Work continues apace on all three bridges, with both metal and brick repairs being addressed. Here is an update report:

Bridge 5, Little Buckland:

The steelworkers were expected to finish today (our report is up to lunch time) and will then be heading for bridge 1.

They had completed the welding in of the steel plate to the 16^th hole through the deck plates:

and were positioning and welding the last two end plates with holding down anchor brackets attached to the Broadway ends of the two outer main girders:

Another 5 minor items to be repaired have been revealed, but these will be done when the steelworkers return to fit the parapet steelwork.

Excavation behind the downside, Cheltenham end wing wall is really getting going:

The lower picture shows more or less the finished high level dig at the shallow end of the wall. If you look closely you can see the original ground overlaid with clay deposited during the embankment construction. The dig  will probably be a further 3M deeper behind the abutments. Some serious strengthening with concrete will be going in here.

Bridge 4, Peasebrook Farm

The dismantling of all of the loose and displaced brickwork to the 4 wing walls has been completed and rebuilding is well advanced, with the lower horizontal sections of all 4 walls finished:

The pictures above show three of the four wing walls of this minor farm crossing. Extensive pointing of these walls and the abutments has also been completed, as can be seen with the lighter coloured pointing, and the sloping sections have been “tidied up” with rebuilding just starting. It looks very neat.

Bridge 1, Broadway

Our reporters visited the site, but didn’t get to see anything of this bridge as Tramblast was shot blasting and priming most of the time. When they stopped for a late lunch the heavens opened so your reporters retreated homewards. But further painting is clearly in progress, with a three stage coating scheme, as recommended by the Highways dept. Tramblast informed us that the whole of the underside is primed and part of the top, with part of the deck having the waterproofing primer applied.. The steelworkers should be there tomorrow and we may be able to report further after another site visit then. Shot blasting might be moving across to 5 on Wednesday but if the weather holds, further priming may be effected on the top of the deck, whilst the steel men are working below starting the first repairs.