View allAll Photos Tagged Scheming
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the 2nd week of September 2017.
Hard to believe - but I've been recording this project now for 5+ years.
These are the critical stabilisation works at the Silverbridge site, adjacent to the N11 dual-carriageway:
Back in November 2014, we'd observed bank stabilisation works here involving excavation, repair and building of a support wall structure -- carried out by JONS Construction on behalf of the National Roads Authority.
We would occasionally catch sight of this work in the distance. Quite an impressive little piece of structural engineering.
Having built a retaining concave wall, backfilled for solidity, they were also drilling, fixing and sealing ground anchors to pin the entire structure together.
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Previously the guys drilled and sunk 4+metre deep reinforced tubing and rods along a newly laid concrete base. Those stubs were then used to attach steel rod cradles -- which, in turn, were filled with poured concrete. Result - the wall quickly rises. Variation on the method they've used elsewhere along this stretch of the river.
A continuous stretch of protective wall has now been poured, and joined up with the section originally erected back in 2014.
As we can see from the side-on shot, the base of the wall has pre-cut openings for the retaining pins that have been driven into the side wall of the roadside cliff. These have been sealed and capped.
Progress was rapid, the full stretch of wall completed, and the guys worked on back-filling the empty space between the protective wall and the roadside rock face. You don't just throw in a few trucks loads of soil and hope for the best. You load, layer, level and compress.
They then clearing away material used to build access ramps down into the riverbed.
The thought crossed had my mind -- in doing so (removing the stone-filled gabions etc,) are they potentially exposing the river bank on that side to erosion, slippage etc?
We know the destructive force of fast running waters. Hell, this is precisely why the protective works have been carried out along the rest of the stretch, down to the Bray Harbour. Unless they have other plans to stabilise it, what is going to be left here is loose soil -- very close to the access road into the halting site itself.
Back in March of this year we could see the cleaned, exposed riverbank, we can see a substantial bedrock. Obviously this is not liable to subsidence. And there was evidence that sections of the slope had already been 'nailed' * to prevent slippage. But, in talking to the guys there, it would seem that further 'nailing' might be required later in the year.
6 months later, when passing by, I stopped to check . . . and confirmed that they had already completed the task of sheathing+nailing that section of the slope at most risk of destabilisation over the long term.
In 10, 20, 50 years time . . . what odds on further protection work here.
Hell, 10 10, 20, 50m months time . . . what odds . . . .!
Some repair/reinforcing work is going on here to protect the (old) buttress that supports the pipework carrying water to the Bray region.
*
Soil nailing is a construction technique that can be used as a remedial measure to treat unstable natural soil slopes or as a construction technique that allows the safe over-steepening of new or existing soil slopes.
The technique involves the insertion of relatively slender reinforcing elements into the slope – often general purpose reinforcing bars (rebar) although proprietary solid or hollow-system bars are also available.
Solid bars are usually installed into pre-drilled holes and then grouted into place using a separate grout line, whereas hollow bars may be drilled and grouted simultaneously by the use of a sacrificial drill bit and by pumping grout down the hollow bar as drilling progresses.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the first week of July, 2017.
The levels of activity fluctuate along this stretch of the riverbank, and especially around the Irish Rail bridge, informed by the tides and priorities.
Since Summer 2016, this is where the heavy-duty engineering works have been taking place.
This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have not covered in detail -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Standing below an access bridge, adjacent to the Bray Boxing Club (from whence sprang Katie Taylor, and others of illustrious note), looking back up the river, towards the town direction.
In the foreground is the Railway bridge, and in the distance we can see some construction works taking place on the Ravenswell Road, temporarily closed due to on-going works.
That was the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
As well as raising a heightened flood protection wall, they've created an access ramp down to the riverside.
The area in the background, site of the old Bray Golf course, was both a works compound and vehicle route for the transportation of material to/from the other sectors along the River Dargle involved in construction works.
The Irish Rail Bridge, Bray Harbour:
Phase 1 flood defence works to the Irish Rail bridge commenced in August 2016.
Phase 2 flood defence works will be completed during May to September 2017. This work is being undertaken directly by Irish Rail.
The work includes strengthening the integrity of the bridge by creating buttresses around the base of each pillar.
To do this they have to pile-drive sheets into the river bedrock.
The work is complicated by;
(a) the need not to damage or disturb in any way the actual bridge itself (Irish Rail train and DART carriages pass overhead on an hourly basis), (b) the confined spaces under the bridge, and (c) the twice-daily rising tides from Bray Harbour which spill upriver into the newly expanded basin.
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Bray Harbour / Irish Rail Bridge:
The harbour was constructed between the years of 1891 and 1895.
A railway bridge was first built here in 1853.
The following year saw the opening of a railway line between Dublin and Bray.
It was also known as the 'Harcourt Street Line'
Famed Irish engineer William Dargan, known affectionately as ‘the father of the Irish Railways’, was the man involved with bringing the rail to Bray, and in it's construction, and which moulded the town into a fashionable resort.
Dargan designed and built Ireland's first railway line from Dublin to Dún Laoghaire in 1833.
Mid-18th century plans proposed the building of a 12.5-mile (20 km) railway from Bray Daly, which opened on 10 July 1854 to initially terminate at Harcourt Road. (Harcourt Street Station was not built until 1859).
The building of the line was done by two railway companies: The Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway (DW&WR), who built the line from Dundrum to Bray and the Dublin, Dundrum and Rathfarnham Railway (DD&RR), who were to build the line from Harcourt Street to Dundrum.
The latter failed to do so, and the 'Dublin & Wicklow Railway' took over the line works.
Following the Beddy Report of 1957, CIÉ began to realise that in an effort to save money, all the non-profitable rural railway branch lines would have to close. The Harcourt Street line was one of these unprofitable railway lines and so the decision to close the line was ultimately reached.
In October 1958, CIÉ gave notice of the closure in the local papers.
The last train, CIÉ 2600 Class AEC railcar number 2652, left Harcourt Street at 4:25pm on 31 December 1958.
The route was preserved after closure, allowing for a potential future reopening. The route corridor remained mostly in-situ until the 2000s. The section between the Grand Canal crossing and the old Stillorgan station was chosen for use by the Luas light rail system whose Green Line opened in 2004. The line crosses Dundrum on the new William Dargan cable-stayed bridge.
An extension of the Luas to Cherrywood opened for passenger service on Saturday 16 October 2010, using most of the old railway alignment.
Bray Railway Station was renamed Bray Daly Railway Station in 1966 in honour of Edward Daly, one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising.
The eastern platform features an interesting set of murals depicting the history of Ireland’s railways.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the 2nd week of July, 2017.
The levels of activity fluctuate along this stretch of the riverbank, and especially around the Irish Rail bridge, informed by the tides and priorities.
Since Summer 2016, this is where the heavy-duty engineering works have been taking place.
This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have not covered in detail -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Standing on an access bridge, adjacent to the Bray Boxing Club (from whence sprang Katie Taylor, and others of illustrious note), looking back up the river, towards the town direction.
In the foreground is the Railway bridge, and in the distance we can see some construction works taking place on the Ravenswell Road, temporarily closed due to on-going works.
That was the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
As well as raising a heightened flood protection wall, they've created an access ramp down to the riverside.
The area in the background, site of the old Bray Golf course, was both a works compound and vehicle route for the transportation of material to/from the other sectors along the River Dargle involved in construction works.
The Irish Rail Bridge, Bray Harbour:
Phase 1 flood defence works to the Irish Rail bridge commenced in August 2016.
Phase 2 flood defence works will be completed during May to September 2017. This work is being undertaken directly by Irish Rail.
The work includes strengthening the integrity of the bridge by creating buttresses around the base of each pillar.
To do this they have to pile-drive sheets into the river bedrock.
The work is complicated by;
(a) the need not to damage or disturb in any way the actual bridge itself (Irish Rail train and DART carriages pass overhead on an hourly basis), (b) the confined spaces under the bridge, and (c) the twice-daily rising tides from Bray Harbour which spill upriver into the newly expanded basin.
By now, it would appear that the concrete strengthening is complete around the railway bridge piers. Nice clean collars of concrete.
Don't know how much more work is necessary to restore the riverbed and ancillary items.
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Bray Harbour / Irish Rail Bridge:
The harbour was constructed between the years of 1891 and 1895.
A railway bridge was first built here in 1853.
The following year saw the opening of a railway line between Dublin and Bray.
It was also known as the 'Harcourt Street Line'
Famed Irish engineer William Dargan, known affectionately as ‘the father of the Irish Railways’, was the man involved with bringing the rail to Bray, and in it's construction, and which moulded the town into a fashionable resort.
Dargan designed and built Ireland's first railway line from Dublin to Dún Laoghaire in 1833.
Mid-18th century plans proposed the building of a 12.5-mile (20 km) railway from Bray Daly, which opened on 10 July 1854 to initially terminate at Harcourt Road. (Harcourt Street Station was not built until 1859).
The building of the line was done by two railway companies: The Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway (DW&WR), who built the line from Dundrum to Bray and the Dublin, Dundrum and Rathfarnham Railway (DD&RR), who were to build the line from Harcourt Street to Dundrum.
The latter failed to do so, and the 'Dublin & Wicklow Railway' took over the line works.
Following the Beddy Report of 1957, CIÉ began to realise that in an effort to save money, all the non-profitable rural railway branch lines would have to close. The Harcourt Street line was one of these unprofitable railway lines and so the decision to close the line was ultimately reached.
In October 1958, CIÉ gave notice of the closure in the local papers.
The last train, CIÉ 2600 Class AEC railcar number 2652, left Harcourt Street at 4:25pm on 31 December 1958.
The route was preserved after closure, allowing for a potential future reopening. The route corridor remained mostly in-situ until the 2000s. The section between the Grand Canal crossing and the old Stillorgan station was chosen for use by the Luas light rail system whose Green Line opened in 2004. The line crosses Dundrum on the new William Dargan cable-stayed bridge.
An extension of the Luas to Cherrywood opened for passenger service on Saturday 16 October 2010, using most of the old railway alignment.
Bray Railway Station was renamed Bray Daly Railway Station in 1966 in honour of Edward Daly, one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising.
The eastern platform features an interesting set of murals depicting the history of Ireland’s railways.
St Matthew, Portman Road, Ipswich
In the 1960s, Ipswich went mad. Town planners devised a scheme whereby the population would rise towards half a million, and the existing town centre would be encircled and crossed by urban motorways. They didn't get very far before the men in white coats came and took them away, releasing them into the wild somewhere like Croydon or Wolverhampton; but the towering Civic Centre, the brutalist police station and courts buildings were evidence of their ambitions (the Civic Centre has since been demolished), and the four lane Civic Drive cuts across what was the Mount residential area, the little terraces all demolished to make way for the 20th century.
Now, the new Ipswich plan designates this whole area for residential use, and the civil servants have all moved down to the river. This new plan, if it emerges, can only serve St Matthew well, sitting beside Civic Drive as it does, and cut off from the town centre by it.
St Matthew is, perhaps, less well-known than the other working town centre churches. Partly, this is because it is the only one of them which is kept locked, but also because it is such an effort to get to if you are a visitor. Because of this, many people don't realise that it contains a treasure of national importance. It is the early 16th Century font, which is quite unlike any other in Suffolk, and perhaps is unique in England.
Before we come to it, the church building itself is worth examining. This must once have been quite a small church, but is now a big one. Its core is 15th century, including the lower part of the tower. Nothing else is. Its 19th century expansion can be explained by the proximity of the Ipswich Barracks, for this became the Garrison church. This resulted in the huge aisles, as wide as the nave. The chancel was also rebuilt, but retaining its medieval roof.
Until 1970, the church was hemmed in to the east, but the construction of Civic Drive opened up this view, which isn't a particularly good one, particularly from the north east. It comes as a surprise to find the west end on Portman Road quite so pastoral, but the hidden graveyard surrounding the tower is quite beautiful, and would once have been the familiar view. Ancestor hunters will be horrified to learn that the greater part of the graveyard was built over in the 1960s, with the construction of a church school to the south. All those graves are under the playground now. The part of the graveyard to the east fell foul of the road, and those immediately beyond the chancel were turned into a garden, now the preserve of homeless drinkers. A footpath runs along the north side, which will take you through to the main entrance, the west door, under the tower. You step into a broadly Victorian interior, and find the font in the north aisle.
East Anglia is famous for its Seven Sacrament fonts, 13 of which are in Suffolk. These show the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, and are rare survivals; so much Catholic iconography was destroyed by the Protestant reformers of the 16th century, and the Puritans of the 17th century.
Here at St Matthew, we find an even rarer survival of England's Catholic past; a series of images of events associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Before describing it, I have to make the point that this really is one of the dozen most important and significant medieval art survivals in Suffolk, and one of the finest late medieval fonts in England. There is nothing as good as this in the Victorian and Albert Museum, or in the British Museum. I make this point simply because on every occasion that I have visited, the person accompanying me (they don't let you vist the church on your own) did not seem to realise quite how important the font was, and gave the impression that the parish, though they care for it lovingly, also did not realise what a treasure, what a jewel, they had on the premises. "It's quite pretty," said the lady when I visited in September 2016.
