into the cutting crest ditch. We checked both the up and down side cess drains. The up side is flowing south which eventually takes the water to culvert 11A. The down side cess is a deep concrete U channel which has got some ballast/gravel washed into it. This will need further investigation. The Senior Bridge Inspector met with us on site to discuss the method of filling the up side anchor space with grout and concrete.

Stuart clears out the narrow gap between the aqueduct trough and the concrete foundation. The anchor points for the new collar fit in this gap. [Photo by Dave.]

The other four members of the team attempted to progress the 11B to 11A up side diversion. However the existing outlet ditch was backing up from the boundary exit and its level only went down an inch after a couple of hours pumping with small electric pump. (The larger electric pump was with the C&W electrician for cable repairs, but subsequently was deemed to be beyond repair). Consequently squaring off the hole for the first new chamber and concreting it's base was abandoned, the water was still more than one wellie depth. So instead we moved bricks, blocks, gravel and one concrete ring to site in readiness for when the weather dries out. We also moved sufficient lengths of 225mm twinwall pipe to the line of the new bypass to confirm our marked location for the second new chamber.

This illustrates the reason for this work at Stanton. This is the down (Cotswold) side, standing water at the foot of the embankment and puddles in the adjoining field between bridge 11 and the farm accommodation crossing.

The existing 11B outlet ditch running to the small field drain by the hedge. In the foreground is the hole for the first of the new chambers. The bottleneck caused by this field drain is the root cause of the pooling water here.

Moving the lengths of pipe on the LWB Transit. Polly watches the load as Nigel backs the transit towards bridge 11. Lack of trains helps with this sort of operation.

 

 

However, we did manage to complete one task from our ‘to do’ list; another spot of repointing/mortar fill on the inlet (down side) of 11A. This was one of the few items noted in last summer’s detailed external inspection report for this culvert.

Back at base, Polly, Martin and Nigel dug out the petrol pump and tested it on the yard puddles. Once suitably primed this works well. Should have taken it to site, rather than the small electric one.

Thursday 23^rd March

Wet again!

Following a very heavy rain storm in the Winchcombe area on Wednesday evening / early Thursday morning we re-planned work for the day; once again avoiding use of the minidigger as taking it across the neighbours field at Stanton on the trailer could have made sone deep ruts. There were very deep puddles at the field gate.

With seven of the team in attendance, one group of three headed for Stanton Aqueduct to further progress the design and build of the shuttering for the up side foundation repair. Following a call with the Infrastructure Manager, the method was finally agreed. This is to use both Five Star grout and 40N concrete. Measurements were taken and the quantities estimated so the materials can be ordered. Using a mix of grout and concrete saves quite a few pounds - the grout is relatively expensive.

Following this the team of three installed the replacement bridge rail post for milepost 8¼ (near bottom of the high mileage slope from Stanton Yard). The old milepost was a battered BR style yellow metal head mounted on a round post – the worst example on the line, as noted by a recent post in the Heritage Herald blog.

The refurbished length of bridge rail for milepost 8¼. The blue marks on the ground either side were to ensure it is correctly half way between 8 and 8½. In the background is one of fine pear trees at Stanton. [Photo by Roger]

 

Our plant operative took the telehandler to Toddington Yard. The other three members followed along the railway, stopping at culvert 20C at the high mileage end of Chicken Curve. Following the heavy rain this had been reported as backing up on the inlet side. There was some evidence of this – so we cleared the concrete apron of silt and grass. The bore was just coping with the flow from the stream. The new balancing pond in Chicken Curve down side orchard was inspected; about one third full of water so nothing flowing out of the overflow into 20C. This is going to be a signifiant help in controlling the flow through 20C. Then on to Toddington Yard to met the telehandler. The first of the two remaining stacks of concrete chamber rings was loaded and taken to Stanton Yard. Then a swap of vehicles to take the second LWB Transit back to Toddington to collect the second stack; and then move the telehandler to Stanton. This means that after 3½ years there are now no stacks of drainage chamber rings residing at Toddington.

