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The Chinese zodiac is a classification scheme that assigns an animal and its reputed attributes to each year in a repeating 12-year cycle. The 12-year cycle is an approximation to the 11.85-year orbital period of Jupiter, the largest planet of the Solar System. It and its variations remain popular in many Asian countries including China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Bhutan, and Thailand.
The Chinese zodiac is also called Shēngxiào (生肖) in Mandarin. Identifying this scheme using the generic term "zodiac" reflects several superficial similarities to the Western zodiac: both have time cycles divided into 12 parts, each labels at least the majority of those parts with names of animals, and each is widely associated with a culture of ascribing a person's personality or events in his or her life to the supposed influence of the person's particular relationship to the cycle.
Nevertheless, there are major differences between the two: the animals of the Chinese zodiac are not associated with constellations spanned by the ecliptic plane. The Chinese 12-part cycle corresponds to years, rather than months. The Chinese zodiac is represented by 12 animals, whereas some of the signs in the Western zodiac are not animals, despite the implication of the etymology of the word zodiac.
The zodiac traditionally begins with the sign of the Rat. The following are the twelve zodiac signs (each with its associated Earthly Branch) in order and their characteristics. Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water as five nature elements.
Rat – 鼠 (子) (Yin, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Water)
Ox – 牛 (丑) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Tiger – 虎 (寅) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
Rabbit – 兔 (卯) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
Dragon – 龍 (辰) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Snake – 蛇 (巳) (Yang, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
Horse – 馬 (午) (Yin, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
Goat – 羊 (未) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Monkey – 猴 (申) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
Rooster – 雞 (酉) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
Dog – 狗 (戌) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Earth)
Pig – 豬 (亥) (Yang, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Water)
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken in the last week of October 2014.
Throughout the days, it's a constant 2-way stream of Volvo trucks.
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.
A welding contractor is on-site, one of his tasks being to cut protruding steel piles to a uniform height.
He was also tasked with burning out little drainage holes, at ground level, to allow excess water to drain back into the river -- trapped water being able to exert greater pressure on a structure.
This is a model for the Lego Ideas Scheme found here ideas.lego.com/dashboard Please vote for it if you want to see it put into production
Still in Staniers colour scheme prior to Grahams Coaches buying it, parked inside PMT garage as they had bought the Staniers fleet at the time. Served Graham well on fishing trips etc. Does it still survive???
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken within the third week of October 2014.
We were seeing the effects of the overnight deluge of rain (as predicted some days earlier) -- interestingly enough, the waters had covered the steel structure on the opposite banks.
And this was only a short fall of rain.
What would prolonged, and heavy, rains bring? Some day, some year!
Most of the sheet piles were by now driven into place.
Work now involved reinforcing the base of the sheet wall.
On this side of the river, that work involved the build up of material behind the steel wall, to better reinforce the existing soil bank itself. It was 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 - other times to remove previously laid boulders, as part of temporary access shelf on the outside of the steel wall.
Directly below the La Vallee building, a 'blue line' marks the high-line of backfill hardcore to be laid.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken towards the end of the second week of February 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).
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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 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.
And, at the same time, the guys are clearing away material used to build access ramps down into the riverbed.
The thought crossed 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.
Some repair/reinforcing work is going on here to protect the (old) buttress that supports the pipework carrying water to the Bray region.
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.
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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 second full week of August 2014. Work is now on-going in this area of the The Slang/Dargle River, involving: -- Site preparation and mobilisation comprising sheetpile flood defence walls.
Meanwhile, work proceeded on core-sample drilling to determine the integrity of the adjacent riverside and riverbank. These UK contractors have been moving this Comacchio 405 crawler tracked rig about the local area, I think the term is 'rotary coring'. Flushing mediums include mud/water recirculation via an on-board mud pump, or air flush via an auxiliary compressor.
Windowless sampling barrels contain plastic liners to retain soil samples.
Liners are removed from sample barrels after drilling.
The use of a plastic liner allows for excellent presentation of high quality samples. The drilling process renders the immediate area into a sea of liquified mud.
Regardless of the weather, waterproof clothing is 'de rigueur'.
Easy access to clean water is a bonus.
The kit and its assembly:
This relatively simple whif was actually inspired by a decal set for a Swedish J1 biplane. In order to have a “canvas” to put this scheme onto, a suitable aircraft had to be found – and it became the vintage (and dirty cheap) KP kit of the Avia H-21.
The kit turned out to be much better than expected. It has some flash, but the surface and interior details are nice, the kit comes with anything you’d ask for. It’s really good except for a mediocre fit, but that’s acceptable for the molds’ age and, thanks to the simple shapes, PSR is an easy task.
Even though the model depicts a fictional Swedish fighter, the kit was built almost OOB and stays close to the Avia H-21, which is IMHO quite elegant. I just reduced the lower wings’ span (which are on the H-21 wider than the upper wing!) for a slightly more conventional look. The propeller was replaced with a better one from the scrap box (IIRC from a Revell SPAD XIII), together with a metal axis and a respective styrene tube adapter. A small fin was added in front of the free-standing rudder (from a Revell Sopwith Triplane), and I added a set of spats that I had found in the spares bin, too. Rigging was done post-painting with heated/stretched black sprue material.
Painting and markings:
The paint scheme is based on a Swedish J1 around 1925, with a pretty three-tone camouflage consisting of two green tones and a sand brown. According to the cource, the undersides were light blue, but I have doubts because unpainted linen ("Duk") was more common on the J1s.
