RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 30, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2017 Network Rail appears to have undertaken some fairly significant vegetation removal from the lineside between Totnes and Rattery over the winter, which has opened up some interesting photographic angles, especially if you are familiar with some of the local lanes that cross and run alongside the railway in that area. These photos were taken between Tigley and Rattery last Sunday morning. View from the A385 near Rattery, looking south: Some views near stone overbridge, where the railway crosses the lane that connects the A385 with the 'B' road between Totnes and Avonwick: The lane runs parallel with the railway for a short length, this view is looking down Rattery bank towards Totnes: This view is looking up the bank towards Rattery. The signal in the distance is DM227R: Finally, I've always liked this view of the above-mentioned lane, taken from the junction with the Totnes - Avonwick 'B' road, looking north. In summer, when the trees are in leaf, it's particularly pleasing and it occurred to me that it might make a good basis for a backscene: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 30, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2017 Not to worry Cap'n - if it's anything like some of previous year's efforts elsewhere on the WR it'll all be overgrown again within a year or so. Excellent idea and no doubt very expensive but the post clearance management appears to consist solely of the same neglect as went on previously. A section on our branch was cleared a couple of years back and is now almost as bad as it was before it was touched although the large trees haven't regrown (yet). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted March 30, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 30, 2017 I noticed them doing this back in January along quite a length. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 In my day (!) local farmers were much more active in 'hedging' as were the railways but I've always wondered whose responsibility it was when the hedge abutted the railway. Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted March 30, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2017 Not to worry Cap'n - if it's anything like some of previous year's efforts elsewhere on the WR it'll all be overgrown again within a year or so. Excellent idea and no doubt very expensive but the post clearance management appears to consist solely of the same neglect as went on previously. A section on our branch was cleared a couple of years back and is now almost as bad as it was before it was touched although the large trees haven't regrown (yet). Not long ago NR spent a lot of time and money clearing the vegetation from the rock face between Marple South Tunnel and the Goyt Viaduct. By the end of the season it was covered again. The new growth does seem to like the netting put up to stop rocks falling onto the track. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steadfast Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 They've done at least Freshford to Avoncliff in the Avon Valley too, what's noticeable is it's not just a trim back job, but they've actually cut the trunks down and they're piled on the filed next to the line Jo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 31, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 31, 2017 In my day (!) local farmers were much more active in 'hedging' as were the railways but I've always wondered whose responsibility it was when the hedge abutted the railway. Brian. 'The railway' changed considerably and the first real decline came with mechanised maintenance and the end of local PerWay gangs - they had looked after the banking etc as well as they'd looked after the track. The final rot set in at privatisation when lineside vegetation attention was 'overlooked' in the new maintenance contracts. All kudos to NR for finally doing something about the overgrown lineside jungle but it's money wasted if the initial attention isn't maintained. Sonning Cuuting looks great after the big clearout it has had but I wonder just how long it will stay in that state judging by examples elsewhere. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1059 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 'The railway' changed considerably and the first real decline came with mechanised maintenance and the end of local PerWay gangs - they had looked after the banking etc as well as they'd looked after the track. The final rot set in at privatisation when lineside vegetation attention was 'overlooked' in the new maintenance contracts. All kudos to NR for finally doing something about the overgrown lineside jungle but it's money wasted if the initial attention isn't maintained. Sonning Cuuting looks great after the big clearout it has had but I wonder just how long it will stay in that state judging by examples elsewhere. Take out the big trees and well established undergrowth and it lets the light back in. The weeds and fast growing bushes love that and they can put on several feet during growing season Quite agree - well done for making the effort (at last), but PLEASE, actively maintain it once a year as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertiedog Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Thought it said Vegetarians cutting back in South Devon............ Stephen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 96701 Posted March 31, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 31, 2017 A couple of bedtime reading items. https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/environment/vegetation-management/ https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/vegetation-management-explained.pdf It might prove to be too expensive to carry out annual maintenance of the whole system, but the idea of restricting 'woody' vegetation to outside the boundary means that it might be more like 2 or even 3 years before it gets 'mowed' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
seahorse Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 When travelling by train, i like to see trees in woods. All too often, I can not see ( wait for it!) the woods for the trees. This is becoming a serious problem on lines that are sold for their scenery if all you can see is a green tunnel. There are even clumps of trees growing in the embankments at the end of Ribblehead viaduct. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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