The new balancing pond on the down (Cotswold) side at Chicken Curve. Not quite finished, but already regulating flow of water into 20C. This is the orchard, newly planted fruit trees on the left. Next spring this will probably be one of the most attractive sites on the line.

 

Culvert 20C inlet (down side) after clearing. In wet periods this always has some standing water, as the outlet on the up (Malvern) side outside of the railway property is a small diameter pipe. That pipe runs along the boundary of the old orchard, when the GWR built the line it went through the middle of the orchard. Environment vandalism in Edwardian times!

After lunch the combined team worked as much as the wet conditions would allow on the 11B up side diversion. All the required 225mm pipes and collars were laid out and the exact positions of the intermediate chambers marked out. The petrol pump was used to pump out the existing outfall ditch allowing the two team members with wellies to dig out the hole for the new chamber. A bit more digging is still needed - hopefully we will get the minidigger on site next week.

With the telehandler on site at Stanton, this was the mode of choice for moving the 225mm twinwall pipes. Requires careful positioning to get the balance right, and of course checking with the Operations Manger that no trains on the move.

 

Stuart tends the pump, Nigel in the hole digs out, whilst Roger, Martin and Dave assist from the bank. Pumped out existing outlet ditch of 11B in the foreground.

Close up of the entrance to the existing land drain under the boundary hedge. Depth of water removed by the pump obvious. Last time we saw this pipe was back in the hot weather last summer when it was completely dry. This land drain will remain; just that it will not be taking any of the flow from the down side that comes trough 11B.

Pipe lengths laid out along the line of the new bypass. All we need now is the ditch in which to bury them (and the chambers at 30m intervals).

Spring(?) Cleaning

For meteorologists spring starts on the 1^st of March; astronomers prefer the date of the vernal equinox (20^th March this year). Whenever it starts, Spring is the customary time for annual cleaning. Paradoxically the return of wintery weather in early March enabled our cleaning activities.

Thursday 2^nd March

With the full complement of 8 team members working we split into groups of 2 and 6.

The group of 6 started the excavation of the up side diversion of the outlet of 11B at Stanton. Using the mini-excavator access from our neighbour's field, the first job was to excavate a hole to locate the previously installed stub pipe under the farm access track at bridge 11. Once located the depth and position of this was noted and the master drawing adjusted. This excavation will form the 5th new chamber on the diversion. The digger then moved to the current 11B exit and the hole for the first new chamber excavated. The line of the diversion pipe and the approximate locations of the other 3 new chambers were marked. All in all a good start to this long delayed construction. As the ground here is the notorious Stanton clay; it was soon evident that the mini-excavator was vital.

Locating the existing stub pipe, Jonathan digs carefully watched by Martin, Nigel and Dave. Polly in the background checks the flow in culvert 11A.

End of pipe located, so out comes the old dumpy bag which was stopping soil from entering.

Whilst at bridge 11/culvert 11A/cross drain 11B the group attended to some other odd tasks. Repointing of the arch of the inlet bore of culvert 11A was completed and then the surplus mortar used on an extra curricular task, repointing part of the up side wing walls of bridge 11. Various items of concrete/brick/slag rubble which had been left near the down side inlet of 11B were collected and used as scour protection on the outlet of 11A at our boundary. (One activity completing two tasks on our task list!)

Polly uses up surplus mortar by repointing the up side high mileage wing wall of bridge 11.

 

Scour protection added to the outlet of 11A; the exit pipe is that which will become the outflow of 11B.

From the up side of bridge 11 showing the excavated hole for the final new chamber; the pipe under the farm access track was laid back in 2019 (remember that pre-COVID era?) [Photo by Jonathan]

(For the record; the stub pipe was installed on 8th July 2019 - take a look at this previous blog entry).

It was good to be interrupted by the passage of a train once again. The green EE Type 3 (class 37 for younger readers) ran an ECS move/test run of the main set Winchcombe-Broadway-Toddington.

When the sun shines, Stanton is a photogenic spot; enhanced with a train!

Plastic mesh fence erected at the end of the day around the hole for the chamber at the current 11B exit.