With this basis I did some legwork in trustworthy literature and found the following guesstimates for the respective colors: Ljusbrun: Humbrol 234 (Dark Skin Tone, for a pale reddish earth tone), Mellangrön: Revell 363 (Fern Green) and Mörkgron (I used Modelmaster’s RAF Dark Green, similar to USAF Forest Green FS 34079). Instead of the contemporary standard lacquered fabric underneath I painted the undersides in Humbrol 23 (RAF Duck Egg Green).
The engine cover was painted with Humbrol 56, the cockpit interior in Tamiya 57 (Light Buff), simulating unpainted but lacquered fabric. The wing struts as well as the propeller blades were painted in a streaky wet-in-wet mix of Humbrol 62 and 71, simulating wood grain on lacquered wood. The rudder flash was painted with Humbrol 99 and 104.
The model was lightly weathered with a thin black ink washing and some dry-brushing, emphasizing the fabric structures and the model's fine raised surface details. Graphite was used for some exhaust stains.
Markings/decals were minimal: The 1927-style roundels came from a Swedish pre-WWII D.H. Tiger Moth trainer (AZ Models aftermarket sheet), the tactical code was created with single digits in a proper Swedish 1927 font (Flying Colors Aerodecals). Everything was sealed with matt acrylic varnish and the rigging was done as the final step.
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.
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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.
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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.
Meanwhile . . . the eternal stalk continues for that patient hunter 'Heron'
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the first 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. This is a slightly less complicated process to that used on the higher/steeper slopes further up-river, where they drilled/filled 6-foot hollow tubes into the faces of the bank.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken by the end of the 3rd week of November, 2017.
I've been recording this project now for 5+ years.
Most of the main civil engineering works have ceased along the Slang/Rehills section of the river bank.
The main area of land has been seeded and growth is already happening. In selected areas, plants/shrubs have also been planted.
The plan now will be to allow nature to complete the task of reverting this section back to a wild habitat.
The deer, the foxes, the herons, the raptor birds and other associated wildlife can reclaim the banks . . until the planners decide on their next, belated, unnecessary intervention.
Some remedial work is needed to 'complete' the river edge bank upon removal of the access bridge. This work involves both landscaping and stone barrier protection.
We can see the remains of the caissons/piers used to support the temporary access bridge that carried all construction traffic/machinery.
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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 meteorological 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.
However, recently the contractors have 'filled-in' a large swathe of the previously cleared opening.
To develop this new pipeline, they need to channel a branch pipe under the Upper Dargle Road, discharging into the adjacent Dargle River itself.
This is not a simple 'cut and fill' overnight operation. They have to excavate deeply, pile-drive the cuttings for support, and lay the pipe sections. The plan here is to close off one lane of the road, at a time, while the work proceeds.
This is a model for the Lego Ideas Scheme found here ideas.lego.com/dashboard Please vote for it if you want to see it put into production
After I saw this photo book in a Crate and Barrel store, I was totally in love with the 50s retro color scheme they used on the cover. I reproduced it in photoshop as closely as I could but after testing it on my website as a new background determined it doesn't look quite as cool online as it does offline.
Santander Cycles is London's self-service, bike-sharing scheme for short journeys. You can hire a bike from as little as £2. Simply go to any docking station with your bank card and touch the screen to get started. There's no need to book - hire a bike, ride it where you like, then return it to any docking station.
Not really. What you see may only be part of the truth....
Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), many of whom reflect the clan of which Molly M is a member.... just south of Teal Pond, Thomson Marsh, Kelowna, BC.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the fourth week of June 2017.
Back in January/February 2017, we saw posters indicating public disquiet about these latest Council proposals, and the meetings called to discuss possible action.
I offered an observation at the time.
Matters have clearly moved onward now.
The work is happening.
This view is from the opposite side of the river, Glenwood Road.
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Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) – Part XI.
Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) – Part 8.
Construct an Access Ramp into the River Dargle, and make the fencing to the People’s Park removable at the West end of the People’s Park, adjacent to River Lane, in the townland of Bray Commons, in the Municipal District of Bray.
The purpose of the proposal is to provide the means to access the River Dargle to maintain the River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme in the area of the People’s Park.
Background:
Wicklow County Council (and the former Bray Town Council) have almost completed the construction of the River Dargle Flood Defense Scheme. This Scheme consists of a number of interventions including deepening and widening the river, and constructing embankments and river walls. These interventions are designed so that a fluvial (river) event of 1% probability of exceedance will remain within the banks (or walls) of the River Dargle. In other words, that means that the likelihood of an event occurring that would breach the river walls (and embankments) is in excess of one in a hundred years. This is the standard that the OPW set for Flood Defense Schemes.
In addition to the civil engineering measures, Wicklow County Council have, in close consultation with Inland Fisheries Ireland, constructed weirs and narrow channels, mostly of large rocks or boulders, in order that the environment is as natural and attractive as possible for fish life. Some more in-river fish environment works will be done in Summer 2017, also in consultation with IFI.
It is an inescapable fact that sands, gravels and even cobbles will be moved by the river. Also the more water that flows in the river, the more material will be carried downstream. For years, Bray Town Council, (now Wicklow County Council) have removed gravels and other deposited material from the river to ensure the capacity of the river to carry water is maintained.
For Wicklow County Council (or the OPW) to get access to the River in the stretch from Fran O’Toole Bridge to the lower end of the Slang, it is essential that there be an adequate access ramp. The works described in this proposal would ensure the availability of such an access ramp.
