Latest Gotherington update
article by: Darren Fairley
posted on: 08 December 2010
updated on: 09 February 2011
Despite the best intentions, please accept my apologies for not
updating on progress sooner. The progress and findings on
site has been quite significant indeed.
All of the Soil Nailing is now complete and the contractors are
on their last push before the Christmas and New Year period.
The 'nail count' is roughly as follows:
Area 1 - 108
Area 3 - 88
Area 4 - 44
Area 5 - 57
Area 7 - 56
If you you have a look at the last update, 'each nail' takes a
lot of effort and work and gives a good appreciation for what is
now holding back thousands of tonnes of embankment and
formation.
Areas 2 and 6 area the full excavation sections. By the
New Year it is anticipated that Area 2 which was the largest
section to be completely removed will be complete as
well.
As programmed and normal practice test soil nails have been
inserted and tested to ensure everything has gone in correctly and
assumptions and calculations are correct and they have passed
successfully. From a financial point of view the test is
extremely important; it has proved that the engineering solution
was robust but not over specified - the nails have the strength
that was predicted and importantly not to excess. From a
financial point of view not over specifying, is just as important
as not under specifying - both in turn would have come with extra
cost - (Hopefully that makes sense).
To say the timing for all this nailing and meshing was
favourable can not be underestimated given the snow that is now
engulfing the country!
Thankfully the engineering assessments were absolutely 'on the
money' in more ways than one. So far there have been now
unexpected surprises and before the poor weather set in the
contractor was slightly ahead of schedule. Allowance has been
made for the winter period that the work will be undertaken in and
we wait to see just how heavy the snow and icy conditions will
bite. What has been established is that the depth of the
fracture did indeed reach to a full depth of 7m in places.
The diggers drew out the clay materials at the base of the slip it
quite simply peeled off of the Ridge and Furrows below and a soil
layer that had not been exposed for over 100 years.
Area 2 is now being filled and layered with strengthening
material and a soil berm (basically and area extended out from the
embankment giving extra mass and support to the higher
sections).
The contractors looked at me quite strangely but then with some
realisation when it was suggested that we could probably grow 100
year old grass from the soil!!!
In addition to the visible progress there have been a lot of
other activities going on. Preparation is now under way and
being set up to excavate the second and smaller area Area 6 now
that it the embankment either side has been treated with soil
nails. The to north and south of the slip the culverts have
been CCTV surveyed and additional drainage cleared to ensure they
remain clear and in good condition - whilst we have such good
access it would be a shame to not add in the extra little bits that
will make such a difference for the long term.
So what is next - well there is still a lot more to do.
Area 6 will be started first thing in the New Year and once this
is complete effectively the last of the heavy engineering
activities will have been talked. Then the drainage out of
the Malvern side of the embankment can be connected up. This
is two fold. New drainage has been incorporated mid height in
the embankment and this will feed into the last work which will be
a new drain at the bottom of the embankment.
Last but not least, there is then the matter of final dressing
of the embankment making sure all the meshing is complete and tied
in, removing the access along the side of the track and restoring
the field and decamping the contractors worksite and
accommodation.
May I thank everyone for every single donation that has been
made to the slip appeal, large or small. We are making sure
that every penny is well spent and invested prudently to ensure
that continued operation of Your Railway.
Whilst we have now passed the point of no return on progress and
where we could have stopped and suspended the contract had funds
not been forthcoming, it is now extremely important that funds
continue to be built up with our appeal donations, as previously
notes large or small, regular or one off. We are very, very
grateful for your continued support and look forward to welcoming
everyone back to Cheltenham Racecourse.
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