 

The team of two first went to Travis Perkins at Cheltenham to collect materials ordered for the repair/alterations to the up side outlet of Stanton Aqueduct (bridge 9). This included some reinforcing bar; which was taken to the Steam Loco folk at Toddington to be cut and bent into shape. In the afternoon they went to the aqueduct to start construction of the shuttering as specified in the repair drawing. However they discovered that the new retaining collar which has been manufactured and fitted by outside contractors did not exactly match the drawing. Decided that on-site discussions with the bridge engineers would be best way to proceed. They also found time to repair the electric pump which had stopped working last week whilst at Prescott Road Bridge. The problem was the impeller was jammed with bits of bone and remains of a plastic bag.

Thursday 9^th March

Unsurprisingly the return of the cold wet sleet/snow winter weather affected our planned activities for today. However, all 8 of the team attended, so credit to all for getting in.

We cancelled all work on the cross drain 11B to culvert 11A discharge (up side) diversion at Stanton. Taking a trailer with the minidigger on it across our neighbour’s field would have made a mess; plus it was too wet and cold to mix concrete for the new chamber bases. Two team members did check on the sit, the existing outlet was running and there was some discharge into the stub pipe at 11A from the new chamber pit. (And the anti scouring material added last week to 11A outflow was being tested).

Spot the difference from last week - a lot more water flowing in 11A. Even some discharge from the 'new' 11B outlet.

Five of the team spent most of the morning at Stanton Aqueduct (bridge 9). The main activity was to remove a small amount of concrete from the up side foundation block; thus ensuring the trough ribs were not fouling the block. Also checked the fitting of the lengths of rebar which had been cut and bent to shape by the Steam Loco department. They met the Bridge Inspector to discuss and agree the way forward with the repairs/modifications to accommodate the recently fitted new collar. This will involve use of self levelling grout. They also tried, without much success, to jack the trough across to make the gaps at either side of the foundation block equal. The inlet channel was checked, no leaks from the new 300m id pipes, only water in the inlet channel was from the rain/snow. On the up outlet side the grill on the outlet was cleared, the outlet pipe is only just over the 300mm internal diameter. Also checked the slip marker posts on the down side cutting again, pleased that there is no sign of movement.

Drilling out the aqueduct foundation block around the trough rib.

Completed slot.

The concrete/brick inlet channel is almost dry; all the flow from the stream enters the aqueduct in the new lengths of pipe.

Two of the team stayed in the relative warm of the old C&M workshop at Winchcombe resuming milepost work. Heads for 10 & quarter and 14 & half were completed, plus the rebuilding of two old damaged heads into one serviceable one. Other refurbished heads were given a second coat of gloss white paint.

Our final team member worked on the replacement of the trailer electrics of the Isuzu truck. Although in the dry of the new Churchward House workshop, this did involve lying on the cold concrete floor. A second wiring defect was also attended to, so all lights on the trailer board now work correctly.

After lunch it was a spot of spring(!) cleaning. The main item was removing everything from the cab of our prime LWB Transit; vacuuming it out and tidily replacing the essential items. The result is that five people can now use the cab comfortably! Some odd items of drainage equipment were moved from the old workshop and gas compound to the EMD shipping container. This had the added bonus of finding some of the acrow props which will be used for the aqueduct shuttering.

Vehicle cleaning. At least the cab of the Transit truck was in the dry.

We are now wishing for proper spring weather to progress the works at Stanton – or at the very least some dry weather.

Up with the Larks

Like any outdoor team we certainly notice the changing seasons. Sometimes the weather does as well, but we often experience all four seasons in a single day. The hours of daylight are more reliable. A few weeks ago I was getting up on work days before dawn and just as the dawn chorus was starting. Now the birds start singing before I awake, and the journey to Winchcombe is all in daylight.

Our wildlife event this time is also a herald of spring – a skylark singing. With the clearance of most of the down (Cotswold) side embankments and cuttings, there is now more open ground for these and other ground nesting birds to establish nests. There is still plenty of scrub on the up (Malvern) side for the likes of robins, yellow hammers, thrushes and bull finches. That is biodiversity in action. (See https://www.gwsr.com/facilities/nature-between-the-fences for some more notes on what the Estates Management teams have found on the railway).