Of the eight panels, two bear Tudor roses, but five of them depict events in the story of Mary, mother of Jesus. These five reliefs, and a sixth of the Baptism of Christ, are amazing art objects. They show the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin, The Adoration of the Magi, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, the Coronation of the Queen of Heaven, and the Mother of God Enthroned. The guide books all describe these as the five Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. In fact, this is technically not the case, although certainly the font was intended for use in rosary meditations. After extensive research, the late John Blatchly showed convincingly that this font was paid for by the Rector John Bailey to celebrate the Miracle of the Maid of Ipswich, which occured in the parish in 1516 and was held in renown all over England in the few short years left before the Reformation intervened.
We know that the rosary was a hugely popular devotion in medieval England, and that a persons 'bedes' were their most valued possession. They played a major part in personal devotion, but were also important as a way of participating in the liturgy, and an expression of communal piety. Most pre-Reformation memorials show people holding their rosary beads. However, what we now think of as the Rosary sequence only dates from the 14th century or so, and was only one among many - the so-called Dominican Rosary, which is now the predominant meditation. The rosary was greatly popularised in England by St Thomas of Canterbury in the 12th century, who devised a series of seven joyful mysteries, including the Adoration of the Magi and the Assumption. Most sequences were of five meditations, and we must presume that this is what we find here. In time, the Joyful Mysteries would come to be Mary's earthly experiences, and the Glorious Mysteries her heavenly ones.
Because personal devotion was considered a diversion from congregational worship, and Marian devotion was thought superstitious, the rosary was completely anathematised by the 16th century Protestant reformers, and attempts were made to write it out of history, by destroying images of it. Within forty years of this font being produced, possession of rosary beads was punishable by death in England.
The survival of an image of the Assumption is particularly interesting. We still have much surviving evidence of religious life in England before the Church of England came along, but it does not really reveal to us the relative significance of different devotions, simply because some of the major cults and their images - St Thomas of Canterbury, for instance - were ruthlessly rooted out and destroyed. The Assumption is another case in point. 15th and early 16th century wills and bequests reveal a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin, particularly to the feast of the Assumption, which is celebrated on August 15th.
This is at the height of the harvest, of course, and it is not difficult to see the connection between this feast and the culmination of the farming year, or the importance to farmworkers of a festival at this time. More than 200 Suffolk parish churches were dedicated to the Assumption. When the dedications of Anglican churches were restored in the 19th century, after several centuries of disuse, these generally became 'St Mary', although some have been restored correctly since, notably Ufford. The Church of England, of course, does not recognise the doctrine of the Assumption.
Of equal significance are the other images, of course; extraordinary survivals. And why the Baptism of Christ? In fact, this is the most common 'odd panel out' on the Seven Sacrament fonts, and shows us the significance of 'anointing to serve' in the medieval church. The medieval church didn't see Baptism as a mere naming ceremony, or welcoming ceremony, as so many people seem to do today. It was the sacrament by which people received their commission as Christians.
The north aisle also retains panels from the rood screen, built into a 19th century screen.You might miss these, because chairs are stacked against them. Three of the panels show bishops, and the other two show cheering crowds of seven and nine people respectively. I do not think that these can be in their original configuration. Roy Tricker thought that the crowds were portraits of parishioners, but I have seen elsewhere a suggestion that this may have been the screen to the chantry altar of the guild of Erasmus, which was established here.
There is clear evidence of the location of at least one nave altar, since a squint kicks in from the north aisle. There are two good 17th century wall memorials in the chancel, the best being to Anthony Penning and his wife, depicting their children weeping, some holding skulls to show that they pre-deceased their parents.
Much of the 19th century woodwork is from the workshops of two major 19th century Ipswich carpenters, Henry Ringham and John Corder. Ringham's work can be found in several Suffolk churches, most notably St Mary le Tower and Great Bealings, while Corder was an architect responsible for several restorations, including Swilland. Both have Ipswich roads named after them.
The church has an extensive collection of late 19th and early 20th Century glass, not all of it good, but happily by a wide variety of workshops. The great curiosity is the window in the east end of the south aisle, which depicts Jane Trimmer Gaye, wife of a 19th Century Rector, flanked by female members of her husband's flock with images of birth and death. It was designed by her brother Frank Howard, and made by George Hedgeland. Another oddity is Percy Bacon's Christ flanked by St Edmund and St Felix - for the last hundred years the Saints have stood there with their names transposed.
There is a frankly functional modern screen, with a curious Anglo-catholic style rood, which looks most out of place, for St Matthew today is very much in the evangelical tradition. But the lady who allowed me entry thought it 'nice', so I expect nobody minds.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the second full week of July, 2016.
Adjacent to The People's Park, a large compound is the site of continuing work along this section of the river. Some of the works are nearing completion.
Work here along the riverbank, between Glenwood and The Maltings, involves stabilisation measures (digging out a channel, and dropping in large boulders) intended to reinforce this newly constructed/shaped length of bank.
Access is quite restricted here, and involves shipping material in/out via the entrance further upriver, adjacent to The Slang.
The gaffer's indestructible Toyota pickup is the means by which he keeps on top of works along the full stretch of the river protection scheme.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken in the second full week of November 2014.
There's a big drop-off in activity on this site now. Some finishing touches to the river bed itself, cosmetic work along the riverbank sides, and a jig-saw pattern of large boulders placed in mid-stream. The main (final) focus will be on completing the profiles to the wall, securing with poured concrete, and then the completion with the pre-fabricated stone capping.
The guys have attached steel frames to the recess of the sheet-steel uprights, and filled with concrete. They very carefully check levels, laser-assisted. There's still a surprising amount of intricate manual work involved -- machines can only do so much!
The next step involves swinging in pre-formed capping slabs, with inset jacking points, and embedded rods to intertwine with the sheet-steel wall. Accuracy satisfied, the welder melds them together.
It's a race against time, schedules - and expected heavy rains and high river levels on the way.
The fume given off by welding and hot cutting processes is a varying mixture of airborne gases and very fine particles which if inhaled can cause ill health.
Gases that may be present in welding and cutting fume are:
nitrous oxide (NOx),
carbon dioxide (CO2),
carbon monoxide (CO),
shielding gas (eg Argon, helium) and ozone (O3)
The visible part of the fume cloud is mainly particles of metal, metal oxide and flux (if used).
The exact level of risk from the fume will depend on 3 factors:
How toxic the fume is;
How concentrated the fume is;
How long you are breathing the fume
(HSE.Gov.UK)
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the second week of October 2012, tracking the on-going river bank alterations and excavation of the river bed. In preparation for the river-bank strengthening/protection along this stretch of the river, a 2nd channel was created -- with the intention of diverting the river. Having endured a similar flooding only days earlier, another heavy fall of rain caused the channels to fill up again. It meant starting all over again - draining this road/bank side channel, cutting a release channel near the bridge to release the volume, and activating pumps to assist with the repeated drainage. Matters were never helped by the overflow pipe which siphoned run-off from the adjacent motorway! Always quite amazing to see how water levels could drain away within a few days. The question would always be -- how much work could be completed before the (inevitable) next run of water? As we can see, one or two day's intense rain could produce rapid flooding of channels, swamping on-going works, and causing temporary vehicle access paths to have to be repaired. And these access ramps were proving difficult to navigate for the fully-laden dumpers/trucks. One hell of a wet and messy place to be working, especially for the guys on foot.
Gabions consist of steel ‘baskets’ filled with rock pieces. They are filled and then fixed together to provide protection and strength to the existing river bank. They allow ground water to flow through them which helps prevent waterlogging of the bank behind them. Existing examples of these can be seen (here) on the North bank to the rear of the La Vallee Apartments.
Long shallow versions of gabions, known as ‘mattresses’, are used to protect the edges of the river channel, particularly at bends in the river.
At this section of the river, behind the La Vallee Apartments, the guys are continuing the bank protection work: rolling down strips of membrane, prior to being stapled into the bank.
Helsingør & Fredensborg
Jørn Utzon’s housing scheme known as the Kingohusene, is located in the suburbs of Helsingør, a costal town in the Øresund region of Denmark. The houses react to the topography of the site, set into the various hills and dales. The plans are rotated to create interest and variety but each house has the same plan. Essentially each house is based around a courtyard, two sides of which give privacy and are used to ‘face’ the paths and streets of the scheme. Lower walls around the courtyard allow for light penetration but are built up where the house faces the street on two sides. The pitch of the roof is ‘abstracted’ showing two walls which step down to the same degree as the pitch of the roof. Windows which face streets have vertical louvers which block views into the housing. The tectonics of the houses are expressed using lintels (amongst other things), which upon returning around a corner attempts to evoke a the wall construction being the same depth as the lintel appears to be, when in fact the wall is half this width. This gives an impression of a brick monolith without the need for a superfluous amount of brick. The rotation of units, ‘impression’ of a monolithic structure, and use of standard elements giving scales of economy are all factors which allow this ‘social housing’ to retain character and a remain deeply architectural scheme. There is definately a case for asking the question, just because something is for social housing, does that mean that its inhabitants do not deserve good quality architecture. We also saw a later of Utzon’s schemes at Fedensborg (again a ‘social housing project’). This I thought was less succesful than the Kingohusene, as there was more than just one housetype. This diluted the value of only designing one type (in terms of cost and potency).
Fence
The fence in its red-and-gold color scheme
At the time of establishment of the New Castle, several cast iron works have been commissioned. These include the long and high fence enclosing and protecting the entire area. The fence begins at the Palm House in the Castle garden (Burggarten) and encloses the Castle garden toward Goethegasse along the ring road passing the Corps de Logis, until the Castle gate and then along the Ring road around the People's garden (Volksgarten) to the Burgtheater. There it stretches along the Löwelstraße eastwards where it separates the People's garden from the Heroes Square and closing it. Thus, the public parks of the Castle garden, Heroes' Square and People's garden are directly related to the ensemble of the Hofburg. The decorated fence in the style of Neo-Baroque was originally painted red and partly gilded. The lanterns are decorated with the imperial crown. Over time the fence was completely painted black. The original color scheme reappeared in the course of restoration work in the 1990s. In doing so, the fence was up till the foundations completely disassembled and the sandstone base (Mannersdorfer stone) repaired. Rust damages were removed and replaced missing parts. After long investigations the fence could at least in the area of the Castle gate again shine in its original red-and-gold color scheme, the remaining portion, however, was again kept in black.
(further pictures and information are available by clicking on the link at the end of page!)
History of the Vienna Hofburg
First residence
With the elevation of Austria to Archduchy in 1156, Vienna became a city of residence. From the residence of the Babenberg dynasty, who was located on the present site "Am Hof", unfortunately, there do not exist any remains anymore. After the extinction of the Babenberg, Ottokar II of Bohemia (1230-1278) took over by marriage the rule in Vienna and began in 1275 with the construction of a castle within the city walls of Vienna. This castle was equipped with four towers around a rectangular court that is known as Schweizerhof today. In the battle for the German crown Ottokar was defeated at the Battle of Dürnkrut by Rudolf I of Habsburg (1218-1291) and killed during the retreat.
As the old residence of the Babenberg in 1276 burned down, Rudolf probably 1279 moved into the former castle of Ottokar. The descendants of Rudolf extended the castle only slightly: castle chapel (documentary mention in 1296), St. Augustine's Church (consecrated in 1349), reconstruction of the chapel (1423-1426). Due to the division of the lands of the Habsburg Vienna lost its importance and also lacked the financial resources to expand the castle.
Imperial residence
Under Frederick III. (1415-1493) the Habsburgs obtained the imperial title and Vienna became an imperial residence. But Friedrich and his successors used the Vienna Residence only rarely and so it happened that the imperial residence temporarily orphaned. Only under Ferdinand I (1503-1564) Vienna again became the capital of the Archduchy. Under Ferdinand set in a large construction activity: The three existing wings of the Swiss court were expanded and increased. The defensive wall in the northwest as fourth tract with the Swiss Gate (built in 1552 probably by Pietro Ferrabosco) was rebuilt. In the southwest, a tract for Ferdinand's children (the so-called "children Stöckl") was added. The newly constituted authorities Exchequer and Chancery were located in adjacent buildings at Castle Square. Were added in the castle an art chamber, a hospital, a passage from the castle to St. Augustine's Church and a new ballroom.
First major extensions of the residence
In the area of "desolate church" built Ferdinand from 1559 a solitary residence for his son. However, the construction was delayed, and Maximilian II (1527-1576) after his father's death in 1564 moved into the ancient castle. His residence he for his Spanish horses had converted into a Hofstallgebäude (Stallburg - stables) and increased from 1565 .
Ferdinand I decided to divide his lands to his three sons, which led to a reduction of Vienna as a residence. Moreover, stayed Maximilian II, who was awarded alongside Austria above and below the Enns also Bohemia and Hungary, readily in Prague and he moved also the residence there. In 1575 he decided to build a new building in front of the Swiss court for the royal household of his eldest son, Rudolf II (1552-1612). The 1577 in the style of the late Renaissance completed and in 1610 expanded building, which was significantly fitted with a turret with "welscher hood" and an astronomical clock, but by the governor of the Emperor (Archduke Ernst of Austria) was inhabited. However, the name "Amalienborg Castle" comes from Amalie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (wife of Joseph I.), which in 1711 there installed her widow seat.
