Oil Mills slippage
Oil Mills slippage
by: Buffs
The recent abnormally heavy rain fall caused more problems for the Western Depot team over Christmas. Reports came in that there was cracking appearing in the top of the high bank on the offside at Oils Mills. The extra day on Monday saw a small team leave the yard laden with lampsticks and hazard tape to mark set up a visible marker away from the vulnerable edge of the bank. The team reported back that there had been a slippage and a small piece of the bank had fallen into the water.
Monday evening brought a second report of slippage of the bank at Oil Mills into SVCC Chairman Peter. Further amplification came in. There was visible deep cracking of the bank. A call to WD manager Reg and WD were ready for Tuesday Morning.
Reg decided that the path along the embankment would need to be closed if the damage was as severe as expected. The Tipper was loaded with 3 Heras panels (with clips and feet) and a good handful of cable ties. Leaving the BOB team in charge of the yard as they continued to use the calm conditions to paint the new boat Reg set off.
At the bridge Chairman Jim of CCT was waiting. The damage to the embankment was surveyed from above and below. The views were not inspiring. There were several cracks along the top surface and when viewed from the towpath deep fissures were visible. The evidence of the reality of the hazard was only too visible with debris which had fallen into the canal. The decision to close the path between the bridge and Home Orchard was confirmed. Heras panels were to be fixed across the bridge end of the path and to the ‘chicane’ at the Home Orchard end.
The bank at the slippage site starts at about 2.5 m above water level and drops over about 30m towards Home Orchard and a normal bank height. The embankment along this short stretch is nearly vertical, a precipice. It is evident that much of the material used is reclaimed or brought in. a near vertical bank will inevitably slip if conditions are favourable. The rains and the presence of a large number of Buddleia bushes growing from the bank clearly contributed to the collapse.
Chairman Jim showed some photographs from a book describing the history of this area. When the canal was in use this embankment was topped by a sawmill and the canal bank was topped by stone block wall which climbed vertically from the water to the bridge deck level. It is likely that the stones were robbed out when the canal fell into disrepair. The current bank was created when the canal was restored to navigation. Lacking any evidence of the stone wall the earthen bank was created by BWB.
The future of this embankment will now be high on the list of maintenance tasks held by SVCC and CCT.
While we were on site a small squadron of ducks was feasting on the buddleia which had fallen into the canal. Occasionally fierce outbursts of quacking would erupt. The squadron was mainly formed of drakes with just 2 females in their brown plumage. The noisome outbursts were the result of competition for the affections of one or other females between the drakes. The warm winter has confused the mating instinct of these birds.
We are also grateful for the memories of the local residents who spent time with us and provided some useful history about the bridge and the wider area and it’s last 50 or so years.