Thursday 16th February

Not yet back to full strength, two of the team still off sick, so only five attending.

A group of two attended to Bridge 9, Stanton aqueduct. They completed all the repointing of the two pillars. The gap in the inlet channel brickwork was filled with new bricks and the cracks in the original (well from a few years ago) brickwork repointed. The slip marker posts were checked, good to report no movement discerned. Next task was to add the extra 300mm diameter pipes which were donated by our Civil Engineering contactor, Walsh. This hit a problem. The existing pipe through the head wall was too close to the concrete bottom to fit the joining collar. The concrete floor of the channel was too hard to break out to form a deeper channel. After discussion with our Infrastructure Manager, a plan B was formulated. This is to remove the exiting pipe through the inlet headwall and to fit the replacement pipe through the headwall, around 30mm higher. So bricks were removed from headwall and the first length of new pipe fitted.

New pipes in the aqueduct inlet channel. (Photo by Roger)

 

Up side pillar of aqueduct after repointing. (Photo by Roger)

Down side pillar of aqueduct after repointing; slip marker post visible in background. (Photo by Roger)

The other three formed a heavy lifting gang. They moved 30 concrete chamber rings from the former garden centre site at Toddington to bridge 11 at Stanton. These have been a ‘feature’ at Toddington for over 3 years. They are for the project to divert the outlet (up side) of cross drain 11B to avoid a small diameter land drain in the adjoining field – this has caused some flooding in previous years. This project would have commenced in 2020 had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic. Even with LWB Transits equipped with tail lifts this was heavy work. The remaining 18 rings at Toddington (two bound stacks of 9) will be moved later – this time with using the Telehandler to load and unload them.

Thirty concrete rings neatly stacked near bridge 11 at Stanton. They will not be there as long as they were at Toddington (hopefully!)

 

Thursday 23 February

First the very good news, the two team members who had been off ill returned and we were joined by our new recruit (welcome Stuart). So a team of 8!

Hence division into three sub teams; and another change of plan.

First group (of two) attended Stanton Aqueduct (bridge 9) again. Armed with the correct jointing lubricant they made a permanent joint in the sections of the new 300mm id pipe which runs from the inlet headwall to inside the aqueduct trough. They then bricked up the hole in the headwall. So the inlet (down side) repair is now complete. Once again they checked the slip marker posts – all are still upright and in line, so no discernable movement in the cutting side.

 

Nigel (l) and Roger inserting the new pipes in the aqueduct inlet and rebuilding the headwall.

 

Completed repair to the aqueduct inlet channel with the new 300mm diameter pipes through the headwall to the trough. (Picture by Roger).

 

Second group of 3 measured up the pipes which exit from Churchward House yard to the ditch in the embankment at the edge of Winchcombe Yard. This is in correction with the building of the new S&T workshop – for which we need to ensure this ditch does not overflow. Our recommended plan is to pipe the ditch for 25m; as the ditch is too deep to build a concrete wall. The group then headed to Stanton Aqueduct to assist there. But a call from the third group meant a return to collect a pump from Winchcombe and head to Prescot Road.

The final group of three set off to Prescot Road bridge (32) to take advantage of the road closure. The objective was to rod out the pipe in the outlet ditch of culvert 31B; this is beside the road and well outside of railway land. This pipe has been blocked for a long time, causing the water in the bore of culvert 31B to back up. The exit of this pipe is about 40m from the railway boundary and about 1.5m below road level - the entry has never been found. It is probably about 4m from the boundary. After some forceful rodding, the flow in the ditch increased marginally and a few air bubbles appeared near the suspected pipe inlet. However, one of the rods broke (the screw connection came off) - leaving around 30 rods in the pipe. Hence request to group two for a pump.

Thirty six rods went in but only six came out! The exit of the the pipe in the outlet of culvert 31B. (Picture by Dave)

With the pump running over lunchtime the water level went down from around 2ft to around 6". This enabled use of grabs to extract some silt. But then the pump failed (suspect it is the float switch which has played up before.) So we still have not found the inlet to the pipe! It feels like there is at least a foot of silt and rubble in the bottom of the outlet sump.