In the late 16th and early 17th Century only a few extensions were carried out: extension of a separate tract in the northeast of the castle for the Treasure and Art chamber (1583-1585) and setting up of a dance hall in the area of today's Redoutensäle (1629-1631).
Under Leopold I the dance hall by Ludovico Burnacini 1659/1660 was rebuilt into an at that time modern theater ("Comedy House"). 1666 Leopold I in the area of today's castle garden a new opera house with three tiers and a capacity of 5,000 people had built.
In the 1660-ies under Leopold I (1640-1705) after the plans of architect Filiberto Lucchese an elongated wing building between the Amalienborg Castle and the Schweizerhof, the so-called Leopoldine Wing, was built. However, since the tract shortly after the completion burned down, this by Giovanni Pietro Tencala was set up newly and increased. Architecturally, this tract still connects to the late Renaissance. The connection with the Amalienborg castle followed then under Leopold's son Joseph I (1678-1711).
After completion of the Leopoldine Wing the in the southeast of castle located riding school was renewed, the south tower of the old castle pulled down, the old sacristy of the chapel replaced by an extension. Under Charles VI. (1685-1740) the Gateway Building between cabbage market (Kohlmarkt) and Courtyard by Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt was transformed into a monumental triumphal arch as a representative sign of the imperial power. However, this construction does not exist anymore, it had to give way to the Michael tract.
Baroque redesign of the Hofburg
In the early 18th Century set in a buoyant construction activity. The emperor commissioned Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach with the construction of new stables outside the city walls and a new court library.
After the death of Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, his son Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach took over the construction management for the stables and the court library. 1725 the palatial front of the stables was completed. As already during the construction period has been established that the stables were dimensioned too small, the other wings were not realized anymore. The with frescoes by Daniel Gran and statues of Emperors by Paul Strudel equipped Court Library was completed in 1737.
Opposite the Leopoldine Wing a new Reich Chancellery should be built. 1723 was entrusted with the planning Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt. 1726, however, the supervision the Reich Chancellery was withdrawn and transferred to the Chancery and thus Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, who also designed the adjacent Court Chamber and the front to St. Michael's Church. 1728 the Court Chamber and the facade of the two buildings were completed. By Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach was also the Michaelertrakt, the connection between the Winter Riding School and the Imperial Chancellery Wing planned. However, since the old Burgtheater the building was in the path, this was half done for a period of 150 years and was only completed in 1889-1893 by Ferdinand Kirschner .
Under Maria Theresia (1717-1780) the at St. Michael's Square located and only as remnants existing Ballhaus was adapted as a court theater. Beside the Emperor hospital in return a new ball house was built, being eponymous for the Ballhausplatz. Subsequently, there occured again and again conversions and adaptations: reconstruction of the comedy hall according to the plans of Jean Nicolas Jadot into two ballrooms, the small and large ball room (1744-1748). The transformation of the two halls (from 1760), repair of the Court Library, and from 1769 onwards the design of the Josephsplatz took place under Joseph Nicolas of Pacassi. These buildings were completed by the successor of Pacassi Franz Anton Hillebrandt. As an extension for the Court Library in the southeast the Augustinian tract was built.
Other structural measures under Maria Theresia: establishment of the court pharmacy into the Stallburg, relocation of the in the Stallburg housed art collection into the Upper Belvedere, razing of the two remaining towers of the old castle, the construction of two stairways (the ambassador stairway and the column stairways (Botschafter- and Säulenstiege).
Extensions in the 19th Century and early 20th century
Francis II (1768-1835) gave Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen and his wife Marie Christine (daughter of Maria Theresa) the Palais Tarouca south of the Augustinian monastery. From 1800 this was remodeled by Louis Montoyer and extended by a wing building to today's Albertina.
1804, Francis II proclaimed the hereditary Empire of Austria and was, consequently, as Franz I the first Emperor of Austria. With the by Napoleon Bonaparte provoked abdication of the emperor in 1806 ended the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.
1809 part of the old bastions was blown up at the castle in consequence of the war with Napoleon, and after it blazed. Towards today's ring road, then new outworks were created (the so-called Hornwerkskurtine and the Escarpen). In the early 20-ies of the 19th Century were layed out three gardens: the private imperial castle garden with two of Louis Remy planned steel/glass- constructed greenhouses, Heroes Square (Heldenplatz) with avenues and the People's garden (Volksgarten) with the Theseus Temple (Pietro Nobile). At the same time, emerged also the new, 1821 by Luigi Cagnola began and 1824 by Pietro Nobile completed outer castle gate.
1846 was built a monumental memorial to Francis I in Inner Castle Square. In the turmoil of the 1848 revolution the Stallburg was stormed and fought fiercely at the outer castle square and the castle gate. As a result, the roof of the court library burned. The political consequences of the revolution were the abdication of Emperor Ferdinand I (1793-1875), the dismissal of the dreaded Chancellor Clemens Lothar Fürst Metternich and the enthronement of Ferdinand's nephew Franz Joseph.
In the first years of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830-1916) the royal stables of Leopold Mayer have been redesigned and expanded. As part of the expansion of the city, the city walls were razed and instead of the fortifications arose place for a magnificent boulevard, the Ringstrasse. 1862, the idea of an Imperial Forum by architect Ludwig Förster was born. On the surface between the Hofburg and the Imperial Stables should arise court museums (Museum of Art History and Museum of Natural History).
At the outer Castle Square (today's Heldenplatz) were in the 60-ies of the 19th Century the by Anton Dominik Fernkorn created equestrian statues of Archduke Charles (victor over Napoleon at the Battle of Aspern) and Prince Eugene of Savoy (victor over the Turks in several battles) set up.
After an unsuccessful architectural competition on the design of the Heroes' Square area in 1869 Gottfried Semper could be won. This led to the involuntary and not frictionless collaboration with Carl Freiherr von Hasenauer. Planned was a two-wing complex beyond the ring road, with the two flanking twin museums (Art and Natural History Museum) and the old stables as a conclusion. 1871 was began with the Erdaushebungen (excavations) for the museums. 1889, the Museum of Natural History was opened, and in 1891, the Museum of Art History.
On a watercolor from 1873 by Rudolf Ritter von Alt (1812 - 1905) an overall view of the Imperial Forum is shown.
1888, the Old Court Theatre at St. Michael's Square was demolished, as the new KK Court Theatre (today's Burgtheater), built by Gottfried Semper and Carl Freiherr von Hasenauer, was finished. The since 150 years existing construction site at St. Michael's Square could be completed. The roundel got a dome, the concave curved Michaelertrakt was finalized by Ferdinand Kirschner. The once by Lorenzo Mattielli created cycle of statues on the facade of the Reich Chancellery was continued with four other "deeds of Hercules' at he side of the passage arches. 1893, the Hofburg had finally got its ostentatious show facade.
1901, the old greenhouses were demolished and replaced by an orangery with Art Nouveau elements according to plans by Friedrich Ohmann (completed in 1910). In 1907, the Corps de Logis, which forms the end of the Neue Burg, is completed. Since Emperor Franz Joseph I in budding 20th Century no longer was interested in lengthy construction projects and the heir to the throne Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este (1863-1914) was against the establishment of a throne hall building, but was in favour for the construction of a smaller ballroom tract, the implementation of the second wing was dropped. After the assassination of Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este in Sarajevo, the First World War broke out. Franz Joseph I died in 1916. A great-nephew of Franz Joseph I, Charles I (1887-1922), succeeded to the throne, however, he held only two years. The end of the First World War also meant the end of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. On 11 November 1918 the First Republic was proclaimed. As Karl although renounced to government business, but not to the throne, he had to go into exile with his family.
The Imperial Palace in the 20th century
The interior design of the ballroom tract and the Neue Burg continued despite the end of the monarchy until 1926. By the end of the monarchy, many of the buildings lost their purpose. Furthermore used or operated was the Riding School. The stables were used from 1921 as an exhibition site of the Vienna Fair ("Fair Palace"). In 1928, the Corps de Logis, the Museum of Ethnology, until then part of the Natural History Museum, opened. In 1935 the collection of weapons (Court, Hunting and Armour Chamber) of the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) came in the Neue Burg.
1933/1934 the outer castle gate by Rudolf Wondracek was transformed into the hero monument to the victims of the First World War. 1935 emerged on the left and on the right of the castle gate the pylon portals with eagle sculptures by William Frass. In March 1938, the Heroes Square and the balcony of the Neue Burg gained notoriety after Adolf Hitler to the cheering crowd at the Heldenplatz announced the annexation of Austria to the German Reich. The Nazis were planning a redesign of the Heroes' Square to a paved parade and ceremony space. The plans were not realized since 1943 a fire pond at Heldenplatz was dredged and the place was later used for agriculture. In the Trade Fair Palace during the period of Nazism propaganda events were held.
During the war, the Hofburg (Imperial Stables, St. Augustine's Church, Albertina, the official building of the Federal President, the current building of the Federal Chancellery) was severely damaged by bombing: The first President of the Second Republic, Dr. Karl Renner, in 1946 the Office of the President moved into the Leopoldine Wing (in the former living quarters of Maria Theresa and Joseph II).
During the occupation time the seat of the Inter-Allied Commission was housed in the Neue Burg.
1946 first events were held in the Exhibition Palace again, and were built two large halls in the main courtyard of the Exhibition Palace. In the course of the reconstruction war damages were disposed and the Imperial Palace was repaired, the barn castle (Stallburg) erected again. In 1958, in the ballroom wing the convention center has been set up.
1962-1966 the modern Library of the Austrian National Library is housed in the Neue Burg.
1989 emerged for the first time the notion of a "Museum Quarter". The museum quarter should include contemporary art and culture. The oversized design by Laurids and Manfred Ortner but was downsized several times after resistance of a citizens' initiative. It was implemented a decade later.
1992 the two Redoutensäle (ball rooms) burned out completely. Yet shortly after the fire was started with reconstruction. The roof was reconstructed and the little ball room (Kleiner Redoutensaal) could be restored. The big ball room, however, was renovated and designed with paintings by Josef Mikl. In 1997 the two halls were reopened.
From 1997-2002 the Museum Quarter (including Kunsthalle Wien, Leopold Collection) was rebuilt and the old building fabric renovated.
Was began in 1999 with the renovation of the Albertina. The by a study building, two exhibit halls and an underground storage vault extended Museum was reopened in 2003. The Albertina ramp was built with an oversized shed roof by Hans Hollein.
In 2006, additional rooms for the convention center were created by the boiler house yard.
(Source: Trenkler, Thomas: "The Hofburg Wien", Vienna, 2004)
www.burghauptmannschaft.at/php/detail.php?ukatnr=12185&am...
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the third full week of July, 2016.
We took a trip down to the Harbour area, just to acquaint ourselves with the works here. This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have pretty much ignored -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Moving upriver slightly, to a newly constructed walkway, close to Seapoint Court. Nice work done by the guys from Wills Bros Ltd.
However the cynic in me wonders how long it will be before the local druggies shift locations. Although, perhaps it's a wee bit too exposed for them?
In the foreground is the Railway bridge, and in the distance we can see some construction works taking place on the Ravenswell Road, temporarily closed due to on-going works.
That is the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
And in the background, the Irish Rail bridge.
This is Phase 1 of the flood defence works here. Phase 2 is scheduled for May-September 2017.
====================
"The main work items on the project consisted of the construction of a reinforced earth embankment with 11m long "cut-off Sheet pile wall" within this embankment and a 90m long Sheet Piled Retaining wall (15m long sheet piles) which were anchored for stability using 16.0m long anchors inclined at a various angles. This Sheet Piled Retaining wall was then clad with Granite Randon Rubble stone and resulted in an impressive 5.0m high stone wall along the river. A reinforced concrete flood defence wall complete with stone cladding was also constructed as well as erosion protection measures including underpinning and rock armour installation within the river during low tides. The scheme was completed with the construction of a footpath complete with railings and street lighting along the entire length."
(Wills Bros. Ltd).
Contract Value: €1.1m.
Swans are ubiquitous to the Bray Harbour area. Year on year, the population grows, eagerly fed by willing visitors to the harbour strand front. It's a mutually-sustaining enterprise.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the last week of June, 2016.
Adjacent to The People's Park, a large compound is the site of continuing work along this section of the river. Some of the works are nearing completion.
Ringing Scheme: London Ring Number: EW21336 Species of bird: Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla
This bird was ringed by Northumbria RG as age nestling, sex unknown on 10-Jul-2006 at Gateshead, Tyne and Wear
OS Map reference NZ2562, co-ordinates 54deg 57min N 1deg 37min W.
Dates d'observations
24/05/2013
25/05/2013
30/05/2013
05/06/2013
14/06/2013
18/06/2013
16/06/2013
15/03/2014
30/03/2014
12/04/2014
27/02/2015
30/06/2015 (deux poussins)
02/07/2015 (deux poussins)
06/03/2016
27/06/2016 (deux poussins)
10/03/2017
15/04/2017
08/07/2017 (deux poussins)
10/07/2017 (deux poussins)
Février 2018 démolition du site SCIB et mise en place en mars 2018 d'un site de compensation.
16/04/2019 en couple
17/04/2019 en couple.
25/06/2019 deux poussins.
EW21336 le 17/04/2019
Age : 12 ans et 9 mois.