It is intended that this new ramp would be accessible by driving along River Lane.
It is intended that the new ramp would only be used for essential maintenance of the River Dargle Flood Defense Scheme. While the frequency of use of the ramp is dependant on the frequency of significant flooding events, experience of Bray Town Council would suggest that it would be required less often than every two years. Also, the duration of use is unlikely to exceed one or two weeks in each case.
Works Outline
The works consist of
1. Diverting existing ESB cables that would be over the proposed ramp.
2. Constructing sheet pile and masonry walls, alongside the River
3. Constructing a concrete ramp into the River
4. Constructing a removable, masonry clad, reinforced concrete (RC) panel at the top of the ramp with removable railings in and around the ramp.
These works are shown on drawings number B1282.3_7000, B1282.3_7001, B1282.3_7003 and B1282.3_7004.
Timescale:
It is intended to carry out the construction work in Q2 and Q3 of 2017, subject to approval of the Part 8 procedure.
___________________________________
Marc Devereux
Senior Engineer
Wicklow County Council
20th December 2016
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the first week of October 2017.
I've been recording this project now for 5+ years.
Most of the main civil engineering works have ceased along the Slang/Rehills section of the river bank.
The main area of land has been seeded and growth is already happening. In selected areas, plants/shrubs have also been planted.
The plan now will be to allow nature to complete the task of reverting this section back to a wild habitat.
The deer, the foxes, the herons, the raptor birds and other associated wildlife can reclaim the banks . . until the planners decide on their next, belated, unnecessary intervention.
============================
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 meteorological 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.
However, recently the contractors have 'filled-in' a large swathe of the previously cleared opening.
To develop this new pipeline, they need to channel a branch pipe under the Upper Dargle Road, discharging into the adjacent Dargle River itself.
This is not a simple 'cut and fill' overnight operation. They have to excavate deeply, pile-drive the cuttings for support, and lay the pipe sections.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the first week of September, 2016.
Constant traffic nowadays with hard material being trucked in and dumped in storage areas along The Slang/Rehills section of the river bank.
Further work is now being undertaken to upgrade the protection of the riverbank edge with the laying down of extra stone material.
With the recent convoys of trucks bringing in vast quantities of stone, we now see that;
(a) some of the larger boulders are intended to be used as reinforcements along the base of certain bank edges (which have to be excavated again), and;
(b) some of the medium size stones look like they will be used to create secondary shelves along the riverside.
At the same time, the guys are working (or playing?) on changing the profile of the stepped terrace along the face of the Slang/Rehills section.
Seems like every time they do this, and we believe it is a 'finished' piece of work, they confound us later by ripping it up all over again.
I know there is value in maintaining this area as a smooth accessible strip. But the degree of attention they apply to this is then wasted by the randomness with which they undo all the previous work.
I call it the 'Biggest Sandpit/Playarea' in Wicklow, in Leinster, in Ireland.
Late evening mini-convoy of earth-moving vehicles with the sun casting long shadows.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the fourth week of July, 2016.
And we're back to the Rehills/Slang section -- between La Vallee and Rivervale.
Where previously this area was an organised structure of vast earth mounds, which ebbed and flowed with the removal of material, saw the import and removal of enormous mounds of stone material, and emerged as a relatively levelled piece of ground -- we saw the arrival of a fleet of 4-axle trucks bearing fresh mounds of stone. This continued for the best part of a week.
And what has been dumped, has to be sorted, and piled, and graded . . . and ultimately moved on to somewhere else!
In fairness to this contractor (Jons Construction) they recognise the need to control the working environment . . . and YES, that involves watering the access route to the disposal zone.
Hold on, are you telling me that it hasn't been raining recently in Ireland/Wicklow/Bray?
Apparently, not enough.
Hence the arrival of our little friend -- the Ruscon 2000 Slurry Tanker, used as a water bowser/sprayer.
Supermarine Spitfire LFVb EP120 G-LFVB
• Aircraft Type: Supermarine Spitfire Vb EP120
• Operator: The Fighter Collection
• Year of Manufacture: 1942
• Powered by: one Rolls Royce Merlin engine
• Colour Scheme: 402 Sqn, “City of Winnipeg” RCAF coded AE-A
Our Mk.V Spitfire is one of the most credited historic aircraft left anywhere in the world with an impressive SEVEN confirmed kills. EP120 was built at the Castle Bromwich factory where she was probably test flown by the legend that was Alex Henshaw. She was taken on charge by the RAF in May 1942 with 45 MU at Kinloss in Scotland. She was assigned to 501 Sqn the following month and scored six of her confirmed kills with Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Northcott at the helm. A ground collision saw her returned to Castle Bromwich for repair following which she was allocated to 19 Sqn in Cornwall. In April 1944 she was taken on charge with 402 Sqn ‘City of Winnipeg’ RCAF, coded AE-A, which are the colours she wears today.
Hawker Hurricane Mk IIB BE505
If there is a "Famous Four" of the most important allied fighter aircraft of World War II, then the cream of allied fighter technology must undoubtedly include the Supermarine Spitfire, the North-American P-51 Mustang, the Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk and surely, the unsung hero of the Battle of Britain, the legendary Hawker Hurricane. This aircraft, born of the famous Hawker design stable, was the creation of the great Sydney Camm and was his response to the RAF's urgent requirement for a low wing monoplane fighter to balance the threat from Nazi Germany and its re-armament during the mid 1930's. Currently, there are only twelve Hurricanes in airworthy condition throughout the world; this is in spite of a total production of some 14,231 aircraft in the period from 1937 to 1944. Surviving Hurricanes in flyable condition are therefore amongst the rarest of all warbirds. Our example, originally built in 1942 has been restored to stock Mk IIB fighter-bomber status, the only flying example of the famous ‘Hurri-bombers’.
