Apologies for a lack of an update last week. A family illness prevented me from visiting the site until this weekend. I could see from my workplace that work had commenced over by the scrap yard so I made that my first port of call. The site had been fenced off from the bridge right up to triangle of land between the two embankments. The first photo shows the site notices that have gone up warning that this was a hard hat work site. The second photo shows the tree clearance that has commenced looking South from the bridge.
I noticed that there were quite a few other walkers passing through the site and exiting by the scrap yard. A couple grumbled that their regular walk had been cut off by the works. I decided to take a chance and grab a few photos from inside the site. The fencing wasn't at all secure although I imagine when the actual construction (as opposed to tree clearance) starts it will be much more secure. There will be plenty of vantage points where you will able to observe progress but these will involve a much longer walk from Ickleford via the Icknield Way. I certainly won't trespass once this happens.
The usual workforce "comfort" facilities were in evidence although it appears that whoever installed them had forgotten their spirit level!
Clearance of elderberry and sloe trees that had thrived along the Bedford line embankment.
Logs piled up awaiting collection. You can clearly see the level of the former Bedford branch with the main line behind.
View towards the scrapyard from the embankment, a view that wasn't possible two weeks ago.
Finally moving up onto the triangle, a shot of the fenced off area where the viaduct will swing east over the main line.
I then walked to the Stotfold Road where the main site compound is being constructed. I took the footpath that is shoehorned in between the Wilbury Way factories and the existing Cambridge branch line. No evidence that this path is to be closed but it will have to be as it crosses the point where the new embankment joins the existing line. I took a few more shots while I was there.
The first shot looks North towards the Icknield Way. The new embankment will cross from left to right.
Looking East towards the new site compound. The existing Cambridge line runs immediately to the right of the photo
Just for completeness, a view west towards Hitchin along the existing Cambridge line. Shortly after the embankment ends, the line enters a deep cutting on the approach to Hitchin, followed by another embankment where it joins the main line.
No comments:
Post a Comment