Cycling along the Kennet and Avon towpath this morning l couldn’t fail to notice the signs that have been placed along a length of Brunel’s retaining wall, which he built to one side of his Great Western Railway to hold back the canal, which is at a higher level.
The signs say the wall is dangerous and parts of it could fall. If that’s towards the main London line, it would completely stop rail traffic. I have no idea who has placed the boards there, but
I took this up with Network Rail – hoping someone might come and take a look.
I have had a quick response from Matthew Purkiss, who is the Community Relations Executive for Network Rail.
He told me: “Thank you for getting in touch with us, regarding your concerns about this wall.
I’ve spoken to our structures team, who’ve confirmed they have issued a 26-week works order on this wall.
Our team have confirmed this work will include:
- Removing vegetation from the wall, treating with an approved herbicide, raking out defective joints, and repointing as required.
- Removing any roots behind the wall that may be exerting pressure and pushing the wall towards the track.
- Repairing or replacing any damaged copings or stonework that present a risk of falling onto the track or becoming loose.
I trust that the above information is useful to you. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get back in touch with us.”