The Hurricane IIB gained prominence at a time when RAF Fighter Command went over to the offensive following the end of The Battle of Britain during which it had been. The 'Hurri-bombers', as they came to be known, bravely carried the fight to the European mainland in late 1941 and early 1942, initially armed with a pair of 250lb bombs and later with two 500lb bombs, together with an up-rated armament of twelve Browning .303 inch machine guns from the original eight.
The Hurricane is undoubtedly the most complex of the wartime fighters to restore, with its intricate melange of steel, aluminium, wood and fabric, it represents an enormous challenge to return to flying condition. As such, this major restoration project was undertaken by the internationally renowned and pre-eminent Hurricane specialists, Hawker Restorations Ltd. This company has restored no less than five of the thirteen currently airworthy Hurricanes and has a reputation within the historic aircraft restoration industry for work of the finest quality. Based in Suffolk, UK and run by Tony Ditheridge, the undisputed Hurricane 'guru', HRL has a knowledge that spans many years of research and restoration of these wonderful aircraft.
The engine is an original Packard Merlin 29 and has been fully overhauled to zero time by Maurice Hammond at Eye Tech Engineering. Maurice is undoubtedly the finest V-12 engine re-builder outside the USA and his attention to detail and originality is second to none. All other major components were tested, refurbished and returned to service and wherever possible we used the original parts, commensurate of course with safety. She ran for the first time in September 2008 and completed a comprehensive programme of ground runs.
The complexity of the Hurricane’s primary structure, particularly Sydney Camm’s rejection of simple welded joints in favour of complex fabricated connections, was entirely aimed at easing mass production by relatively unskilled workers. Each joint and task was broken down into simple parts and jobs to allow sub-assemblies to be contracted out to non-aviation industries such as furniture manufacturers. These methods were familiar however to both Hawker production workers and the RAF fitters who maintained these aircraft. The legacy of this methodology, when compared to the Spitfire with its all metal 'monocoque' construction, is that the Hurricane is a truly massive undertaking to restore today. The average number of man hours allowed for a professional Spitfire restoration is generally estimated at around 12,000 hours. That should be considered against the Hurricane, upon which around 30,000 hours must be lavished before that distinctive shape can take to the skies once more.
The history of our aircraft is one which begins at the Canadian Car & Foundry Company factory in 1942 as construction number CCF/R20023. The aircraft was originally ordered as a Mk.1 for the RAF and allocated the military serial number AG287. The production batch was subsequently diverted to RCAF use and a new Canadian serial, 1374 was allocated. Delivered on 11 February 1942, she served with the RCAF until being returned to the factory in 1943 to be up-graded to Mk.XII standard - this included the installation of the more powerful Packard built Merlin 29 engine. Returning to RCAF use she was issued to No.1 (F) OTU (Bagotville, Quebec) where she remained until struck off charge on 6 September 1944.
Following the end of hostilities the airframe was sold off to the private sector, as were many surviving RCAF Hurricanes at that time, often becoming much needed 'hardware stores' donating their parts to keep the tractors and machinery running on the many enormous farms of the Canadian prairie. Our aircraft was lucky and remained substantially whole and was acquired by collector Jack Arnold in the 1970's. After passing through the hands of other collectors she was purchased by Tony Ditheridge of Hawker Restorations Ltd. Returning to the UK and initially stored as a future personal project, restoration work began in earnest in 2005 at HRL's facility in Suffolk. The project made steady progress until it was acquired by Hangar 11 Collection in 2007 and re-registered as G-HHII. The comprehensive restoration was completed in January 2009 and saw this rare Hurricane rolled out in fighter-bomber configuration resplendent in the markings of BE505, a Manston based Mk IIB operated by 174 (Mauritius) Squadron in spring, 1942. Her first post-restoration flight took place from North Weald on January 27, 2009.
Since then, BE505 has joined the Hangar 11 Collection and has become a firm favorite at air displays, representing as she does such a rare version of this famous and much loved classic British fighter.
KLUhv Spitfire Mk IX 3W17
The legendary Spitfire is without any doubt one of the most beautiful propeller-driven aircraft of the Second World War. Although the Dutch Spitfires had clipped wing-tips instead of the more elegant elliptical wing planform, it is the shapely lines of the single-seat fighter that make the heart of any aviation enthusiast beat faster. The Spitfire was designed by R.J.Mitchell as early as 1934. He was a brilliant aircraft designer who unfortunately died at the age of 42. The prototype made its maiden flight in 1936 and was powered by a 990-hp Merlin engine driving a two-blade propeller. Our Mk.IX has a 1720-hp Rolls-Royce Packard Merlin 224 engine and a four-blade propeller. In all, 20,351 Spitfires have been built. All of the 56 Spitfires that served in the Dutch Air Force were Mark IXs.
The SKHV Spit was built in 1943 and took part in the D-day fighting. In 1946, the 322 Fighter Section (322 JaVA) was established, which in 1947 was renamed 322 Squadron, and which included our Spit as H-25. After its return from the East Indies, 322 Squadron adopted the role of a “monthly” squadron. In that period the H-registration was replaced by the 322 Squadron code (3W) followed by a serial number, our Spit becoming 3W-17. 1953 saw the end of the military career of this legendary aircraft. The greater part of the Spitfires came to a sorry end, being plundered by souvenir hunters and scrap dealers, or being burned in fire-fighting exercises.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the second week of June 2017.
