River Cherwell mooring suspension works

[Dave123]

Anyone know what they are doing by the railway bridge over the River Cherwell section of the Oxford canal? There was a mooring suspension (not that anyone ever moors there anyway). I assumed it was for work to the railway bridge but they seem to have built a rumble 'jetty' out into the river...looks like some serious undertaking...surely this isn't needed for a bridge inspection/repair? Those are usually done from pontoons. Is something else being built here?

[GUMPY]

HS2?

[Rose Narrowboats]

They are doing some repairs to and reinforcing to the bridge foundations.

 

I think the work was originally scheduled for April, and they were definitely considering using boats to do the work at that point , but my guess is that they have decided it's shallow enough to take the diggers for a paddle, hence the ramp.

[Dave123]

36 minutes ago, Rose Narrowboats said:

They are doing some repairs to and reinforcing to the bridge foundations.

 

I think the work was originally scheduled for April, and they were definitely considering using boats to do the work at that point , but my guess is that they have decided it's shallow enough to take the diggers for a paddle, hence the ramp.

Ah ok...nothing drastic then. Looked like they could have been putting in a road bridge or something! Surprised that a rubble ramp is cheaper than a pontoon, they have transported a lot of material!

[OldGoat]

There was major 'graunching' operations behinnd the trees on the towpath side when we passed by last week. I couldn't make out whether it was tree shredding or brick / stone demolition on whatever works that used to be there.

[Scholar Gypsy]

42 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

There was major 'graunching' operations behinnd the trees on the towpath side when we passed by last week. I couldn't make out whether it was tree shredding or brick / stone demolition on whatever works that used to be there.

There used to be  a siding for the cement works. 1940s (ish) OS map here

 

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/records/#zoom=16&lat=51.8564&lon=-1.3054&layers=1250&b=6&point=51.8493,-1.2985

[OldGoat]

3 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

There used to be  a siding for the cement works. 1940s (ish) OS map here

 

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/records/#zoom=16&lat=51.8564&lon=-1.3054&layers=1250&b=6&point=51.8493,-1.2985

Thanks for that - I was too lazy to look it up...

There are / were always pumps running before and after the railway bridge, and I always wondered what needed to be pumped out, given that the works were derelict.

Edit: just googled the area - a girt big hole in the ground - being pumped out 24/7 to keep it safe??

Edited September 2, 2019 by OldGoat

[Dave123]

Cement works is definitely still working...I moored below Bakers lock the other day and got covered in dust from it!