Beautiful Custom Airbrush paint scheme on Ford Roadster. Edmond Libertyfest Car Show in Edmond, Oklahoma.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the 2nd week of July, 2017.
The levels of activity fluctuate along this stretch of the riverbank, and especially around the Irish Rail bridge, informed by the tides and priorities.
Since Summer 2016, this is where the heavy-duty engineering works have been taking place.
This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have not covered in detail -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Standing on an access bridge, adjacent to the Bray Boxing Club (from whence sprang Katie Taylor, and others of illustrious note), looking back up the river, towards the town direction.
In the foreground is the Railway bridge, and in the distance we can see some construction works taking place on the Ravenswell Road, temporarily closed due to on-going works.
That was the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
As well as raising a heightened flood protection wall, they've created an access ramp down to the riverside.
The area in the background, site of the old Bray Golf course, was both a works compound and vehicle route for the transportation of material to/from the other sectors along the River Dargle involved in construction works.
The Irish Rail Bridge, Bray Harbour:
Phase 1 flood defence works to the Irish Rail bridge commenced in August 2016.
Phase 2 flood defence works will be completed during May to September 2017. This work is being undertaken directly by Irish Rail.
The work includes strengthening the integrity of the bridge by creating buttresses around the base of each pillar.
To do this they have to pile-drive sheets into the river bedrock.
The work is complicated by;
(a) the need not to damage or disturb in any way the actual bridge itself (Irish Rail train and DART carriages pass overhead on an hourly basis), (b) the confined spaces under the bridge, and (c) the twice-daily rising tides from Bray Harbour which spill upriver into the newly expanded basin.
By now, it would appear that the concrete strengthening is complete around the railway bridge piers. Nice clean collars of concrete.
Don't know how much more work is necessary to restore the riverbed and ancillary items.
=====================================
Bray Harbour / Irish Rail Bridge:
The harbour was constructed between the years of 1891 and 1895.
A railway bridge was first built here in 1853.
The following year saw the opening of a railway line between Dublin and Bray.
It was also known as the 'Harcourt Street Line'
Famed Irish engineer William Dargan, known affectionately as ‘the father of the Irish Railways’, was the man involved with bringing the rail to Bray, and in it's construction, and which moulded the town into a fashionable resort.
Dargan designed and built Ireland's first railway line from Dublin to Dún Laoghaire in 1833.
Mid-18th century plans proposed the building of a 12.5-mile (20 km) railway from Bray Daly, which opened on 10 July 1854 to initially terminate at Harcourt Road. (Harcourt Street Station was not built until 1859).
The building of the line was done by two railway companies: The Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway (DW&WR), who built the line from Dundrum to Bray and the Dublin, Dundrum and Rathfarnham Railway (DD&RR), who were to build the line from Harcourt Street to Dundrum.
The latter failed to do so, and the 'Dublin & Wicklow Railway' took over the line works.
Following the Beddy Report of 1957, CIÉ began to realise that in an effort to save money, all the non-profitable rural railway branch lines would have to close. The Harcourt Street line was one of these unprofitable railway lines and so the decision to close the line was ultimately reached.
In October 1958, CIÉ gave notice of the closure in the local papers.
The last train, CIÉ 2600 Class AEC railcar number 2652, left Harcourt Street at 4:25pm on 31 December 1958.
The route was preserved after closure, allowing for a potential future reopening. The route corridor remained mostly in-situ until the 2000s. The section between the Grand Canal crossing and the old Stillorgan station was chosen for use by the Luas light rail system whose Green Line opened in 2004. The line crosses Dundrum on the new William Dargan cable-stayed bridge.
An extension of the Luas to Cherrywood opened for passenger service on Saturday 16 October 2010, using most of the old railway alignment.
Bray Railway Station was renamed Bray Daly Railway Station in 1966 in honour of Edward Daly, one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising.
The eastern platform features an interesting set of murals depicting the history of Ireland’s railways.
Consider the cost of the inappropriate use of alcohol. Excessive drinking is not only dangerous to your health but can leave you vulnerable to crime and violence.
Greater Manchester Police supports the safe use of alcohol via the Think Safe, Drink Safe scheme.
Think Safe, Drink Safe aims to reduce alcohol-related crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour across Greater Manchester while promoting a safe night out.
The campaign was introduced following national concern about the developing rise in 'binge drinking' and promotes responsible drinking, raises awareness of the potential problems excessive drinking can lead to and encourages and promote the use of safe transport home.
Think Safe, Drink Safe was used effectively when changes to the licensing laws were introduced in November 2005 and police powers were increased including expanded closure powers and higher penalties for public order offences and drunk and disorderly.
As part of the campaign a variety of successful initiatives have been introduced across the Force area to discourage binge drinking and prevent alcohol related crime.
All Think Safe, Drink Safe initiatives are supported by a high profile, internationally acclaimed, advertising and marketing campaign, which features key messages such as 'Pace your drinks', 'Plan your night out' and 'Stay with friends'.
The campaign attempts to attack the culture of binge drinking and provides helpful advice and safety messages to late-night drinkers
Remember the following when planning a night out:
*Avoid trouble by walking away. If a friend starts becoming aggressive, calm them down , remove them from the situation and encourage them to sober up.
*Pace your drinks.
*Drink plenty of water.
*Always try to eat something before a night out.
*Don’t leave your drink unattended, even when going to the toilet.
*Never accept a drink from anyone you do not completely trust.
*Stay with friends or in a group.
*Go out together and leave together. Do not wander off from your friends without letting anyone know where you are going and arrange a meeting point in case you do get separated.
Take safe transport
*Pre-book a taxi to take you home and arrange to be picked up from a safe, and well-lit meeting point.
*Make sure the taxi you ordered is the one you get into.
*Know the car details and ensure the driver knows what name it was booked under.
*Find out where taxi ranks are and try to choose staffed ones.
*If alone, book a taxi firm you know and trust. Do not get a private hire car (they look like a normal car) unless you have booked them first. Only hackney carriages (traditional black cabs) are insured to carry passengers who have flagged them down.
*Always sit in the back, preferably behind the driver.
*Night buses run until around 3am in parts of Greater Manchester. Find out when the last bus leaves so that you don't become stranded.
*Try to catch the bus from stops with bus loaders. If there isn't any in your town, use well-lit bus stops in busy areas.
*If alone, sit as near to the driver as possible and avoid empty upper decks.
*Tell the driver or guard if someone bothers you.
*Avoid walking home alone. If you have no other choice, walk in the middle of the pavement, avoid short cuts and face ongoing traffic.
*If you think you are being followed, cross the street several times. If you still think you are being followed, walk to the busiest area you can find or knock on somebody's door.
To find out more please visit our website.
You should call 101, the new national non-emergency number, to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response.
Always call 999 in an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, violence is being used or threatened or where there is danger to life.
You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers is an independent charity who will not want your name, just your information. Your call will not be traced or recorded and you do not have to go to court or give a statement.
From time to time a group of enthusiasts and collectors of historic toy trains meets in an old engine shed at the station of Erkrath-Hochdahl (near Düsseldorf). The site has been converted into a small railway museum. The tin plate fans set up two extended make-shift layouts (in gauge 1 and gauge 0 respectively) and enjoy running their classic rolling stock. The meetings are open to the public.
The backdrop in this image is distinctly European, and so are the tank cars behind the signal box. But the freight train with the Santa Fé diesels (in their typical warbonnet paint scheme) are visitors from across the atlantic ocean.
Chief Minister of Telangana K. Chandrasekhar Rao launched a programme Grama Jyothi Scheme across the state on 17 August 2015. The scheme is aimed at comprehensive development of rural areas.
For the successful implementation of the Grama Jyothi scheme, the state govt. has decided to invest 25... www.sharegk.com/curent-affairs/latest/telangana-governmen...
#gk #EntranceExam #OnlineTest #Aptitude
5208. Contributor Brett Morrow has created this marvelous diagram of the two camouflage schemes of HMAS SYDNEY [II], the second scheme being a late discovery for many, perhaps most of us. It was applied in August-Sept, 1941, less than three months before her November 19 loss.
.
The little known second camouflage scheme was the subject of discussions at and around pic NO. 5084, here:
www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/6369457703/in/photostr...
In putting this together, Brett hastens to point out that his ship elevations were first based on drawings done by Alex ["Dash'] at the authoritative World Naval Ships Forums website, where we're all members, and whose Moderators and folk have always given great support to this RAN Centenary Photostream.
The thread with Alex's wonderful colour line drawings of many ships, including some RAN, can be found here:
www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2764
Thanks to Brett, of course, for this terrific compilation and adaption to the subject of discussion. It should be viewed up large, or at the 'original' size for maximum benefit and enjoyment [for anyone who doesn't happen to know, right click on the image for size options].
The Gas Peedhit Rahat Samiti (who described themselves as ‘a coalition of former workers and gas victims’ was formed in July 1985) and received support from the UK in ‘developing an alternative production/employment strategy for the people who have suffered in the tragedy’.
The idea was to focus on developing an alternative production idea, particularly in terms of structures ie ways of creating a co-operative or series of worker/community controlled initiatives which were responsive to local needs.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the fourth week of September, 2016.
Between the M11 motorway, and the Upper Dargle Road / Hazelwood areas, a stream has run for many years. As well as running from the Fassroe region (west above the M11) this also funnels much of the water run-off from the motorway itself.
There is a culvert running under the road and draining directly into the river opposite The Slang/Rehills. A branch also runs parallel and through the Egan Business Park before exiting under the road and into the Dargle close to what is identified in historic Ordnance Survey maps as 'Rose Cottage - Laundry'.
There are plans to lay a proper pipe system to channel this water directly across to the Dargle. No doubt a welcome relief to householders along this stretch of road, given that their properties have been victim to the flash flooding that is happening more often due to changes in the meteorlogical systems, compounded by developments on the opposite side of the motorway.
The downside of this work is the removal of many trees here, and the consequent unwelcome exposure to said properties.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the first week of July, 2017.
The levels of activity fluctuate along this stretch of the riverbank, and especially around the Irish Rail bridge, informed by the tides and priorities.
Since Summer 2016, this is where the heavy-duty engineering works have been taking place.
This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have not covered in detail -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Standing on an access bridge, adjacent to the Bray Boxing Club (from whence sprang Katie Taylor, and others of illustrious note), looking back up the river, towards the town direction.
In the foreground is the Railway bridge, and in the distance we can see some construction works taking place on the Ravenswell Road, temporarily closed due to on-going works.
That was the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
As well as raising a heightened flood protection wall, they've created an access ramp down to the riverside.
The area in the background, site of the old Bray Golf course, was both a works compound and vehicle route for the transportation of material to/from the other sectors along the River Dargle involved in construction works.
The Irish Rail Bridge, Bray Harbour:
Phase 1 flood defence works to the Irish Rail bridge commenced in August 2016.
Phase 2 flood defence works will be completed during May to September 2017. This work is being undertaken directly by Irish Rail.
The work includes strengthening the integrity of the bridge by creating buttresses around the base of each pillar.
To do this they have to pile-drive sheets into the river bedrock.
The work is complicated by;
(a) the need not to damage or disturb in any way the actual bridge itself (Irish Rail train and DART carriages pass overhead on an hourly basis), (b) the confined spaces under the bridge, and (c) the twice-daily rising tides from Bray Harbour which spill upriver into the newly expanded basin.
=====================================
Bray Harbour / Irish Rail Bridge:
The harbour was constructed between the years of 1891 and 1895.
A railway bridge was first built here in 1853.
The following year saw the opening of a railway line between Dublin and Bray.
It was also known as the 'Harcourt Street Line'
Famed Irish engineer William Dargan, known affectionately as ‘the father of the Irish Railways’, was the man involved with bringing the rail to Bray, and in it's construction, and which moulded the town into a fashionable resort.
Dargan designed and built Ireland's first railway line from Dublin to Dún Laoghaire in 1833.
Mid-18th century plans proposed the building of a 12.5-mile (20 km) railway from Bray Daly, which opened on 10 July 1854 to initially terminate at Harcourt Road. (Harcourt Street Station was not built until 1859).
The building of the line was done by two railway companies: The Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway (DW&WR), who built the line from Dundrum to Bray and the Dublin, Dundrum and Rathfarnham Railway (DD&RR), who were to build the line from Harcourt Street to Dundrum.
The latter failed to do so, and the 'Dublin & Wicklow Railway' took over the line works.
Following the Beddy Report of 1957, CIÉ began to realise that in an effort to save money, all the non-profitable rural railway branch lines would have to close. The Harcourt Street line was one of these unprofitable railway lines and so the decision to close the line was ultimately reached.
In October 1958, CIÉ gave notice of the closure in the local papers.
The last train, CIÉ 2600 Class AEC railcar number 2652, left Harcourt Street at 4:25pm on 31 December 1958.
The route was preserved after closure, allowing for a potential future reopening. The route corridor remained mostly in-situ until the 2000s. The section between the Grand Canal crossing and the old Stillorgan station was chosen for use by the Luas light rail system whose Green Line opened in 2004. The line crosses Dundrum on the new William Dargan cable-stayed bridge.
An extension of the Luas to Cherrywood opened for passenger service on Saturday 16 October 2010, using most of the old railway alignment.
