The first posting for a new blog! It will log progress on the 5 bridges to Broadway,as it happens. All the progress, fresh from the camera. You saw it here first!

Please note that this is a private blog, maintained by two volunteers of the GWSR.

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Work has started on the first bridge, at Little Buckland. The start was delayed by one week but the road is now closed and the contractors are on site. Site cabins are in place, and a ramp has been made to get from road level up to the top of the embankment. Safety fencing has been installed all round.

A deep hole was then dug behind the north west wing wall, and a smaller one in front.

An attempt was made to 'dismantle' the displaced wing wall, but the cement mortar was very hard and in the end a large section was simply pulled off in one go.

 

6    The old deck waterproofing has been stripped off and the upstanding cleats cut down, from the deck plates. Interestingly only the down line has asphalt plus clay tiles (like Broadway), while the up side merely has a thin layer of bitumen.

7   A contractor will now come to erect scaffolding, and then a shot blasting contractor is coming to do an initial blast of just the corroded areas.

   Below are some initial pictures of the start of the work.

The upside bridge deck at Little Buckland

Behind the NW wing wall, and excavator access.

Lack of foundations under the NW wing wall.

Two pictures show the excavation behind the north abutment and the third shows the absence of a proper foundation under the low end of the NW wing wall, which has clearly allowed it to settle and crack as a result.

The second bridge to be worked on will be Broadway. Here an area has been prepared for the contractors to establish a base, and a first site hut delivered. Work is due to start on June 16th and the old A44 road will then be closed for a period of 12 weeks, with a short diversion via the nearby Childswickham road.

We expect to report on progress every few days, with photographs of the work.

Enjoy the pictures! If you are a shareholder, well done. Your money is being put to good use. If you are not yet a shareholder, do please help, as so far we have raised only 80% of what is required to repair these major structures. We are not there yet, but can be, with your help. Your scribe is about to do his income tax return, and it is very satisfying to know that you can claim some of the share purchase money back from HMRC!