Back in January/February 2017, we saw posters indicating public disquiet about these latest Council proposals, and the meetings called to discuss possible action.
I offered an observation at the time.
Matters have clearly moved onward now.
The work is happening.
Liebherr PR 732 bulldozer, sitting in the construction compound at the western part of The People's Park, adjacent to the River Lane access ramp.
============================================
Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) – Part XI.
Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) – Part 8.
Construct an Access Ramp into the River Dargle, and make the fencing to the People’s Park removable at the West end of the People’s Park, adjacent to River Lane , in the townland of Bray Commons, in the Municipal District of Bray.
The purpose of the proposal is to provide the means to access the River Dargle to maintain the River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme in the area of the People’s Park.
Background:
Wicklow County Council (and the former Bray Town Council) have almost completed the construction of the River Dargle Flood Defense Scheme. This Scheme consists of a number of interventions including deepening and widening the river, and constructing embankments and river walls. These interventions are designed so that a fluvial (river) event of 1% probability of exceedance will remain within the banks (or walls) of the River Dargle. In other words, that means that the likelihood of an event occurring that would breach the river walls (and embankments) is in excess of one in a hundred years. This is the standard that the OPW set for Flood Defense Schemes.
In addition to the civil engineering measures, Wicklow County Council have, in close consultation with Inland Fisheries Ireland, constructed weirs and narrow channels, mostly of large rocks or boulders, in order that the environment is as natural and attractive as possible for fish life. Some more in-river fish environment works will be done in Summer 2017, also in consultation with IFI.
It is an inescapable fact that sands, gravels and even cobbles will be moved by the river. Also the more water that flows in the river, the more material will be carried downstream. For years, Bray Town Council, (now Wicklow County Council) have removed gravels and other deposited material from the river to ensure the capacity of the river to carry water is maintained.
For Wicklow County Council (or the OPW) to get access to the River in the stretch from Fran O’Toole Bridge to the lower end of the Slang, it is essential that there be an adequate access ramp. The works described in this proposal would ensure the availability of such an access ramp.
It is intended that this new ramp would be accessible by driving along River Lane.
It is intended that the new ramp would only be used for essential maintenance of the River Dargle Flood Defense Scheme. While the frequency of use of the ramp is dependant on the frequency of significant flooding events, experience of Bray Town Council would suggest that it would be required less often than every two years. Also, the duration of use is unlikely to exceed one or two weeks in each case.
Works Outline
The works consist of
1. Diverting existing ESB cables that would be over the proposed ramp.
2. Constructing sheet pile and masonry walls, alongside the River
3. Constructing a concrete ramp into the River
4. Constructing a removable, masonry clad, reinforced concrete (RC) panel at the top of the ramp with removable railings in and around the ramp.
These works are shown on drawings number B1282.3_7000, B1282.3_7001, B1282.3_7003 and B1282.3_7004.
Timescale:
It is intended to carry out the construction work in Q2 and Q3 of 2017, subject to approval of the Part 8 procedure.
___________________________________
Marc Devereux
Senior Engineer
Wicklow County Council
20th December 2016
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the first week of October 2017.
I've been recording this project now for 5+ years.
Most of the main civil engineering works have ceased along the Slang/Rehills section of the river bank.
The main area of land has been seeded and growth is already happening. In selected areas, plants/shrubs have also been planted.
The plan now will be to allow nature to complete the task of reverting this section back to a wild habitat.
The deer, the foxes, the herons, the raptor birds and other associated wildlife can reclaim the banks . . until the planners decide on their next, belated, unnecessary intervention.
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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 meteorological 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.
However, recently the contractors have 'filled-in' a large swathe of the previously cleared opening.
To develop this new pipeline, they need to channel a branch pipe under the Upper Dargle Road, discharging into the adjacent Dargle River itself.
This is not a simple 'cut and fill' overnight operation. They have to excavate deeply, pile-drive the cuttings for support, and lay the pipe sections.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the 4th week of September 2017.
Hard to believe - but I've been recording this project now for 5+ years.
Most of the main civil engineering works have ceased along the Slang/Rehills section of the river bank.
The soil-shifters have finished. The main area of land has been seeded and growth is already happening. In selected areas, plants/shrubs have also been planted.
The plan now will be to allow nature to complete the task of reverting this section back to a wild habitat.
The deer, the foxes, the herons, the raptor birds and other associated wildlife can reclaim the banks . . until the planners decide on their next, belated, unnecessary intervention.
Some remedial work is needed to 'complete' the river edge bank upon removal of the access bridge. This work involves both landscaping and stone barrier protection.
We can see the remains of the caissons/piers used to support the temporary access bridge that carried all construction traffic/machinery.
============================
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 meteorological 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.
However, recently the contractors have 'filled-in' a large swathe of the previously cleared opening.
To develop this new pipeline, they need to channel a branch pipe under the Upper Dargle Road, discharging into the adjacent Dargle River itself.
This is not a simple 'cut and fill' overnight operation. They have to excavate deeply, pile-drive the cuttings for support, and lay the pipe sections. The plan here is to close off one lane of the road, at a time, while the work proceeds.
This is quite a busy road, with traffic especially heavy during morning and evening rush hour.
Control traffic lights allow contra-flow systems.
This is causing yet more inconvenience for local residents.