The advantage of a road closure - our vehicles parked next to the outlet of culvert 31B, Prescott Road. New fence installed as part of the bridge 32 rebuilt prominent.

There must be a pipe inlet down there some where! Martin tries his luck!

So not so a very successful day, but we did notice the puddles in the corner of the adjacent field (up side low mileage) disappeared during the day; so there is probably a greater flow in the outlet ditch than when we started. Also with the roadside fence in place it is slightly safer to work there when the road is open. So we will return soon, with new rods and a working pump.

Certainly never a dull moment

I finished the last blog post with the comment that there is never a dull moment in the Drainage team. Very apt, as three requests came in in close succession.

First was a report from our Clearance colleagues (Wednesday team) regarding a french drain on the up side at Broadway headshunt that appears to have lost some of its stone.

A day later a phone call - usually a sign of urgency. This certainly was, the Bridge Engineer requested us to investigate Stanton Aqueduct where cracks had occurred in the inlet channel on the down side. Consequently the stream was flowing down the cutting side and into the cess.

Finally a note from the PW team working on the sleeper replacement at Didbrook. There was a large tree branch fallen onto the inlet on culvert 15A.

Obviously the second item was the more urgent; so it became the only item of work for the first Thursday of February.

Thursday 2nd February

A team of four collected various items of plant and materials which might be useful for a temporary or even a permanent repair of the aqueduct.

First two of the team took Thunderbird-1 to Working Lane to collect some plastic pipes which might be useful as a bypass to the inlet channel. The other two loaded various items of equipment into Thunderbird-2.

When we arrived at the aqueduct, John Sreeves and Pete Lewis from the bridge inspection team were already there. The inlet pipe from the adjoining field has a diameter of 300mm - unfortunately this is the diameter that we do not have any of in stock. So we first laid a temporary 100mm flexible plastic pipe from the inlet to well inside the trough; fixed in the inlet 300mm diameter pipe with clay. This stopped the water flowing out of the cracks in the inlet channel down the embankment side. Next was to use some of the quick setting cement to fill the larger cracks in the channel floor and brick sides. Loose brickwork was removed and cleaned up. Normal cement was used to make concrete to plug the void under the channel. Other brick joins with cracks cleaned up, ready for repointing.

Temporary pipe inserted in to inlet headwall of the aqueduct. Rapid setting cement ready for the reparis to the concrete base.

Lower portion of damaged brickwork replaced - strong plastic cat food bag in use as shuttering!

End of first day temporary repair - a dry inlet channel...

... and water flowing where it should, out of the up side end of the aqueduct trough.

John & Pete used the ladder we borrowed from C&M to check the rest of the structure. We cleaned out the exit ditch on the up side; also installed a row of slip marker posts on the down side either side of the aqueduct to monitor for any bank movement. Unfortunately our spray can of blue line marker paint choose this moment to run out!

Also we located the three land drains that enter near the crest of the cutting on the down side between the aqueduct and bridge 10. Probably inserted whilst the railway was closed. Like one we found south of Stanton Road bridge a few years ago, these need proper piping down the cess. Fortunately they appear to only flow in very wet weather.

Finally, one team member checked on culvert 7A by the B4632 road bridge. The repair made in October is working well; nothing escaping into the up side cess and a good flow noted in the ditch in the adjacent landowners overgrown wood.

Thursday 9th February

With three team members off sick and one away on a dumper driving course we had to re-plan the work for today. Essentially the brick replacement and repointing work at Stanton Aqueduct (bridge 9) had to be postponed for a week. Fortunately the last seven days have not seen any rain; so our temporary pipe at the aqueduct is still coping with the flow of the stream.

So it was a small team of three who first attended to the fallen tree branch on the down side (inlet) of culvert 15A at Didbrook. Fortunately it was resting on the low mileage wing and the headwall so had not created a blockage. Easily removed, so a good start to the day, one job ticked off by 09:30!

