John Simms and Jo Roesen kindly offered to do a photographic survey of the track bed between Broadway and Laverton. The main purpose was to review the current state of the track bed from a vehicle access point of view and to see where we might deploy some clearance effort. Here is Jo's report and an a nosegay of the 29 photos taken:-
The section from Broadway to Little Buckland Bridge is getting increasingly overgrown, with often just a footpath visible. This is due to encroaching brambles etc from the sides; there are no major obstacles to a wheeled vehicle, but it would have to be a solid one that doesn’t mind crushing brambles along its path. As you know the down line is free, while the up line has the remains of the gallops pushed on to it. When this was done, the trackbed from whence it came was left less than level, and there are areas with height differences of up to 6 – 9 inches, but it is always broad enough for a vehicle.
The section from Broadway to Little Buckland Bridge is getting increasingly overgrown, with often just a footpath visible. This is due to encroaching brambles etc from the sides; there are no major obstacles to a wheeled vehicle, but it would have to be a solid one that doesn’t mind crushing brambles along its path. As you know the down line is free, while the up line has the remains of the gallops pushed on to it. When this was done, the trackbed from whence it came was left less than level, and there are areas with height differences of up to 6 – 9 inches, but it is always broad enough for a vehicle.
South of little Buckland, the
trackbed is a lot clearer, and this seemed to us the obvious access route. We
checked the access ramp at Laverton, and it is free, unencumbered by the loop.
The only item of note here are the two landslip testing sites, with some wooden
pegs in the ground.
Should one nonetheless wish to
avoid driving on this part of the trackbed, we noticed a farmer’s track on the
Malvern side from the little Buckland road which takes you two large fields
further north, with access up a ramp to the trackbed on the site of a public
footpath (see picture, the fence would need taking down).
There is a fallen tree near
Peasbrook farm.
The northern section would
certainly benefit from a flail, if only to clear the trackbed itself, but it
could also reach down the embankment.
Thank you both - I hope your better halves didn't mind their Sunday being disrupted!
14 comments:
Perhaps there could be a "mass clearance" day where we get as many gwsr volunteers from all depts. And hand out chainsaws, shears etc and se what gets done in a day if all 800 turn up! :D
much better for the line side clearance to work 1 or 2 hundred yards ahead of the permant way gang laying track.if you clear it to soon it will be as bad again next year.
Who owns the track bed in the photos shown?
Thanks
Aaron
As a trained and certificated chainsaw user myself I seriously hope that no-one is advocating handing them out to every Tom, Dick and Harry that shows up - they ain't toys.
Not strictly linked to this post, but I was in Leicester on Saturday and saw the sad remains of the Braunstone Gate GCR bowstring bridge. Just one abutment wall remaining now but what looked like a lot of blue bricks. It looks like the site is about to be redeveloped by the Sowden Group. Might be too far for you but thought I would mention it.
Pictures of it here:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braunstone_Gate_Bridge
I was being slightly sarcastic about the chainsaw, can't see the problem with everyday shears though, although as you say, only if P'way can keep up!
Oh, and meant to say; Aaron; the track bed from about a mile south of CRC near the stadium all the way through to just past Broadway station is owned by the GWSR. the land onwards to Honeybourne was up for buying for the princely sum of £5 some time in the '80s, but when the GWSR tried to buy it, there were some farmers with some objections which would have meant huge legal costs. that part is now owned by sustrans I think, who are fairly happy to have a single line on their land I believe. so we don't have to worry about land for a while yet ;-)
What are gallops?
The gallops was a horse training route - basically half of the ballast was scooped out, a membrane laid down and then wood chip or similiar laid on top to provide a soft surface for the horses's hooves to land on.
When do you have to do the clearing to avoid the bird nesting season?
The p-way dept would lay track tomorrow northwards to broadway if asked and I think the clearance gangs would want to stay ahead for fear of having quarter tonne concrete sleepers dropped on their heels such is the speed of the gang.
Bert
Does the railway actually have any track materials in store for the Broadway extension? I wouldn't have thought so, but I know nothing! I would imagine that the bridges will get dealt with working from Laverton to Broadway before anything happens on the track front. I do have an picture in my mind of a completed Broadway station with track in place in the station area (but not necessarily over the bridge), ready and waiting for the day when Permanent Way finally fill the gap from Laverton.
Best wishes,
Nigel
There's plenty of sleepers I'd have thought, those piles somewhere between winchcombe and cheltenham? Seeing as bridges are beibg repaired south to north, can't track go forward as a new bridge is repaired?
Probably. It's all about money isn't it. Everything costs. They need to do a proper job of the bridges first before laying track.
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