Unfortunately, based on previous bad experience with mindless hooliganism, the temporary compound now requires 24-hour security to protect the assembled machinery.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken during the first week of December 2016.
There are still considerable levels of traffic here with hard material being trucked out of the Slang/Rehills section of the river bank.
I believe the Council have contracted for the removal and transport of soil material from this site to a new (road) construction site down at Calary.
The previous 'mountains' and terraces are slowly but steadily shrinking. The place is a mess. Aesthetically, the uneven flow to the ridges and terraces annoys me.
On occasion, we have seen a line of 13 such trucks lined up first thing in the morning, ready to haul soil.
The Upper Dargle Road, while a minor one, is a busy little throughway, and is especially busy with the morning/evening rush hours.
Introducing such a level of heavy-duty trucks on to this road, where they need to drive in and out of the Slang/Rehills compound, only serves to further aggravate the traffic flows. The entrance to the site is close to a blind bend. Not good.
On a regular basis, we have seen (and felt) the effects of the trucks as they thunder by, particularly the unladen ones returning to pick up another load.
There is the 'speed limit' and then there is 'driving in a manner inappropriate to the road conditions'.
The heavy truck traffic also brings debris and soil on to the road.
The contractors struggle to keep the road washed and swept. And the slow progress of their road-sweeping vehicles, in turn, cause delay and frustration for other road users. Not good.
It's not a good experience, right now, for the residents along this stretch of road.
I have to admit that I had not heard of Jarlshof before we set off for Shetland. It's an amazing place, almost as impressive as Shara Brae in Orkney. What makes it so interesting is that it includes houses from the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods, an Iron Age Pictish Broch and wheelhouse, Norse long houses, a medieval farmstead and a Laird's house dating from the 1500s, all on the same site.
The only thing about it that is not 100% authentic is the name, which was actually coined by Walter Scott in 1821, in his book The Pirate, which includes a scheme set here, in which he refers to the place as Jarlshof. The name stuck.
There's more about Jarlshof on Wikipedia here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarlshof
The River Don Navigation was the result of early efforts to make the River Don in South Yorkshire, England, navigable between Fishlake and Sheffield. The Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden had re-routed the mouth of the river in 1626, to improve drainage, and the new works included provision for navigation, but the scheme did not solve the problem of flooding, and the Dutch River was cut in 1635 to link the new channel to Goole. The first Act of Parliament to improve navigation on the river was obtained in 1726, by a group of Cutlers based in Sheffield; the Corporation of Doncaster obtained an Act in the following year for improvements to the lower river. Locks and lock cuts were built, and, by 1751, the river was navigable to Tinsley.
The network was expanded by the opening of the Stainforth and Keadby Canal in 1802, linking to the River Trent, the Dearne and Dove Canal in 1804, linking to Barnsley, and the Sheffield Canal in 1819, which provided better access to Sheffield. All three were bought out by the Don Navigation in the 1840s, after which the canals were owned by a series of railway companies. The Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation Company was created in 1889 and eventually succeeded in buying back the canals and the Don Navigation in 1895, but plans for expansion were hampered by a lack of capital. One success was the opening of the New Junction Canal in 1905, jointly funded with the Aire and Calder Navigation.
During the 20th century, there were several plans to upgrade the Don, to handle larger craft. It was eventually upgraded to take 700-tonne barges in 1983, but the scheme was a little too late, as an anticipated rise in commercial traffic did not occur. Most use of the navigation is now by leisure boaters, whose boats are dwarfed by the huge locks. The navigation and river are crossed by a wide variety of bridges, from a medieval bridge complete with a chapel on it, one of only three to have survived in Britain, to a motorway viaduct that pioneered the use of rubber bearings and a new waterproofing system. In between are a number of railway bridges, including two that were built to carry the internal railway system at the Blackburn Meadows sewage treatment plant. The former railway viaduct at Conisbrough now carries cyclists 113 feet (34 m) above the Don, as part of the National Cycle Network.
If you pass through Heybridge you won't fail to notice the huge warehouse built alongside the Chelmer and Blackwater navigation in 1866 for the Bentall agricultural works.
William Bentall came from a long line of yeoman farmers who were born and bred to the land. He designed a plough that would become the foundation of Heybridge’s main industry.
Bentall was farming in Goldhanger, just outside Heybridge, when he made his new plough for use on his own land. So successful was his design that he went on to re-equip his whole farm with them.
These ploughs were probably made by the local blacksmith but within a few years their reputation led to other farm owners asking Bentall to equip their farms too. In order to satisfy their demands, Bentall opened a small foundry and smithy on land opposite his farmhouse and demand grew so much that in around 1795 with the support of his wife, Bentall decided to concentrate his efforts on this manufacturing business. He enlarged his foundry facilities and launched the Goldhanger plough on the farming community.
The plough achieved a reputation for outstanding excellence and Bentall found the village of Goldhanger restricting his growth. Raw materials had to be brought by sea to the Blackwater estuary and then transported by lighter and road to the foundry.
Bentall found land available beside the recently opened Chelmer and Blackwater canal at Heybridge, just three miles away, and in 1805 the first buildings were erected on this new site. Raw materials could now be brought directly up the canal in lighters to his new works.
The innovation continued and in the year following the move to Heybridge William Bentall introduced the first steam powered threshing machine followed by a selection of other agricultural implements. Bentall never took out patents on his designs but relied on customer satisfaction to ensure the continued success of his products. The Bentall name stood for quality and his factory ran at maximum capacity.