Culvert 15A inlet after removal of fallen tree branch. (A before picture is in the Heritage Herald post of 8th February.)

As we had the laser level with us, we took the opportunity to measure the difference between the bore outlet and the onward pipe exit on the up side of culvert 14B near Didbrook Brige No1. This is where the adjacent landowner diverted the stream a few years ago. The height difference between the bottom of the brick invert bore and the bottom of the plastic exit pipe the landowner inserted is 450mm, with the exit being higher. So we are always going to have a pond here. The depth of water by the failing high mileage wing wall is approximately 500mm. Will need to think about how to drain sufficient of this to repair the wing wall.

Next on to the former garden centre site at Toddington to count and check on the stacks of concrete chamber rings which are for the cross drain 11B outlet to culvert 11A diversion at Stanton. There are 48 rings; we devised a plan to move half of these to Stanton using the LWB transits with tail lifts. The second half will need the telehandler for loading.

Dave & Nigel discussing the cunning plan to move concrete rings from Toddington to Stanton.

Then back to Winchcombe for coffee break in a warm mess (and to collect the one item of equipment we had forgotten).

After break up to Stanton to bridge 11. The cleared area of the hardstanding on the low mileage side was extended, and all the undergrowth removed from the stacks of pipes there. These were delivered in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. After lunch we used the laser level to check the lie of the land between the existing cross drain 11B outflow and the culvert 11A outlet under bridge 11. This diversion will run under the farm track, as 11A outlet is on the low mileage end of the bridge. The ‘new’ pipes under the farm track were laid back in 2019. Having the embankment cleared almost to the fence line between bridge 11 and cross drain 11B was a great help - thanks to Tom Clark's team with their robo flail. We checked access for the minidigger, the easiest and safeest route will involve access from the farm track for which we need to obtain the landowner's permission.

With all vegetation cleared we can see exactly what lengths of pipes and collars we have at bridge 11.

Dave and Nigel using the laser level to check the levels of the existing and new cross drain 11B outlet. Existing outlet is the small diameter pipe disappearing under the hedge and diagonally across the field. It is too small to cope with heavy rain fall.

Finally up to Stanton aqueduct to check on the temporary pipe on the inlet. It is holding, just a dribble of water through the clay in the inlet; the low mileage crest is now just damp and no water running down the cutting side. With a new can of blue marker paint the tops of the slip markers either side of the aqueduct were painted - and the posts checked that they are still in line and upright. So no detectable movement in the embankment in the last week. We have been able to source some 300mm internal diameter pipe to extend the inlet from the stream through the headwall and into the trough. Thanks to Jason from Walsh’s for those.

Temporary bypass pipe on the Stanton aqueduct inlet holding, just a wee dribble through the clay dam. 

Slip marker posts all still in a line and upright, and now with blue tops. (The wheelbarrow under the trough is not to catch any drips - it contains sand for the next round of repairs. We were not going to wheel it down just to push it back up next time!)

So next time the plan is to install these pipes and complete the bricking and repointing on the aqueduct; plus move concrete rings from Toddington to to Stanton. And after that take a look at the french drain at Broadway. As ever, the plan is flexible!

Mission accomplished

Delay to blog publishing does not constitute lack of work by the team! Far from it. The main focus of January was to complete the programme of internal visual inspections and clearance of the culverts and cross drains. This internal programme covers all those drainage structures which are not externally inspected and which are not bridges. Ideally we inspect and clear these once in each financial year, which ends on 31^st January. Last winter some overran into February and even March – a hangover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Even with our month out back in October to concentrate on the rebuild at culvert 7A (by the B4632 Bridge at Stanton) and the loss of one working day before Christmas due to snow and ice; we have succeed this year. Just. The final four inspections took place on the last Thursday of January. Hence mission accomplished.

Thursday 5^th January

All seven team members in attendance, eager to work off any Christmas excess!

A group of two fixed the missing coping stone on the high mileage up side parapet wall of bridge 37. Then spent most of the rest of the day repointing the wall. At least the track side and the end of the outside which can be reached with out scaffolding.