Bray Railway Station was renamed Bray Daly Railway Station in 1966 in honour of Edward Daly, one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising.
The eastern platform features an interesting set of murals depicting the history of Ireland’s railways.
Loads weigh 38 tons, I was told that this was the first time that on this scheme it was the first time that two blades were carried on each trailer.
The crew have been asked to go to Brasil to train operatives on how to handle heavy haulage loads of this kind.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken by the end of the 3rd week of September, 2017.
The levels of activity have fluctuated along this stretch of the riverbank, and especially around the Irish Rail bridge, informed by the tides and priorities.
Since Summer 2016, this is where the heavy-duty engineering works have been taking place.
This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have not covered in detail -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Standing on the new riverside walkway alongside Seapoint Court, we could see construction activity sited along the Ravenswell Road, temporarily closed due to on-going works.
That was the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered as a site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
As well as raising a heightened flood protection wall, they've created an access ramp down to the riverside.
The area in the background, site of the old Bray Golf course, was both a works compound and vehicle route for the transportation of material to/from the other sectors along the River Dargle involved in construction works.
By now, most of the heavy works have been completed.
Along the Ravenswell Strip, the guys are now accessorising the wall, creating viewing platforms along this ('to be') pedestrianised walkway.
=========================================================
Between Bray Bridge and the Railway Bridge there was a wooden footbridge linking Ravenswell Road and the Seapoint Road, this bridge was built at the time of the railway coming to Bray.
It closed in 1870 and was removed shortly afterwards.
"The Little Book of Bray and Enniskerry" by Brian White.
==========================================================
The Irish Rail Bridge, Bray Harbour:
Phase 1 flood defence works to the Irish Rail bridge commenced in August 2016.
Phase 2 flood defence works will be completed during May to September 2017. This work is being undertaken directly by Irish Rail.
The work includes strengthening the integrity of the bridge by creating buttresses around the base of each pillar.
To do this they have to pile-drive sheets into the river bedrock.
The work is complicated by;
(a) the need not to damage or disturb in any way the actual bridge itself (Irish Rail train and DART carriages pass overhead on an hourly basis), (b) the confined spaces under the bridge, and (c) the twice-daily rising tides from Bray Harbour which spill upriver into the newly expanded basin.
The length of the Ravenswell Road is to be landscaped into a pedestrian 'experience', with plants, seating and viewing points created in the sea-wall. I think this might link up with a new road and pathway being constructed around to Little Bray.
Through the past few weeks/months, we can see the construction in and around the Irish Rail bridge, where new and extensive reinforced concrete collars are built up to support the existing support pillars/piers. The river and sea beds are also engineered to control the flow of tides and river flows.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the first week of June, 2017.
The day of my visit, a Bank Holiday Monday, saw a break in the weather -- and the arrival of rains coinciding with the annual Women's Marathon.
Still evidence of activity along this stretch of the riverbank, and especially around the Irish Rail bridge.
Since Summer 2016, this is where the heavy-duty engineering works have been taking place.
This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have not covered in detail -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Check out 'Turgidson'.
Standing on an access bridge, adjacent to the Bray Boxing Club (from whence sprang Katie Taylor, and others of illustrious note), looking back up the river, towards the town direction.
That was the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered as a site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
As well as raising a heightened flood protection wall, they've created an access ramp down to the riverside.
The area in the background, site of the old Bray Golf course, was both a works compound and vehicle route for the transportation of material to/from the other sectors along the River Dargle involved in construction works.
A new (public) access road has been built, linking Little Bray, cutting through Ravenswell (old Bray Golf Course), and coming out under a previously (under)used bridge adjacent to the old factories/warehouses complex on the northside of Bray Harbour.
Not sure that proposal was wholeheartedly welcomed, and not sure how 'open' the access will be on a regular basis.
In common with experiences of other sections along the Dargle riverside, there have been long-standing complaints of 'undesirable behaviour' (drink/drugs) hereabouts.
Will this facilitate or ameliorate the behaviour?
Inside
Inside the three-nave and five-bay nave is still the basilical room scheme of Romanesque to recognize. Round arched diaphragm arches on square pillars with chamfered edges separate the nave from the aisles. The Gothic ribbed vault from the late 14th century rests in the nave on strong pilaster stripes and in the aisles on compound piers and consoles. The ceiling paintings with the lushly curving ornamentation and delicate figure motifs date from the late Gothic period. The second yoke symbolizes the four evangelists, each handing over a Gospel book to a pope or bishop. The sound hole in the middle yoke is surrounded by playing angels. The remaining ceiling paintings mainly consist of flower ornaments.
The west gallery in the nave above groined vault and with an gallery balustrade with tracery was built around 1500. The galleries above the aisles are open in double arcades to the nave yokes and originated either in the Baroque period or only in the 19th century. The side chapels adjoining the first and third yokes are opened by round arches over ornamented pillars. The four single-bay chapels from the late Renaissance are groin-vaulted with decorative ridges. The late-Gothic Saint Katherine's chapel is located on the north side of the fifth yoke and is net-vaulted. Opposite it is a two-bay early Baroque chapel with a groin vault on the south side. The southern aisle contains mural paintings from the 14th century. A round-arched triumphal arch connects the nave and choir. The choir is composed of a Romanesque choir square and a 5/8 choir with Gothic ribbed vault. The four pillars of the Romanesque choir yoke have imposts with chequerwork and in the corners Romanesque sinkers with leaf bud capitals and imposts. The reliefed keystones depict the Lamb of God and the Lion of St. Mark, the consoles in choir polygon depicting heads and animals. The choir conclusion is broken through with five two-lane Gothic tracery windows. In order to produce better light conditions, the colored crown glass windows 1972 were replaced by transparent ones. On the north side of the choir square, there is a window that was once accessible through the Seven-Sorrows-of-Mary chapel and served as a lodge for the owners of the Wolfsberg Castle during the Holy Mass.
Facility
The main altar was made in 1776 by Villach carpenter Johannes Rudolph. In the main picture, dated 1777, the evangelist is drawn out in magical light from the darkness of the background in a writing pose. In a similar technique, the reproduction of the dying Franz Xaver is torn from the darkness in the image of the fixture portray. Painter of the two pictures is the Kremser Schmidt. The altar is flanked by the life-size figures of the apostolic princes Peter and Paul. The two sculptures were created 1773-1777 by Michael Zill. From this artist, the console figures of the saints Heinrich and Kunigunde come on the choir walls.
In the first chapel in the left aisle there used to be an altar, now in the second side chapel.
Between these two chapels in the wall a Lourdes Grotto is embedded.
The second side chapel, also called chapel of Saint Mary, was the family chapel of Bayerhofen and served as a burial place. It was consecrated in 1661 by Lavanter Bishop Maximilian Gandolf. Its altar consists of a simple aedicule and a small attachment of volutes with two niches. The main picture is a copy of 1661 after Veronese's marriage of St. Catherine of Siena. The picture shows Saint Cecilia. Next to them are statuettes of Saints Barbara and Margareta. On the side walls of the chapel are the console figures of Saint Anthony of Padua and a John Nepomuk created by Franz Anton Detl.
The third side chapel is dedicated to Saint Cunegonde. The altarpiece depicts the ordeal of Saint Kunigunde. The picture was created in 1667 by the Antwerp painter J. B. von Rülle and donated by the Bamberg Bishop Philipp Valentin Voit von Rieneck the Minorite Church in Wolfsberg. After its dissolution, the image was transferred from there in 1821 and provided with a frame from the late 18th century.
The first side chapel on the right is dedicated to Saint Valentine. The main picture of the altar was created by the Munich painter Malknecht and shows the miraculous bishop. Below is a Baroque reliquary of 1655, which is said to contain the saint's arm bone. In the side niches of the altar stand the figures of Saints Anna and Joachim.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus in the middle chapel used to be the altar of the sacrament and shows in the main picture a Baroque motif of the Sacred Heart of Jesus from the 18th century. The statues represent the high priests Melchisedech and Aaron and come from a workshop in Val Gardena.
The third side chapel is the All Souls chapel. The altar is decorated with a life-size crucifixion group in front of the painted Jerusalem, including carvings of poor sinners in purgatory.
An important example of Romanesque architecture is the stone relief with the lion of St. Mark and the Head of the Evangelist, immured in the foremost right pillar. It shows similarities with late Romanesque Dalmatian portraits and emerged in the 12th or early 13th century.
Five of the console figures on the pillars of the nave, the saints Joseph, Leonhard, Philip, James the Younger and Nicholas, come from Val Gardena; the sixth, St. Judas Thaddäus from the workshop of Konrad Campidell, was consecrated in 1961.
Organ
The organ was built in 1898 by Martin Hechenberger from Passau and restored in 2010 by the organ builder Kuhn (Männedorf, Switzerland). The instrument has 23 registers on two manuals and pedal.
I major work C-f3
1. Bourdon 16'
2. Principal 8'
3. Filomele 8'
4. Gamba 8'
5. Coppel 8'
6. Octav 4'
7. Flute 4'
8. Reed Flute 4'
9. Mixture III 22/3'
10. Trumpet 8'
II upper work C-f3
11. Echo bass 16'
12. Violin Principle 8'
13. Gemshorn 8'
14. Salicet 8'
15. Lovingly Gedackt 8'
16. Fugara 4'
16th flute traverses 4'
18th Clarinetto 8'
Pedal C-d1
19th violin 16'
20. Subbass 16'
21. Octavbass 8'
22. Cello 8'
23. Trombone 16'
Pairing: I / I (super octave couplers) II / I, I / P, II / P
Aids to execution: Fixed combinations (p, mf, ff, pleno), Kalkantenzug (wind-producing mechanism)
Of the tombs inside the church are the figurative knight grave stone of Christian von Schaumberg (1514) and the one of Anton von Himmelberg (1457) worth mentioning.
Innen
Im Inneren des dreischiffigen und fünfjochigen Langhauses ist noch das basilikale Raumschema der Romanik zu erkennen. Rundbogige Scheidbogen auf quadratischen Pfeilern mit abgefassten Kanten trennen das Mittelschiff von den Seitenschiffen. Das gotische Kreuzrippengewölbe aus dem späten 14. Jahrhundert ruht im Mittelschiff auf kräftigen Pfeilervorlagen und in den Seitenschiffen auf Diensten und Konsolen. Die Deckenmalereien mit der üppig geschwungenen Ornamentik und zarten Figurenmotiven stammen aus der Spätgotik. Im zweiten Joch sind symbolisch die vier Evangelisten dargestellt, die jeweils einem Papst oder Bischof ein Evangelienbuch überreichen. Das Schallloch im Mitteljoch ist von musizierenden Engeln umgeben. Die restlichen Deckenmalereien bestehen hauptsächlich aus Blumenornamenten.
Die Westempore im Mittelschiff über Kreuzgratgewölbe und mit einer Emporenbrüstung mit Blendmaßwerk wurde um 1500 errichtet. Die Emporen über den Seitenschiffen sind in Doppelarkaden zu den Mittelschiffjochen geöffnet und entstanden entweder in der Barockzeit oder erst im 19. Jahrhundert. Die sich am ersten und dritten Joch anschließenden Seitenkapellen sind durch Rundbögen über ornamentierten Pfeilern geöffnet. Die vier einjochigen Kapellen aus der Spätrenaissance sind mit dekorativen Graten kreuzgratgewölbt. Die spätgotische Katharinenkapelle befindet sich nordseitig am fünften Joch und ist netzrippengewölbt. Ihr gegenüber steht südseitig eine zweijochige frühbarocke Kapelle mit Kreuzgratgewölbe. Im südlichen Seitenschiff befinden sich Wandmalereireste aus dem 14. Jahrhundert. Ein rundbogiger Triumphbogen verbindet Langhaus und Chor. Der Chor setzt sich aus einem romanischen Chorquadrat und einem 5/8-Chorschluss mit gotischem Kreuzrippengewölbe zusammen. Die vier Pfeiler des romanischen Chorjoches besitzen Kämpfersteine mit Würfelfries und in den Ecken romanische Absenker mit Knospenkapitellen und Kämpfern. Die reliefierten Schlusssteine zeigen das Lamm Gottes und den Markuslöwen, die Konsolen im Chorpolygon Köpfe und Tiere. Der Chorschluss ist mit fünf zweibahnigen gotischen Maßwerksfenstern durchbrochen. Um bessere Lichtverhältnisse herzustellen, wurden 1972 die farbigen Butzenscheiben durch durchsichtige ersetzt. An der Nordseite des Chorquadrates befindet sich ein Fenster, das einst durch die Siebenschmerzenkapelle erreichbar war und den Besitzern des Schlosses Wolfsberg als Loge während der heiligen Messen diente.
Einrichtung
Der Hauptaltar wurde 1776 vom Villacher Tischler Johannes Rudolph gefertigt. Im mit 1777 datierten Hauptbild wird der Evangelist in schreibender Sitzpose mit magischem Licht aus dem Dunkel des Hintergrunds hervorgezeichnet. In ähnlicher Technik ist im Aufsatzbild die Wiedergabe des sterbenden Franz Xaver dem Dunkel entrissen. Maler der beiden Bilder ist der Kremser Schmidt. Flankiert wird der Altar von den lebensgroßen Figuren der Apostelfürsten Petrus und Paulus. Die beiden Skulpturen wurden 1773–1777 von Michael Zill geschaffen. Von diesem Künstler stammen auch die Konsolenfiguren der Heiligen Heinrich und Kunigunde an den Chorwänden.
