Hitchin Grade Separation: First Autumn report

On a very pleasant what is now officially an autumn day, I visited the west side of the main line and the end of Wilbury Way. I was surprised to find that Bury Mead Springs nature reserve had been mowed and that it was very easy to access after a summer of beating my way through. Another section of viaduct is now in place leaving only six unbridged sections left. The embankment work is rapidly approaching completion. On a brief visit on Friday, it looked like ballast being spread and rolled along more than half of the embankment. Virtually all of it has the soil capping in place. Only the very last bit where it meets the viaduct hasn't been completed. This has been a very impressive piece of work considering that it only started in June. Hats off to CJ Pryor, the subcontractor.

Here is the latest section with the late afternoon sun glinting off the side.

Here you can see the remaining piers waiting for their viaduct sections. End of the first section can just be seen middle right.

Moving further north, the last sections to be added including this week's.

Looking south from the start of the higher ground.

By the scrapyard entrance, a concrete support wall is being built up to support the embankment to the left of the digger.

Turning around and looking north, the remaining piers all virtually completed now. I am guessing another three weeks will see the remaining sections in place.

Looking from the end of Wilbury Way, only the very short section before the viaduct needs soil capping.

Turning slightly right from the same spot, the embankment with the soon to be redundant quarry behind.

Looking from Hillgate at what appears to be the lowest section of embankment. The tents of the lavender farm can be seen behind but the brightly coloured strip of lavender has gone now.