Our plant operative (singular) took the repaired flail and cut the vehicle parking area adjacent to milepost 16; then proceeded south reaching the foot crossing at 16m30c. In the process discovered more badger activity just south of bridge 37. The flail is working well, but it best to trim waist high brambles with a hedge cutter first.

The culvert clearance and inspection group of 4 continued with the inspections and clearance. They started with the down side cess drain to 37B which was missed before Christmas; then completed cross drains 37C, 37D, 37E, 37F and 37G.

The one we missed before Christmas. Down side cess drain to inlet ditch of 37B. [Photo by Roger]

The last, 37G, is the one that runs under the footpath on the down side at accommodation bridge 38; it empties into the down side ditch alongside the mobile home park which flows into culvert 38A. Thankfully, no major deterioration to report. A couple need some loose bricks fixing, and a couple need the silt/clay fully removed from the inlet (down side) traps, it was far too wet and slippery to do on this visit.

Two more loose bricks for the bricklayer to reset - otherwise all fine. Cross drain 37E up side (outlet as you can see from the water flowing out)

Thursday 12^th January

The team formation today was 3 + 3.

The rebuilding group attended to the minor brickwork repairs on cross drains 37A, 37B, 37E noted in the recent internal inspections.

Cross drain 37A up (outlet) side - loose bricks fixed and gaps repointed. A minor repair but will prevent further frost damage. [Photo by Dave]

They also continued with repointing of high mileage up side parapet wall of bridge 37 (Gotherington accommodation); really the joints were too wet after previous nights rain. Then back to bridge 36 (Manor Lane), where the down side parapet only has cement rendering as coping. The exercise here was to measure up for proper replacement coping stones. Unfortunately a search around our stock piles failed to find sufficient of the correct size. So maybe we rebuild using solid bull nose bricks. That requires another pallet of 400, which are not cheap. But this is the price of heritage rebuilds!

The clearance and inspection group tackled cross drains 39B, 40B, 41A, 41B and 41C; between Two Hedges Road bridge and Kayte Lane crossing. As there had been a lot of heavy rain the night before(and quite a bit in the proceeding week); this was a valuable inspection. [Does make getting up at 6am in the dark and a very wet drive to Winchcombe worthwhile!]

One of the inlet chambers (down side) of cross drain 39B is this circular manhole. The actual cross drain is a syphon, one of a number we have on the railway.

40B takes the water from two streams coming down from Cleeve Hill, the northern most enters at the crest of the cutting just south of Two Hedges Road. Most of this now flows down two pipes to the down cess (installed in 2019); whilst some takes a right angle turn to run in the crest ditch which eventually becomes an embankment toe ditch to join with the input of the other stream.
This originates at a spring part way up the hill. This crest then toe ditch is very overgrown, but is flowing well. The down cess also empties into it. So quite a lot of water passing through 40B which leaves by the ditch across the playing field. Fortunately this appeared to be draining well. The next cross drain south, 41A, is one which rarely has a flow. This time it did, mainly from high mileage down side toe drain. On the down (outlet side) there is no proper exit ditch in the adjacent sports field. So not surprisingly water was pooling to about 4" by the outlet. We will keep an eye on this one, to ensure the ponds disappear in once the wet spell is over.

The pipes down the embankment from the northern stream at 40B enter the down side cess. It was a very wet night before this inspection.

Another syphon is 40C at Kayte Lane crossing - but this has these large open inlets. Back in the summer the inlet here was completely dry.

 

Thursday 19^th January

Initial plans for today had to be changed at the last minute as the Gretton to Gotherington road was closed for resurfacing. So this meant we were not able to inspect and clear culvert 30A at Tunnel Bridge (30); or visit Prescott Road bridge (32) to speak with the contractors working on the bridge regarding culvert 31B downside old headwall.

Again six of us working; but this time the formation as 2 + 4.

The team of two took the drain rods to top of the Working Lane haul road opposite the Royal Oak. They attempted to rod the out outlet pipe from the pond on the up (Malvern) side, near the tunnel mouth. They may have partially shifted the blockage – which appears to be a long way in. However, they did discover the outflow, it is in the adjoining field at the far boundary. So it does not enter the outlet ditch of culverts 24A and 24B which runs down hill inside of our boundary. After the rodding, water was noted flowing out of the outlet, but not much flow from the pond.