In der ersten Kapelle im linken Seitenschiff war früher ein Altar aufgestellt, der sich jetzt in der zweiten Seitenkapelle befindet.
Zwischen diesen beiden Kapellen ist in der Wand eine Lourdes-Grotte eingelassen.
Die zweite Seitenkapelle, auch Marienkapelle genannt, war die Familienkapelle derer von Bayerhofen und diente ihnen als Grabstätte. Sie wurde 1661 vom Lavanter Bischof Maximilian Gandolf geweiht. Ihr Altar besteht aus einer einfachen Ädikula und einem kleinen Aufsatz aus Voluten mit zwei Nischen. Das Hauptbild ist eine Kopie von 1661 nach Veroneses Vermählung der heiligen Katharina von Siena. Im Aufsatzbild ist die Heilige Cäcilia dargestellt. Daneben stehen Statuetten der Heiligen Barbara und Margareta. An den Seitenwänden der Kapelle stehen die Konsolenfiguren des Heiligen Antonius von Padua und eines von Franz Anton Detl geschaffenen Johannes Nepomuk.
Die dritte Seitenkapelle ist der Heiligen Kunigunde geweiht. Das Altarbild zeigt die Gottesurteilszene der Heiligen Kundigundis. Das Bild wurde 1667 vom Antwerpener Maler J. B. von Rülle geschaffen und vom Bamberger Bischof Philipp Valentin Voit von Rieneck der Wolfsberger Minoritenkirche gestiftet. Nach dessen Auflösung wurde das Bild 1821 von dort übertragen und mit einem Rahmen aus dem späten 18. Jahrhundert versehen.
Die erste Seitenkapelle auf der rechten Seite ist dem Heiligen Valentin gewidmet. Das Hauptbild des Altars wurde vom Münchner Maler Malknecht geschaffen und zeigt den wundertätigen Bischof. Darunter befindet sich ein barocker Reliquienschrein von 1655, der das Armbein des Heiligen enthalten soll. In den Seitennischen des Altars stehen die Figuren der Heiligen Anna und Joachim.
Der Herz-Jesu-Altar in der mittleren Kapelle diente früher als Sakramentsaltar und zeigt im Hauptbild ein barockes Herz-Jesu-Motiv aus dem 18. Jahrhundert. Die Statuen stellen die Hohen Priester Melchisedech und Aaron dar und stammen aus einer Grödener Werkstatt.
Die dritte Seitenkapelle ist die Allerseelenkapelle. Der Altar ist mit einer lebensgroßen Kreuzigungsgruppe vor dem gemalten Jerusalem ausgestattet, darunter Schnitzfiguren von armen Sündern im Fegefeuer.
Ein bedeutendes Beispiel der Romanik stellt das Steinrelief mit dem Markuslöwen und dem Haupt des Evangelisten dar, das am vordersten rechten Pfeiler eingemauert ist. Es zeigt Ähnlichkeiten mit spätromanischen dalmatischen Bildnissen und ist im 12. oder im beginnenden 13. Jahrhundert entstanden.
Fünf der Konsolenfiguren an den Säulen des Mittelschiffes, die Heiligen Josef, Leonhard, Philippus, Jakobus der Jüngere und Nikolaus, stammen aus Gröden; die sechste, der Heilige Judas Thaddäus aus der Werkstatt von Konrad Campidell, wurde 1961 geweiht.
Orgel
Die Orgel wurde 1898 von Martin Hechenberger aus Passau gebaut und 2010 von der Orgelbaufirma Kuhn (Männedorf, Schweiz) restauriert. Das Instrument hat 23 Register auf zwei Manualen und Pedal.
I Hauptwerk C–f3
1.Bourdon16′
2.Principal8′
3.Filomele8′
4.Gamba8′
5.Coppel8′
6.Octav4′
7.Flöte4′
8.Rohrflöte4′
9.Mixtur III22/3′
10.Trompete8′
II Oberwerk C–f3
11.Echobass16′
12.Geigenprincipal8′
13.Gemshorn8′
14.Salicet8′
15.Lieblich Gedackt8′
16.Fugara4′
16.Flöte travers4′
18.Clarinetto8′
Pedal C–d1
19.Violon16′
20.Subbaß16′
21.Octavbass8′
22.Cello8′
23.Posaune16′
Koppeln: I/I (Superoktavkoppel)II/I, I/P, II/P
Spielhilfen: Feste Kombinationen (p, mf, ff, pleno), Kalkantenzug
Von den Grabmälern im Inneren der Kirche sind der figürliche Rittergrabstein des Christian von Schaumberg (1514) und der des Anton von Himmelberg (1457) erwähnenswert.
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pfarrkirche_Wolfsberg_(K%C3%A4rnten)
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken by the end of the 3rd week of October, 2017.
The levels of activity have fluctuated along this stretch of the riverbank, and especially around the Irish Rail bridge, informed by the tides and priorities.
Since Summer 2016, this is where the heavy-duty engineering works have been taking place.
This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have not covered in detail -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Standing on the new riverside walkway alongside Seapoint Court, we could see construction activity sited along the Ravenswell Road, temporarily closed due to on-going works.
That was the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered as a site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
As well as raising a heightened flood protection wall, they've created an access ramp down to the riverside.
The area in the background, site of the old Bray Golf course, was both a works compound and vehicle route for the transportation of material to/from the other sectors along the River Dargle involved in construction works.
By now, most of the heavy works have been completed.
Along the Ravenswell Strip, the guys are now accessorising the wall, creating viewing platforms along this ('to be') pedestrianised walkway.
=========================================================
Between Bray Bridge and the Railway Bridge there was a wooden footbridge linking Ravenswell Road and the Seapoint Road, this bridge was built at the time of the railway coming to Bray.
It closed in 1870 and was removed shortly afterwards.
"The Little Book of Bray and Enniskerry" by Brian White.
==========================================================
The Irish Rail Bridge, Bray Harbour:
Phase 1 flood defence works to the Irish Rail bridge commenced in August 2016.
Phase 2 flood defence works will be completed during May to September 2017. This work is being undertaken directly by Irish Rail.
The work includes strengthening the integrity of the bridge by creating buttresses around the base of each pillar.
To do this they have to pile-drive sheets into the river bedrock.
The work is complicated by;
(a) the need not to damage or disturb in any way the actual bridge itself (Irish Rail train and DART carriages pass overhead on an hourly basis), (b) the confined spaces under the bridge, and (c) the twice-daily rising tides from Bray Harbour which spill upriver into the newly expanded basin.
The length of the Ravenswell Road is to be landscaped into a pedestrian 'experience', with plants, seating and viewing points created in the sea-wall. I think this might link up with a new road and pathway being constructed around to Little Bray.
Through the past few weeks/months, we can see the construction in and around the Irish Rail bridge, where new and extensive reinforced concrete collars are built up to support the existing support pillars/piers. The river and sea beds are also engineered to control the flow of tides and river flows.
Ornamental railings and abstract wooden hangings are fashioned on-site.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the fourth+week of September 2014.
The guys were now working to reinforce the riverside of the sheetpiling, buttressing with large boulders, and an overlay of smaller gravel. Most of the sheet piles were driven into place.
Work now involved re-inforcing the base of the sheet wall. On this side of the river, that work required the placement of steel-rod reinforced concrete pouring. They also finally got around to 'topping' the steel piles -- using hand-held oxy-acetylene torch. I was kinda hoping they'd have a plasma cutter.
However the work was done quickly, neatly and with little inconvenience to local residents.
All hands on deck in the rush to complete the work along the length of the riverbank fronting the buildings.
The days were shortening, and the good weather was likely to eventually turn.
The “Bobby Men” at work supporting the elderly and vulnerable in Bedfordshire
The Bobby Scheme was established in 1999, and is part of the Bedfordshire Police Partnership Trust. The trust aims to help elderly or vulnerable victims of crime by giving advice, support and practical help in improving their home security. The Bobby Men also spend nearly 60 per cent of their time carrying out preventative measures to help people avoid becoming victims.
There are now four Bobby Men working throughout the county, and since 1999 over 18,000 house calls have been made.
Typical of the service provided is the tale of an elderly lady in Dunstable, who has been a victim of an attempted distraction burglary. A man knocked on her door to say a fence panel had been broken and he would fix it for a fee. As she later explained: “I didn’t think he looked right so I managed to shut the door, but I did feel uncomfortable.” The lady found it hard to close the door – she has difficulty walking and is currently attached to a permanent oxygen supply. “I didn’t report the man to the police at first” she said. “It wasn’t until I read a similar thing in the local paper about a man offering to fix a broken fence in Dunstable that I called the police.” It was at this point that a visit by the Bobby Men was arranged.
Her daughter was present when the Bobby Men, Graham and Mark, arrived: “I’d seen the Bobby Van around” she said, “But I never really knew what it was for, I was impressed when they turned up so quickly. They had so many different options for mum after they’d done their checks and they let her decide what would work best given her condition. Some of their ideas were so simple but they make a huge difference.”
The lady quickly pointed out other things the Bobby Men had been responsible for: “They fitted the intercom at the front which connects to a phone so I can find out who is at the door without having to get up. They also checked the whole house, fitted a door chain and recommended a local electrician who can fix my security lights. I have to admit, the first thing I said when they came round was – how much will this cost?’ To find out the service was free was wonderful. Graham and Mark are so friendly and helpful; we had a good old chat as they fitted the bits and pieces for me.”
At Bedfordshire Police our aim is "fighting crime, protecting the public."
We cover 477 square miles, serve a population of around 550,000 and employ in the region of 1,260 Police Officers, 950 police staff and 120 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).
For more information about the Bobby Scheme, visit our website, www.bedfordshire.police.uk/tackling_crime/protecting_you/...
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the fourth week of August, 2016.
On one of my infrequent trips down to the Harbour area, just to check out progress here. Throughout the summer, this is where the heavy-duty engineering works have been taking place.
This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have pretty much ignored -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Check out 'Turgidson'.
Standing on the new riverside walkway alongside Seapoint Court, we see construction activity sited along the Ravenswell Road, temporarily closed due to on-going works.
That is the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
As well as raising a heightened flood protection wall, they've created an access ramp down to the riverside. Further temporary soil shelves have been laid to allow construction machines to work alongside the riverbed. That access is critical to pursue work on the nearby Irish Rail bridge.
The area in the background, site of the old Bray Golf course, is both a works compound and vehicle route for the transportation of material to/from the other sectors along the River Dargle innvolved in construction works.
The Irish Rail Bridge, Bray Harbour:
Phase 1 flood defence works to the Irish Rail bridge commenced in August 2016.
Phase 2 flood defence works will be completed during May to September 2017. This work is being undertaken directly by Irish Rail.
The work will include strengthening the integrity of the bridge by creating buttresses around the base of each pillar.
To do this they have to pile-drive sheets into the river bedrock.
The work is complicated by;
(a) the need not to damage or disturb in any way the actual bridge itself (Irish Rail train and DART carriages pass overhead on an hourly basis), (b) the confined spaces under the bridge, and (c) the twice-daily rising tides from Bray Harbour which spill upriver into the newly expanded basin.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the first week of July, 2016.
A feature of the recent weather has been the mixture of warm/sunny days, spiced up by the random appearance of flash rain storms. The streets and rivers run deep for a short while afterwards, then normality (whatever that is) returns. Until the next deluge.
Factor 50 and a handy umbrella.
Meanwhile, in the stretch of the river alongside The Slang, a futile attempt is made to dress the river bed/bank.
I say 'dress'.
It effectively involves moving the gravel around a little bit. Adding a top layer of soil, and flattening that with a roller. As if that is going to do any good. Or last any length of time. Come the next heavy run of water -- and Nature will re-establish it's own path for the river.
Along the side of the riverbank here is an outlet pipe, running under the road, used to carry water that has 'run off' from the nearby M11 motorway. This can surge to impressive volume after heavy falls of rain. The guys here are filtering the water before draining into the river.
One of the clerestorey windows on the south side of the nave, depicting saints and champions of the Church.
St Mary's at Fairford is justly famous, not only as a most beautiful building architecturally but for the survival of its complete set of late medieval stained glass, a unique survival in an English parish church. No other church has resisted the waves of iconoclasm unleashed by the Reformation and the English Civil War like Fairford has, and as a result we can experience a pre-Reformation iconographic scheme in glass in its entirety. At most churches one is lucky to find mere fragments of the original glazing and even one complete window is an exceptional survival, thus a full set of 28 of them here in a more or less intact state makes Fairford church uniquely precious.
The exterior already promises great things, this is a handsome late 15th century building entirely rebuilt in Perpendicular style and dedicated in 1497. The benefactor was lord of the manor John Tame, a wealthy wool merchant whose son Edmund later continued the family's legacy in donating the glass. The central tower is adorned with much carving including strange figures guarding the corners and a rather archaic looking relief of Christ on the western side. The nave is crowned by a fine clerestorey whilst the aisles below form a gallery of large windows that seem to embrace the entire building without structural interruption aside from the south porch and the chancel projecting at the east end. All around are pinnacles, battlements and gargoyles, the effect is very rich and imposing for a village church.
