The Wychbold and Stoke Prior Railway

[kedwards]

I've made a little more progress over the last few days. I've extended the track by a few metres and cut out the lawn to accommodate the bay platform.
I was hoping to do more today but it kept raining on me so I gave up.
Hopefully by the Spring I will have made much more progress and it will be worth a visit.
Keith

 

[FrenchChuffed]

It will be worth a visit, whatever the progress of that I am sure.

 

[kedwards]

I don't know if I can be bothered to start work today.

 

[FrenchChuffed]

No the recent weather is little motivation for out door work, together with the covid restrictions it can all get a bit depressing. Heres to a bout of snow and an early spring.(probably no chance of either)

 

[Paul M]

No the recent weather is little motivation for out door work, together with the covid restrictions it can all get a bit depressing. Heres to a bout of snow and an early spring.(probably no chance of either)

Small drawback of a garden railway, carp weather mocks up your plans

 

[Chris Vernell]

No the recent weather is little motivation for out door work, together with the covid restrictions it can all get a bit depressing. Heres to a bout of snow and an early spring.(probably no chance of either)

Oh, we'll get the snow -- even though the last dump is nearly gone -- but as for an early spring ...

 

[kedwards]

I've now reached the deepest point in the cutting and I think I would have more success if I was digging out a canal instead of a track bed.

I've no idea how thick the clay is but it would be great for lining a canal. Progress is now halted until I get at least a week of dry weather.

 

[FrenchChuffed]

Well there is a canal near you, may be thats a clue. We have had a lot of rain recently, perhaps a drainage channel may be required.

 

[kedwards]

Well there is a canal near you, may be thats a clue. We have had a lot of rain recently, perhaps a drainage channel may be required.

The winter well and truly scuppered work on the railway. The cutting has never dried out enough for me to be able to dig out the clay.
I've now implemented Peter's suggestion and dug out a drainage channel. This has got rid of the standing water but the clay is still completely water-logged.
I'm now hoping that with the weather improving it will begin to dry out and I will be able to make progress again.



PS. The shed/summerhouse which is blocking further progress is scheduled for demolition later this year.

 

[FrenchChuffed]

Yes it has been very wet and cold this winter hopefully the spring will bring dryer warmer weather and you can ge the Navies back in digging your canal, sorry permanent way.

 

[Paul M]

If it is going to regularly flood, itmay be worth a change of plan, although the track is weather proof, leaving it in standing water isnt good idea

 

[dunnyrail]

If it is going to regularly flood, itmay be worth a change of plan, although the track is weather proof, leaving it in standing water isnt good idea

Perhaps a slightly deeper hole with 2 layers of plastic sheet having ballast sized stones may help to make a sort of french drain?

 

[JimmyB]

Perhaps a slightly deeper hole with 2 layers of plastic sheet having ballast sized stones may help to make a sort of french drain?

I would give the plastic a miss just use weed suppressant.

 

[PhilP]

Knowing it is clay, and the British Summer, I think I would dig a sump 'off-camera' Big enough to drop a submersible pump into?

You might never need it, but easier to do during the initial ground works..

PhilP

 

[kedwards]

Knowing it is clay, and the British Summer, I think I would dig a sump 'off-camera' Big enough to drop a submersible pump into?

You might never need it, but easier to do during the initial ground works..

PhilP

Thanks everyone for your concern and especially for your suggestions.
The garden slopes down from right to left which means that when the track emerges from the cutting it will be on an embankment. Now that I've finished digging the cutting and added a drainage channel (which can be seen in front of the shed) I'm hoping that I've cured the flooding problem. The water should drain into the channel which will run alongside the embankment.
I've also got a post hole borer and I intend to drill a number of holes deep holes in the trackbed which I will fill with gravel.
I don't anticipate any problems now, but next winter will be the acid test.

 

[dunnyrail]

Thanks everyone for your concern and especially for your suggestions.
The garden slopes down from right to left which means that when the track emerges from the cutting it will be on an embankment. Now that I've finished digging the cutting and added a drainage channel (which can be seen in front of the shed) I'm hoping that I've cured the flooding problem. The water should drain into the channel which will run alongside the embankment.
I've also got a post hole borer and I intend to drill a number of holes deep holes in the trackbed which I will fill with gravel.
I don't anticipate any problems now, but next winter will be the acid test.

The gravel filled holes will be a big help. You could also use broken bricks and other rubble if you have any on site that you wish to loose.

 

[Jasper]

PS. The shed/summerhouse which is blocking further progress is scheduled for demolition later this year.

That's the spirit.

 

[kedwards]

At long last the cutting has dried out and I've been able to re-start work on the railway.



I intend to buy the tunnel portals from GRS but I will have to wait until lockdown restrictions have been eased enough for me to collect them. Meanwhile I've made plywood templates so that I can experiment with the location of the tunnel.

 

[Paul M]

Looking good, but I'd still be a tad concerned about flooding, and are you planning on supporting the cutting sides?

 

[kedwards]

Looking good, but I'd still be a tad concerned about flooding, and are you planning on supporting the cutting sides?

Thanks. I shall monitor the situation carefully and dig more drainage channels if it proves necessary.
I'm planning to slope the lawn down to the trackbed after I've completed the tunnel. The tunnel will carry a grassed path over it. On the planted side I'm going to use GRS slate wall sections. I managed to salvage 17 of them from the Sandwell Valley Railway, and if I need any more I will get them when I collect the tunnel portals.