The up side pond near southern end of Greet Tunnel. There are plans to expand this as part of the biodiversity scheme which includes planting trees on the old navvy camp. (Our Lineside Clearance colleagues have the full story). [Photo by Jonathan]

The team of 4 undertook the clearance and visual inspections of cross drains 35A, 35B, 35C and 35D. These are those by the loop at Gotherington. Ability to use a permaquip trolley whilst the line is closed was a bonus.

Dave, Nigel & Roger get kitted up and load the permaquip trolley at Manor Lane. It is almost half a mile back to cross drain 35A near Gotherington Signal Box.

No serious problems to note; but some animal (probably badger) activity on down side at 35A and 35B. Also the vegetation has grown thick here; up side access to 35A was cleared along the boundary fence line from 35B; thorn trees behind the signal box make that route impossible.
Interestingly even after the recent wet weather 35A was just damp; no water flowing through it. Like 41A at Bishops Cleeve, this is effectively a storm drain.

Outlet on up side of cross drain 35B has an unusual shape to incorporate a run-off from a cess drain.

A good flow through 35C even after a couple of days without rain.

 

Weather wise this was a spectacular winter’s day – cold by bright sunshine. At Gotherington, some of the morning coffee break time was spent watching a kestrel, perched on the nearby power lines. The kestrel was in turn watching a robin, who was scavenging in our freshly cut scrub.

Gotherington Loop 19th January.

 

Gotherington Loop 26th January - after our clearance contractor had cleared to the fence line on the down (Cotswold) side and a strip on the embankment top on the up (Malvern) side. We can now drive a vehicle as far as the up home signals.

Thursday 26^th January

Down to five members today; the missing two both absent with medical situations. So a very reduced 3 + 2 formation.

The group of thee cleared and inspected syphon cross drain 40A at Two Hedges Road. They then started clearing the down side crest ditch which runs between 40A and 40B. Took the rest of the day to reached the point where it becomes a toe ditch at bottom of embankment – this just shows how much as grown over the past couple of years. They recovered the two loose sections of 59cm diameter pipe installed by our contractors about 3 years ago. We are planning to pipe the rest of the ditch where it is on the crest, we have some lengths of large diameter pipe in stock which may be suitable.

The down side 40B inlet ditch along the crest of the embankment after clearing, reveals two lengths of big pipe. [Photo by Dave]

An unwelcome discovery was a leak from the ditch through the embankment; almost opposite milepost 17½. We had not noticed this leak two weeks ago (January 12^th) when clearing and inspecting cross drain 40B. It might be due to snow /frost melt; but most likely a crack in the ditch. We will keep it monitored. Fortunately the water is running into the down cess and thence eventually to cross drain 40B and away.

The team of two cleared and inspected culvert 30A (Tunnel Bridge 30) - this involved being escorted along the road closed for resurfacing. Then along the track to Bishops Cleeve, stopping to speak with the clearance & fencing contractor working the big flail. This is an impressive pieces of kit and the clearance results impressive too). Met with the group of three at Bishops Cleeve for coffee break and to observe the reported leak. Then on to Cheltenham to clear and inspect the two culverts south of Hunting Butts; 44A and 45A. On both of these there was noticeable deterioration in the condition of the up side structures. However, we have an abandoned railway here, no track and certainly no trains. Intriguingly at Wymans Brook we could here the mainline trains on the nearby former Midland line to Cheltenham Landsdown station.

Looking into the manhole on the down side at culvert 45A, Wymans Brook. The inlet is in a pipe all the way from the lakes in Pittville Park.

Next time

We might be able to make a start on our long planned work at Stanton; diverting the outlet of cross drain 11B to avoid a small diameter pipe in our neighbours field. Plus we need to return to Two Hedges Road to monitor the cutting leak; and return to Gotherington to check out 41A. Or we might get diverted elsewhere. There is never a dull moment in the drainage team!