One enters through the fan-vaulted porch and is initially met by subdued lighting within that takes a moment to adjust to but can immediately appreciate the elegant arcades and the rich glowing colours of the windows. The interior is spacious but the view east is interrupted by the tower whose panelled walls and arches frame only a glimpse of the chancel beyond. The glass was inserted between 1500-1517 and shows marked Renaissance influence, being the work of Flemish glaziers (based in Southwark) under the direction of the King's glazier Barnard Flower. The quality is thus of the highest available and suggests the Tame family had connections at court to secure such glaziers.
Entering the nave one is immediately confronted with the largest and most famous window in the church, the west window with its glorious Last Judgement, best known for its lurid depiction of the horrors of Hell with exotic demons dragging the damned to their doom. Sadly the three windows in the west wall suffered serious storm damage in 1703 and the Last Judgement suffered further during an 1860 restoration that copied rather than restored the glass in its upper half. The nave clerestories contain an intriguing scheme further emphasising the battle of Good versus Evil with a gallery of saintly figures on the south side balanced by a 'rogue's gallery' of persecutors of the faith on the darker north side, above which are fabulous demonic figures leering from the traceries.
The aisle windows form further arrays of figures in canopies with the Evangelists and prophets on the north side and the Apostles and Doctors of the Church on the south. The more narrative windows are mainly located in the eastern half of the church, starting in the north chapel with an Old Testament themed window followed by more on the life of Mary and infancy of Christ. The subject matter is usually confined to one light or a pair of them, so multiple scenes can be portrayed within a single window. The scheme continues in the east window of the chancel with its scenes of the Passion of Christ in the lower register culminating in his crucifixion above, while a smaller window to the south shows his entombment and the harrowing of Hell. The cycle continues in the south chapel where the east window shows scenes of Christ's resurrection and transfiguration whilst two further windows relate further incidents culminating in Pentecost. The final window in the sequence however is of course the Last Judgement at the west end.
The glass has been greatly valued and protected over the centuries from the ravages of history, being removed for protection during the Civil War and World War II. The windows underwent a complete conservation between 1988-2010 by the Barley Studio of York which bravely restored legibility to the windows by sensitive releading and recreating missing pieces with new work (previously these had been filled with plain glass which drew the eye and disturbed the balance of light). The most dramatic intervention was the re-ordering of the westernmost windows of the nave aisles which had been partially filled with jumbled fragments following the storm damage of 1703 but have now been returned to something closer to their original state.
It is important here not to neglect the church's other features since the glass dominates its reputation so much. The chancel also retains its original late medieval woodwork with a fine set of delicate screens dividing it from the chapels either side along with a lovely set of stalls with carved misericords. The tomb of the founder John Tame and his wife can be seen on the north side of the sanctuary with their brasses atop a tomb chest. Throughout the church a fine series of carved angel corbels supports the old oak roofs.
Fairford church is a national treasure and shouldn't be missed by anyone with a love of stained glass and medieval art. It is normally kept open for visitors and deserves more of them.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken by the end of the 3rd week of October, 2017.
The levels of activity have fluctuated along this stretch of the riverbank, and especially around the Irish Rail bridge, informed by the tides and priorities.
Since Summer 2016, this is where the heavy-duty engineering works have been taking place.
This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have not covered in detail -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Standing on the new riverside walkway alongside Seapoint Court, we could see construction activity sited along the Ravenswell Road, temporarily closed due to on-going works.
That was the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered as a site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
As well as raising a heightened flood protection wall, they've created an access ramp down to the riverside.
The area in the background, site of the old Bray Golf course, was both a works compound and vehicle route for the transportation of material to/from the other sectors along the River Dargle involved in construction works.
By now, most of the heavy works have been completed.
Along the Ravenswell Strip, the guys are now accessorising the wall, creating viewing platforms along this ('to be') pedestrianised walkway.
=========================================================
Between Bray Bridge and the Railway Bridge there was a wooden footbridge linking Ravenswell Road and the Seapoint Road, this bridge was built at the time of the railway coming to Bray.
It closed in 1870 and was removed shortly afterwards.
"The Little Book of Bray and Enniskerry" by Brian White.
==========================================================
The Irish Rail Bridge, Bray Harbour:
Phase 1 flood defence works to the Irish Rail bridge commenced in August 2016.
Phase 2 flood defence works will be completed during May to September 2017. This work is being undertaken directly by Irish Rail.
The work includes strengthening the integrity of the bridge by creating buttresses around the base of each pillar.
To do this they have to pile-drive sheets into the river bedrock.
The work is complicated by;
(a) the need not to damage or disturb in any way the actual bridge itself (Irish Rail train and DART carriages pass overhead on an hourly basis), (b) the confined spaces under the bridge, and (c) the twice-daily rising tides from Bray Harbour which spill upriver into the newly expanded basin.
The length of the Ravenswell Road is to be landscaped into a pedestrian 'experience', with plants, seating and viewing points created in the sea-wall. I think this might link up with a new road and pathway being constructed around to Little Bray.
Through the past few weeks/months, we can see the construction in and around the Irish Rail bridge, where new and extensive reinforced concrete collars are built up to support the existing support pillars/piers. The river and sea beds are also engineered to control the flow of tides and river flows.
Ornamental railings and abstract wooden hangings are fashioned on-site.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the first week of July, 2017.
The levels of activity fluctuate along this stretch of the riverbank, and especially around the Irish Rail bridge, informed by the tides and priorities.
Since Summer 2016, this is where the heavy-duty engineering works have been taking place.
This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have not covered in detail -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Standing on an access bridge, adjacent to the Bray Boxing Club (from whence sprang Katie Taylor, and others of illustrious note), looking back up the river, towards the town direction.
In the foreground is the Railway bridge, and in the distance we can see some construction works taking place on the Ravenswell Road, temporarily closed due to on-going works.
That was the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
As well as raising a heightened flood protection wall, they've created an access ramp down to the riverside.
The area in the background, site of the old Bray Golf course, was both a works compound and vehicle route for the transportation of material to/from the other sectors along the River Dargle involved in construction works.
The Irish Rail Bridge, Bray Harbour:
Phase 1 flood defence works to the Irish Rail bridge commenced in August 2016.
Phase 2 flood defence works will be completed during May to September 2017. This work is being undertaken directly by Irish Rail.
The work includes strengthening the integrity of the bridge by creating buttresses around the base of each pillar.
To do this they have to pile-drive sheets into the river bedrock.
The work is complicated by;
(a) the need not to damage or disturb in any way the actual bridge itself (Irish Rail train and DART carriages pass overhead on an hourly basis), (b) the confined spaces under the bridge, and (c) the twice-daily rising tides from Bray Harbour which spill upriver into the newly expanded basin.
=====================================
Bray Harbour / Irish Rail Bridge:
The harbour was constructed between the years of 1891 and 1895.
A railway bridge was first built here in 1853.
The following year saw the opening of a railway line between Dublin and Bray.
It was also known as the 'Harcourt Street Line'
Famed Irish engineer William Dargan, known affectionately as ‘the father of the Irish Railways’, was the man involved with bringing the rail to Bray, and in it's construction, and which moulded the town into a fashionable resort.
Dargan designed and built Ireland's first railway line from Dublin to Dún Laoghaire in 1833.
Mid-18th century plans proposed the building of a 12.5-mile (20 km) railway from Bray Daly, which opened on 10 July 1854 to initially terminate at Harcourt Road. (Harcourt Street Station was not built until 1859).
The building of the line was done by two railway companies: The Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway (DW&WR), who built the line from Dundrum to Bray and the Dublin, Dundrum and Rathfarnham Railway (DD&RR), who were to build the line from Harcourt Street to Dundrum.
The latter failed to do so, and the 'Dublin & Wicklow Railway' took over the line works.
Following the Beddy Report of 1957, CIÉ began to realise that in an effort to save money, all the non-profitable rural railway branch lines would have to close. The Harcourt Street line was one of these unprofitable railway lines and so the decision to close the line was ultimately reached.
In October 1958, CIÉ gave notice of the closure in the local papers.
The last train, CIÉ 2600 Class AEC railcar number 2652, left Harcourt Street at 4:25pm on 31 December 1958.
The route was preserved after closure, allowing for a potential future reopening. The route corridor remained mostly in-situ until the 2000s. The section between the Grand Canal crossing and the old Stillorgan station was chosen for use by the Luas light rail system whose Green Line opened in 2004. The line crosses Dundrum on the new William Dargan cable-stayed bridge.
An extension of the Luas to Cherrywood opened for passenger service on Saturday 16 October 2010, using most of the old railway alignment.
Bray Railway Station was renamed Bray Daly Railway Station in 1966 in honour of Edward Daly, one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising.
The eastern platform features an interesting set of murals depicting the history of Ireland’s railways.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken on the last full weekend of October 2014.
Throughout the days, it's a constant 2-way stream of Volvo trucks -- some bringing varying grades of hardcore down to the riverside to build up the rear of the steel wall - or removing previously laid temporary access shelf on the outside of the steel wall.
The guys are now actively rebuilding the riverbed itself: digging out the previous 'temporary' core material, and replacing with large, profiled boulders.
The intention being to (a) provide better habitat for fish stock, and (b) seek to slow the speed of river flow during periods of heavy rain and high river levels.
A neat job is being completed to landscape the ground in front of the apartments -- backfilling with stone and soil.
A protective guide-rail is being welded, in stages, to the top of the protruding steel wall, prior to capping with cement.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the first week of June, 2017.
The day of my visit, a Bank Holiday Monday, saw a break in the weather -- and the arrival of rains coinciding with the annual Women's Marathon.
Still evidence of activity along this stretch of the riverbank, and especially around the Irish Rail bridge.
Since Summer 2016, this is where the heavy-duty engineering works have been taking place.
This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have not covered in detail -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Check out 'Turgidson'.
Standing on an access bridge, adjacent to the Bray Boxing Club (from whence sprang Katie Taylor, and others of illustrious note), looking back up the river, towards the town direction.
In the foreground is the Railway bridge, and in the distance we can see some construction works taking place on the Ravenswell Road, temporarily closed due to on-going works.
That was the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
As well as raising a heightened flood protection wall, they've created an access ramp down to the riverside.
The area in the background, site of the old Bray Golf course, was both a works compound and vehicle route for the transportation of material to/from the other sectors along the River Dargle involved in construction works.
The Irish Rail Bridge, Bray Harbour:
Phase 1 flood defence works to the Irish Rail bridge commenced in August 2016.
Phase 2 flood defence works will be completed during May to September 2017. This work is being undertaken directly by Irish Rail.
The work includes strengthening the integrity of the bridge by creating buttresses around the base of each pillar.
To do this they have to pile-drive sheets into the river bedrock.
The work is complicated by;
(a) the need not to damage or disturb in any way the actual bridge itself (Irish Rail train and DART carriages pass overhead on an hourly basis), (b) the confined spaces under the bridge, and (c) the twice-daily rising tides from Bray Harbour which spill upriver into the newly expanded basin.
=====================================
Bray Harbour / Irish Rail Bridge:
The harbour was constructed between the years of 1891 and 1895.
A railway bridge was first built here in 1853.
The following year saw the opening of a railway line between Dublin and Bray.
It was also known as the 'Harcourt Street Line'
Famed Irish engineer William Dargan, known affectionately as ‘the father of the Irish Railways’, was the man involved with bringing the rail to Bray, and in it's construction, and which moulded the town into a fashionable resort.
Dargan designed and built Ireland's first railway line from Dublin to Dún Laoghaire in 1833.
Mid-18th century plans proposed the building of a 12.5-mile (20 km) railway from Bray Daly, which opened on 10 July 1854 to initially terminate at Harcourt Road. (Harcourt Street Station was not built until 1859).
The building of the line was done by two railway companies: The Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway (DW&WR), who built the line from Dundrum to Bray and the Dublin, Dundrum and Rathfarnham Railway (DD&RR), who were to build the line from Harcourt Street to Dundrum.
The latter failed to do so, and the 'Dublin & Wicklow Railway' took over the line works.
Following the Beddy Report of 1957, CIÉ began to realise that in an effort to save money, all the non-profitable rural railway branch lines would have to close. The Harcourt Street line was one of these unprofitable railway lines and so the decision to close the line was ultimately reached.
In October 1958, CIÉ gave notice of the closure in the local papers.
The last train, CIÉ 2600 Class AEC railcar number 2652, left Harcourt Street at 4:25pm on 31 December 1958.
The route was preserved after closure, allowing for a potential future reopening. The route corridor remained mostly in-situ until the 2000s. The section between the Grand Canal crossing and the old Stillorgan station was chosen for use by the Luas light rail system whose Green Line opened in 2004. The line crosses Dundrum on the new William Dargan cable-stayed bridge.
An extension of the Luas to Cherrywood opened for passenger service on Saturday 16 October 2010, using most of the old railway alignment.
Bray Railway Station was renamed Bray Daly Railway Station in 1966 in honour of Edward Daly, one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising.
The eastern platform features an interesting set of murals depicting the history of Ireland’s railways.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the first week of June, 2017.
The day of my visit, a Bank Holiday Monday, saw a break in the weather -- and the arrival of rains coinciding with the annual Women's Marathon.