In 1814 the country was engaged in the Nepoleonic war and due to the restriction on importing wheat from Poland, vast areas of land were being broken up for grain production. The demands for agricultural equipment was at a peak. Finding no problem selling the output of his factory, Bentall was becoming a wealthy man.
In 1814, William Bentall had a son Edward Hammond Bentall who succeeded his father to run the management of the business twenty two years later.
Edward Hammond Bentall had inherited his father’s aptitude for engineering and had been born to a period of intense engineering expansion leading to an insatiable demand for the products coming out of the Heybridge works. His mother had already seen to it that he was taught the workings of the foundry and was taught to make a ploughshare.
At the age of 22, Edward had an inquiring mind and a sense of adventure as well as having inherited his father’s engineering genius. These qualities led to business into rapid expansion after years of gradual growth.
In order to safeguard this expanding business in 1839 Edward began to trade under the name of E.H.Bentall & Co adding status to the name and in 1841, a patent was taken out for an “improved” Goldhanger plough to protect the product against imitations.
Another new design was patented in 1843 and that was the Broad Share Cultivator which was a tremendous success when it was put on the market. Sales of Bentall products had been mainly in the local counties but this new plough began to find markets throughout Britain and across the seas in the Colonies.
Expansion went side by side with demand and new buildings were erected at the works and more staff trained. The quality however, never changed and the Broadshare plough was awarded a gold medal at the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in 1851.
Edward Bentall continued to further improve this plough until it gained three first prizes at the Royal Agricultural Society’s show in Warwick in 1859. The word of its reputation spread and orders started coming in from all over the world.
The next innovation at the Bentall works was for the design and manufacture of a semi automatic machine to produce nuts and bolts. These were a large proportion of the manufacturing costs and Bentall built a new workshop to supply his own factory and an eager outside market. By now, Bentalls were producing a range of products which also included turnip cutters, root pulpers and oilcake breakers. Over the coming years the business prospered and, by 1870, the works were producing some twenty thousand assorted pulpers, cutters and cake breakers as well as the manufacture of a wide range of ploughs, threshers and reaping machines
In 1871, the products were modified to enable them to be marketed in Europe and Edward Bentall became a very wealthy man. Edmund Ernest Bentall started to take over the management of the business from his father, Edward, in 1889. Edward Hammond Bentall died in 1898. Edmund had taken over a very successful business now nearing it’s centenary and in the early 20th century, under his leadership, Bentall’s rose to the challenge of the new internal combustion engine.
A Bentall designed engine with many advantages over other designs became a very important addition to the work’s output. It was a slow running machine with small fuel consumption and was also one of the cheapest petrol engines on the market. Designed for ease in repair, the engines found themselves used for purposes as varied as driving chaff-cutters, crushers, pumps and even milking machines. The Bentall engine won medals at the great Brussels Exhibition and the International Exhibition in Turin.
Edmund Bentall was a keen motorist, the first man to own and drive a motor car in Maldon and set about designing a car that would incorporate a Bentall design petrol engine.
When he began to work on the design of the engine, petrol engines for cars were made with separate cylinders and he based his design on this principle. Unfortunately, by the time the car came into production, the monobloc system had come into fashion but it was too late for Bentall to change the design as all the necessary jigs and tools had been made. The new monobloc engines had a smaller bore than the Bentall engine which was put at a disadvantage when the new system of horse power tax was devised. The Bentall engine had a diameter and stroke very nearly equal and attracted a higher rate of tax and few buyers were to be found willing to face paying the heavy road fund tax.
The car was a costly failure to the company and although around one hundred were sold it was considered that redesigning the engine would be too costly and car manufacture at Heybridge was discontinued. The experience was not wasted, however, and Bentalls continued to improve the design of small petrol and paraffin engines and produced the first horizontal petrol engine in this country and sold many thousands. It was also the start of a large trade in the manufacture of valves and, from 1904, formed an important part of the output of the factory. Bentalls were pioneers in valve manufacture and went on the produce over a million a year.
E. E. Bentall was an innovator in other ways and equipped the factory with it’s own generator for electric power. The business also saw the increasing use of the railway because of reduced cost and the barges disappeared.
By 1914, the works was employing some six to seven hundred hands with the works covering an area of about fourteen acres. Despite the losses due to the failed car manufacturing venture, the business continued to prosper with the output of agricultural machinery expanding each year.
During the years of the Great War, a large proportion of the work’s output was switched to production of shell cases and many million were made during the four years of fighting. Women workers were introduced into the works as moulders and the shop was equipped with pneumatic hoists so that they would not have to lift heavy weights.
The fortunes of the company took a disasterous turn at the end of the war. An association of engineering firms was formed under the name of Agricultural & General Engineers Ltd and Bentall was persuaded to to merge his firm into it. Although Bentall & Co was the largest company in the association and the whole of the share capital was turned over to the new group the company had only one vote on the board.
The association did well during the boom years following the war but things were not looking too good for the future. The boom was followed by a slump and the association tried to counter the shrinking trade by launching further ambitious schemes including the formation of new companies in the Dominions. The association failed and the venture ended in total loss. Bentall, being the largest shareholder was hardest hit. All his money that might have used to put Bentalls back on it’s feet was lost.
Bentalls were in for a difficult time and had to start almost all over again. Sales had fallen to an unprecedented low and confidence in Bentalls had taken a severe blow. In 1933, E. E. Bentall purchased the ordinary shares of the company from the receivers of A.G.E.Ltd with the help of a little capital borrowed from friends and began the task of rebuilding the company. Charles Bentall became managing director with his father as chairman.
