Difference between revisions of "Sterns"

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Sterns is a location between [[Hampton Loade]] and [[Bridgnorth]], at the foot of [[Eardington Bank]] at approximately MP 147. It is the point at which the [[River Severn]] is closest to the railway, and is notorious as a maintenance trouble spot, due to the ground regularly slipping towards the river many times over the history of the railway, especially after periods of heavy rain. The line of telegraph poles adjacent to the railway vividly illustrates this, with one post having been carried away from the line by ground movements since the mid-1970s<ref>SVR News 52 p26 notes that the poles were adjacent to the track until shortly before 1979.</ref>, now only just visible in the trees towards the river.  
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[[File:Sterns_20160723.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The telegraph pole at Sterns (summer)]]
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[[File:Sterns_20180325.jpg|thumb|300px|right| The telegraph pole at Sterns (spring)]]'''Sterns''' is situated between [[Hampton Loade]] and [[Bridgnorth]] at the foot of [[Eardington Bank]], at approximately [[Gradient profile and mileages|milepost 147]]. It is at a place where the [[River Severn]] approaches close to the railway, and is notorious as a maintenance trouble spot due to the ground regularly slipping towards the river on numerous occasions over the history of the railway, especially after periods of heavy rain. The line of telegraph poles adjacent to the railway vividly illustrates this; one post which stood next to the track until shortly before 1979<ref>SVR News 52 p26</ref> has been carried a significant distance towards the river by ground movements since that time and is now only just visible in the trees towards the river. The post is mentioned in the Railway's [[From The Window]] booklet as one of the items to see during the journey and it carries a yellow flash to make it more visible.
  
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==Repair work==
 
SVR News and newsletters regularly refer to repair work at Sterns. Some examples are as follows:
 
SVR News and newsletters regularly refer to repair work at Sterns. Some examples are as follows:
 
*Over the winter of [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979#1977 | 1976-77]], intense cold followed by heavy rain resulted in the line dropping 2ft 6" and moving 4ft nearer the river.   
 
*Over the winter of [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979#1977 | 1976-77]], intense cold followed by heavy rain resulted in the line dropping 2ft 6" and moving 4ft nearer the river.   
 
*In [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1990-1999#1995|1994-95]] ten feet of river bank was washed away, triggering further slippage. 3,000 tons of rock was deposited on the river bank as a temporary measure.   
 
*In [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1990-1999#1995|1994-95]] ten feet of river bank was washed away, triggering further slippage. 3,000 tons of rock was deposited on the river bank as a temporary measure.   
 
*In the [[2007 Storm Damage|Summer 2007 storm damage]], the first severe thunderstorm did not affect Sterns, but further slips began in the following weeks as the wet weather continued. Part of the solution involved building a 150 foot long piled concrete retaining wall alongside Sterns Cottage, the house alongside the line on the side nearer the river.
 
*In the [[2007 Storm Damage|Summer 2007 storm damage]], the first severe thunderstorm did not affect Sterns, but further slips began in the following weeks as the wet weather continued. Part of the solution involved building a 150 foot long piled concrete retaining wall alongside Sterns Cottage, the house alongside the line on the side nearer the river.
*In February 2014, evidence of further subsidence appeared with a significant dip in the line. Pictures of the repair work in progress can be seen in this news archive page on the [http://www.svrlive.com/Pages/News0414.aspx SVR Live] web site.
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<gallery>
*Following [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2020-2029#2020|extensive flooding in February 2020]] land movements were again observed. A comprehensive drainage network was proposed to collect rainwater and transport it to the river in an efficient manner before it can get down to the slip planes and exacerbate the problem.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/bljun20 Branch Lines, June 2020] (Retrieved 26 June 2020)</ref>  
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Sterns_20160514.jpg| The cap of the 150 foot retaining wall alongside Sterns Cottage
 
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</gallery>
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*In February 2014, evidence of further subsidence appeared with a significant dip in the line. Repair work was undertaken over the following months.<ref>SVR Live April 2014</ref>
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<gallery>
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Sterns_20140316.jpg|Dip in the line in 2014 seen from the DMU
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</gallery>
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*Following [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2020-2029#2020|extensive flooding in February 2020]] land movements were again observed. A comprehensive drainage network was proposed to collect rainwater and transport it to the river in an efficient manner before it could get down to the slip planes and exacerbate the problem.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/bljun20 Branch Lines, June 2020] (Retrieved 26 June 2020)</ref> Contractors Walsh Construction completed this water management work by 29 July as planned, with the final item being the lining of the existing drainage ditch with concrete canvas.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/blaug20 Branch Lines, August 2020] (Retrieved 3 August 2020)</ref>
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The section of line through Sterns was for many years under a strict 5mph speed limit, with drainage improvements and earthworks in 2013/14 finally allowing for the limit to be increased to 15mph (although further ground movement led to the reinstatement of a lower temporary speed limit soon after).  A consequence of this speed restriction is that northbound trains are made to work harder as they are prevented from ‘taking a run’ at Eardington Bank.
 