Still evidence of activity along this stretch of the riverbank, and especially around the Irish Rail bridge.
Since Summer 2016, this is where the heavy-duty engineering works have been taking place.
This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have not covered in detail -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Check out 'Turgidson'.
Standing on an access bridge, adjacent to the Bray Boxing Club (from whence sprang Katie Taylor, and others of illustrious note), looking back up the river, towards the town direction.
In the foreground is the Railway bridge, and in the distance we can see some construction works taking place on the Ravenswell Road, temporarily closed due to on-going works.
That was the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
As well as raising a heightened flood protection wall, they've created an access ramp down to the riverside.
The area in the background, site of the old Bray Golf course, was both a works compound and vehicle route for the transportation of material to/from the other sectors along the River Dargle involved in construction works.
The Irish Rail Bridge, Bray Harbour:
Phase 1 flood defence works to the Irish Rail bridge commenced in August 2016.
Phase 2 flood defence works will be completed during May to September 2017. This work is being undertaken directly by Irish Rail.
The work includes strengthening the integrity of the bridge by creating buttresses around the base of each pillar.
To do this they have to pile-drive sheets into the river bedrock.
The work is complicated by;
(a) the need not to damage or disturb in any way the actual bridge itself (Irish Rail train and DART carriages pass overhead on an hourly basis), (b) the confined spaces under the bridge, and (c) the twice-daily rising tides from Bray Harbour which spill upriver into the newly expanded basin.
=====================================
Bray Harbour / Irish Rail Bridge:
The harbour was constructed between the years of 1891 and 1895.
A railway bridge was first built here in 1853.
The following year saw the opening of a railway line between Dublin and Bray.
It was also known as the 'Harcourt Street Line'
Famed Irish engineer William Dargan, known affectionately as ‘the father of the Irish Railways’, was the man involved with bringing the rail to Bray, and in it's construction, and which moulded the town into a fashionable resort.
Dargan designed and built Ireland's first railway line from Dublin to Dún Laoghaire in 1833.
Mid-18th century plans proposed the building of a 12.5-mile (20 km) railway from Bray Daly, which opened on 10 July 1854 to initially terminate at Harcourt Road. (Harcourt Street Station was not built until 1859).
The building of the line was done by two railway companies: The Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway (DW&WR), who built the line from Dundrum to Bray and the Dublin, Dundrum and Rathfarnham Railway (DD&RR), who were to build the line from Harcourt Street to Dundrum.
The latter failed to do so, and the 'Dublin & Wicklow Railway' took over the line works.
Following the Beddy Report of 1957, CIÉ began to realise that in an effort to save money, all the non-profitable rural railway branch lines would have to close. The Harcourt Street line was one of these unprofitable railway lines and so the decision to close the line was ultimately reached.
In October 1958, CIÉ gave notice of the closure in the local papers.
The last train, CIÉ 2600 Class AEC railcar number 2652, left Harcourt Street at 4:25pm on 31 December 1958.
The route was preserved after closure, allowing for a potential future reopening. The route corridor remained mostly in-situ until the 2000s. The section between the Grand Canal crossing and the old Stillorgan station was chosen for use by the Luas light rail system whose Green Line opened in 2004. The line crosses Dundrum on the new William Dargan cable-stayed bridge.
An extension of the Luas to Cherrywood opened for passenger service on Saturday 16 October 2010, using most of the old railway alignment.
Bray Railway Station was renamed Bray Daly Railway Station in 1966 in honour of Edward Daly, one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising.
The eastern platform features an interesting set of murals depicting the history of Ireland’s railways.
The Gas Peedhit Rahat Samiti (who described themselves as ‘a coalition of former workers and gas victims’ was formed in July 1985) and received support from the UK in ‘developing an alternative production/employment strategy for the people who have suffered in the tragedy’.
The idea was to focus on developing an alternative production idea, particularly in terms of structures ie ways of creating a co-operative or series of worker/community controlled initiatives which were responsive to local needs.
Last night, November 5 2018, saw the passing out parade of Stockport’s volunteer police cadet unit.
The ceremony took place at the Stockport Town Hall, guests included the High Sheriff of Greater Manchester Dr Robina Shah, Deputy Major of Stockport Cllr Wendy Meikle, Chief Superintendent Wayne Miller and Chief Superintendent Jo Rogerson.
In 2012, Greater Manchester Police created a new Volunteer Police Cadet Scheme for young people in the region.
The scheme is aimed at 13- 17 year-olds and provides a programme of weekly Cadet nights filled with activity, information and – hopefully – some fun.
The aims of the scheme include:
•Promoting and encouraging a practical interest in policing among young people,
•Providing training which will encourage positive leadership within communities which will include volunteering opportunities,
•Encouraging a spirit of adventure and developing qualities of leadership and good citizenship. Cadets will be given the opportunity to obtain a Duke of Edinburgh Award, First Aid qualification etc.
To find out more about Greater Manchester Police please visit www.gmp.police.uk
You should call 101, the national non-emergency number, to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response.
Always call 999 in an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, violence is being used or threatened or where there is danger to life.
You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers is an independent charity who will not want your name, just your information. Your call will not be traced or recorded and you do not have to go to court or give a statement.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the first week of July, 2017.
The levels of activity fluctuate along this stretch of the riverbank, and especially around the Irish Rail bridge, informed by the tides and priorities.
Since Summer 2016, this is where the heavy-duty engineering works have been taking place.
This is a section of the flood protection scheme that I have not covered in detail -- it's inconvenient for me to access, and others cover it much better.
Standing on an access bridge, adjacent to the Bray Boxing Club (from whence sprang Katie Taylor, and others of illustrious note), looking back up the river, towards the town direction.
In the foreground is the Railway bridge, and in the distance we can see some construction works taking place on the Ravenswell Road, temporarily closed due to on-going works.
That was the site of the old Bray Golf Club -- hotly contested as a (potentially) poorly considered site for a shopping centre development complex, and still an area of ground that has to act as a flood plain in the event of tidal surges.
As well as raising a heightened flood protection wall, they've created an access ramp down to the riverside.
The area in the background, site of the old Bray Golf course, was both a works compound and vehicle route for the transportation of material to/from the other sectors along the River Dargle involved in construction works.
The Irish Rail Bridge, Bray Harbour:
Phase 1 flood defence works to the Irish Rail bridge commenced in August 2016.
Phase 2 flood defence works will be completed during May to September 2017. This work is being undertaken directly by Irish Rail.
The work includes strengthening the integrity of the bridge by creating buttresses around the base of each pillar.
To do this they have to pile-drive sheets into the river bedrock.
The work is complicated by;
(a) the need not to damage or disturb in any way the actual bridge itself (Irish Rail train and DART carriages pass overhead on an hourly basis), (b) the confined spaces under the bridge, and (c) the twice-daily rising tides from Bray Harbour which spill upriver into the newly expanded basin.
=====================================
Bray Harbour / Irish Rail Bridge:
The harbour was constructed between the years of 1891 and 1895.
A railway bridge was first built here in 1853.
The following year saw the opening of a railway line between Dublin and Bray.
It was also known as the 'Harcourt Street Line'
Famed Irish engineer William Dargan, known affectionately as ‘the father of the Irish Railways’, was the man involved with bringing the rail to Bray, and in it's construction, and which moulded the town into a fashionable resort.
Dargan designed and built Ireland's first railway line from Dublin to Dún Laoghaire in 1833.
Mid-18th century plans proposed the building of a 12.5-mile (20 km) railway from Bray Daly, which opened on 10 July 1854 to initially terminate at Harcourt Road. (Harcourt Street Station was not built until 1859).
The building of the line was done by two railway companies: The Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway (DW&WR), who built the line from Dundrum to Bray and the Dublin, Dundrum and Rathfarnham Railway (DD&RR), who were to build the line from Harcourt Street to Dundrum.
The latter failed to do so, and the 'Dublin & Wicklow Railway' took over the line works.
Following the Beddy Report of 1957, CIÉ began to realise that in an effort to save money, all the non-profitable rural railway branch lines would have to close. The Harcourt Street line was one of these unprofitable railway lines and so the decision to close the line was ultimately reached.
In October 1958, CIÉ gave notice of the closure in the local papers.
The last train, CIÉ 2600 Class AEC railcar number 2652, left Harcourt Street at 4:25pm on 31 December 1958.
The route was preserved after closure, allowing for a potential future reopening. The route corridor remained mostly in-situ until the 2000s. The section between the Grand Canal crossing and the old Stillorgan station was chosen for use by the Luas light rail system whose Green Line opened in 2004. The line crosses Dundrum on the new William Dargan cable-stayed bridge.
An extension of the Luas to Cherrywood opened for passenger service on Saturday 16 October 2010, using most of the old railway alignment.
Bray Railway Station was renamed Bray Daly Railway Station in 1966 in honour of Edward Daly, one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising.
The eastern platform features an interesting set of murals depicting the history of Ireland’s railways.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the second week of March 2017.
These are the critical stabilisation works at the Silverbridge site, adjacent to the N11 dual-carriageway:
Back in November 2014, we'd observed bank stabilisation works here involving excavation, repair and building of a support wall structure -- carried out by JONS Construction on behalf of the National Roads Authority.
We would occasionally catch sight of this work in the distance. Quite an impressive little piece of structural engineering.
Having built a retaining concave wall, backfilled for solidity, they were also drilling, fixing and sealing ground anchors to pin the entire structure together.
Now we see that further works are being undertaken.
Word has it that extra ‘stabilisation work’ had to be done to protect the integrity of the riverbank.
At the section here we can see that there’s not much space between the edge of the rock face and the Armco at the side of the dual-carriageway.
Have yet to determine what precisely that will entail. Serious work to reinforce the side access ramp down to the river.
The N11 carriageway runs adjacent to this sunken side of the riverbank -- barely 2 (large) paces divide the two. Even with twin strips of Armco along the roadside, it's perilously close. Traffic speeds along this stretch (maximum speed 100 kmp). Only needs a touch from a heavy vehicle to cause secondary impact, which (worst possible scenario) could result in something going airborne.
Working in these confined spaces puts a premium of safety and communication.
The guys have hard-filled a working shelf on the riverbed, to allow machinery access to the rockface. Obviously some serious drilling is called for before a form of extra 'pinning' is put in place.
They have sunk a series of hollowed tubes/casings -- obviously to form the foundations of a more extensive structure.
And some investigative work around the transverse buttress of the access bridge, parallel to the heavy-duty pipeline carrying water down from the Vartry reservoir.
At a (rough) guess -- I'd say the foundations were sunk to a depth of approx 4+m.
With such secure foundations in place, they would then look to construct a substantial bank of material, and/or retaining wall (similar to that in place further along the roadside bank).
=================================================
Previously the guys drilled and sunk 4+metre deep reinforced tubing and rods along a newly laid concrete base. Those stubs were then used to attach steel rod cradles -- which, in turn, were filled with poured concrete. Result - the wall quickly rises. Variation on the method they've used elsewhere along this stretch of the river.
A continuous stretch of protective wall has now been poured, and joined up with the section originally erected back in 2014.
As we can see from the side-on shot, the base of the wall has pre-cut openings for the retaining pins that have been driven into the side wall of the roadside cliff. These have been sealed and capped.
Progress has been rapid, the full stretch of wall is completed, and the guys are now working on back-filling the empty space between the protective wall and the roadside rock face. You don't just throw in a few trucks loads of soil and hope for the best. You load, layer, level and compress.
By now the guys had clearing away material used to build access ramps down into the riverbed.
The thought crossed had my mind -- in doing so (removing the stone-filled gabions etc,) are they potentially exposing the river bank on that side to erosion, slippage etc?
We know the destructive force of fast running waters. Hell, this is precisely why the protective works have been carried out along the rest of the stretch, down to the Bray Harbour. Unless they have other plans to stabilise it, what is going to be left here is loose soil -- very close to the access road into the halting site itself.
Now that we can see the cleaned, exposed riverbank, we can see a substantial bedrock. Clearly this is not liable to subsidence. And there evidence that sections of the slope had already been 'nailed' * to prevent slippage. But, in talking to the guys there, it would seem that further 'nailing' might be required later in the year.
Some repair/reinforcing work is going on here to protect the (old) buttress that supports the pipework carrying water to the Bray region.
*
Soil nailing is a construction technique that can be used as a remedial measure to treat unstable natural soil slopes or as a construction technique that allows the safe over-steepening of new or existing soil slopes.
The technique involves the insertion of relatively slender reinforcing elements into the slope – often general purpose reinforcing bars (rebar) although proprietary solid or hollow-system bars are also available.
Solid bars are usually installed into pre-drilled holes and then grouted into place using a separate grout line, whereas hollow bars may be drilled and grouted simultaneously by the use of a sacrificial drill bit and by pumping grout down the hollow bar as drilling progresses.
The Gas Peedhit Rahat Samiti (who described themselves as ‘a coalition of former workers and gas victims’ was formed in July 1985) and received support from the UK in ‘developing an alternative production/employment strategy for the people who have suffered in the tragedy’.
The idea was to focus on developing an alternative production idea, particularly in terms of structures ie ways of creating a co-operative or series of worker/community controlled initiatives which were responsive to local needs.