The section of line through Sterns was for many years under a strict 5mph speed limit, with drainage improvements and earthworks in 2013/14 finally allowing for the limit to be increased to 15mph (although further ground movement led to the reinstatement of a lower temporary speed limit soon after).  A consequence of this speed restriction is that northbound trains are made to work harder as they are prevented from ‘taking a run’ at Eardington Bank.
  
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<gallery>
 
<gallery>
File: Sterns_1_20150228.jpg|The displaced telegraph pole (highlighted)
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File: Sterns_1_20150228.jpg|Another view of the displaced telegraph pole (highlighted)
 
File: Sterns_2_20150228.jpg|Evidence of 2014 repair work is still visible
 
File: Sterns_2_20150228.jpg|Evidence of 2014 repair work is still visible
File: Sterns_3_20150228.jpg|The cap of the 150 foot retaining wall alongside Sterns Cottage
 
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
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==See also==
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*[[From The Window]]
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
<references />
 
<references />
  
==See also==
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[[Category:Featured articles]]
[[From The Window]]
 

Revision as of 14:54, 3 August 2020

The telegraph pole at Sterns (summer)
The telegraph pole at Sterns (spring)
Sterns is situated between Hampton Loade and Bridgnorth at the foot of Eardington Bank, at approximately milepost 147. It is at a place where the River Severn approaches close to the railway, and is notorious as a maintenance trouble spot due to the ground regularly slipping towards the river on numerous occasions over the history of the railway, especially after periods of heavy rain. The line of telegraph poles adjacent to the railway vividly illustrates this; one post which stood next to the track until shortly before 1979[1] has been carried a significant distance towards the river by ground movements since that time and is now only just visible in the trees towards the river. The post is mentioned in the Railway's From The Window booklet as one of the items to see during the journey and it carries a yellow flash to make it more visible.

Repair work

SVRSevern Valley Railway News and newsletters regularly refer to repair work at Sterns. Some examples are as follows:

  • Over the winter of 1976-77, intense cold followed by heavy rain resulted in the line dropping 2ft 6" and moving 4ft nearer the river.
  • In 1994-95 ten feet of river bank was washed away, triggering further slippage. 3,000 tons of rock was deposited on the river bank as a temporary measure.
  • In the Summer 2007 storm damage, the first severe thunderstorm did not affect Sterns, but further slips began in the following weeks as the wet weather continued. Part of the solution involved building a 150 foot long piled concrete retaining wall alongside Sterns Cottage, the house alongside the line on the side nearer the river.
  • In February 2014, evidence of further subsidence appeared with a significant dip in the line. Repair work was undertaken over the following months.[2]
  • Following extensive flooding in February 2020 land movements were again observed. A comprehensive drainage network was proposed to collect rainwater and transport it to the river in an efficient manner before it could get down to the slip planes and exacerbate the problem.[3] Contractors Walsh Construction completed this water management work by 29 July as planned, with the final item being the lining of the existing drainage ditch with concrete canvas.[4]

The section of line through Sterns was for many years under a strict 5mph speed limit, with drainage improvements and earthworks in 2013/14 finally allowing for the limit to be increased to 15mph (although further ground movement led to the reinstatement of a lower temporary speed limit soon after). A consequence of this speed restriction is that northbound trains are made to work harder as they are prevented from ‘taking a run’ at Eardington Bank.

Access for photography

Travelling South on the B4555 follow the road past Eardington station. A large layby can be found on the right hand side of the road which is ideally suited to the location at Sterns, accessed via the left turn just before the road diverges underneath the railway.

Directions

The nearest Postcode for Satnav directions is WV16 6AU
Lat. & Long. coordinates; 52.369457, -2.280311 View location on Google Maps
Ordnance Survey Grid Reference; View location on an OS map

See also

References

  1. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 52 p26
  2. SVRSevern Valley Railway Live April 2014
  3. Branch Lines, June 2020 (Retrieved 26 June 2020)
  4. Branch Lines, August 2020 (Retrieved 3 August 2020)