Some years of hard work were ahead but with the help of loyal staff who were prepared to work for reduced wages the business showed yearly improvements and the company’s debts were finally paid. Bentalls was prospering once more. The revived company played an important role in the second world war. Production set up for the manufacture of small machine parts for the aircraft manufactured by Handley-Page. The works went on to also produce complete assemblies such as tail fins and bomb floor for the new Halifax bombers and before the war ended some one thousand men and women were employed in the works. Also, because of the difficulty in importing food stuffs during the war years, output of agricultural machinery doubled to meet demand.
In 1946 E.H.Bentall & Co was recognised as a public company with Charles Bentall as Chairman. It continued to produce increasing volumes of agricultural machinery and valves for combustion engines. Although trade with the coffee plantations had suffered during the war the business was recaptured and rose six fold. Bentall technicians travelled to many countries advising on mechanised coffee processing. The works were modernised with more buildings added and, in 1949, a new foundry was built to meet demand for products. The year also saw the purchase of Tamkin Bros & Co of Chelmsford and the manufacture of their products switched to the Heybridge works. In 1955, the year the firm celebrated it’s 150th anniversary, Charles Edward Bentall died.
Thanks to it's about Maldon
Having spent many happy days in Heybridge where my grandparents lived as a child this building always stood out as a fabulous structure and well over a hundred years later it is still going strong!!! The Victorians could teach us a thing or two!!
IMAGE: Air Commodore Andrew Griffin presents the SaBRE award to Staff Sergeant Peter Boyle for Uppingham School.
AWARDING LEICESTERSHIRE EMPLOYERS
17 Leicestershire-based employers from both the public and private sector are being awarded for supporting Defence personnel.
Reporters and photographers are invited to attend the awards presentation at Beaumanor Hall, Woodhouse, Leicestershire LE12 8TX from 12pm prompt on Monday 24 November 2014.
The businesses from Markfield, Coalville, Loughborough, Leicester and Ibstock are receiving a Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver award for demonstrating their support to Reservist employees.
The awards will be presented by Her Majestyâs Lord-Lieutenant for Leicestershire, Lady Jennifer Gretton JP.
Reservists are men and women who give up their free time to train alongside our regular (full-time) military forces and may be called on to serve the country in times of need at home or aboard.
John Wilson, Regional SaBRE (Supporting Britainâs Reservists and Employers) Campaign Director for the East Midlands, said: âEach of the employers being awarded has shown a commitment to support Reservist employees. They understand that the military training undertaken by Reservists provides them with qualities that employers value and respect including professionalism, adaptability, physical courage, management skills and problem-solving ability.
âI am delighted that 17 employers from Leicestershire are being recognised by the Ministry of Defence. The MOD received over 500 nominations for Silver awards across the UK and 80 are being presented to employers based in the East Midlands.â
Matthew Daly, Chairman at Dalycom, is one of the employers being awarded. He said: âHere at Dalycom we understand the value of employing Reservists and that they are highly committed and motivated people. We currently employ one Reservist and we have found that his decision making and positive attitude are a good asset to our team.â
Ends
Media enquiries Please contact Becky Derbyshire at East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association on 0115 924 8628 / em-comms@rfca.mod.uk
Note to editors Reporters and photographers are invited to attend the awards presentation at Beaumanor Hall, Woodhouse, Leicestershire LE12 8TX from 12pm prompt. Please contact Becky Derbyshire (using the above contact details) if you would like to attend.
The organisations being awarded in Leicestershire are as follows:
· Aggregate Industries Europe, Markfield
· Air Products PLC, Coalville
· Antails Limited, Coalville
· CJ Upton and Sons Ltd, Markfield
· Dalycom, Loughborough
· HMP Glen Parva, Wigston
· Leicester-Shire and Rutland Sport, Loughborough
· Leicestershire County Council, Leicester
· Leicestershire Police, Leicester
· Loughborough Endowed Schools, Loughborough
· MEC, Ibstock
· Parcelforce Worldwide, Leicester
· S and P Coil Products Ltd, Leicester
· Stage Systems Ltd, Loughborough
· University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester
· University of Leicester, Leicester
· Welbeck Defence College, Loughborough
About the Employer Recognition Scheme
As part of Defenceâs commitment to recognise and reward those employers who commit to supporting Defence personnel, a new Employer Recognition Scheme has recently been launched by the Prime Minister. The scheme recognises support given to Defence personnel including
Reservists, veterans, families and cadets. The scheme has three levels of award.
â¢Bronze. Employers who wish to demonstrate a positive attitude towards employees who are Reservists, Armed Forces veterans or Cadet Force adult volunteers, are able to sign up online for a Bronze award: go to www.sabre.mod.uk and click on the âEmployer Recognition Schemeâ banner.
â¢The Silver award recognises employers who actively demonstrate support to Defence personnel. Employers have to be nominated for their commitment to support Defence personnel; this is an annual process and, for 2014, 80 East Midlandsâ employers are receiving Silver awards.
â¢The Gold award recognises those who have become advocates for the support of Defence personnel. The Gold award is an annual process and, for 2014, ten inaugural Gold award recipients were hosted at a Reception by the Prime minister at Downing Street in July. Gold awards for 2015 will be considered in the New Year.
To learn more about the Employer Recognition Scheme visit ers.sabre.mod.uk/Photographer: Corporal Luisa Scott RLC
NOTE TO DESKS:
MoD release authorised handout images.
All images remain crown copyright.
Photo credit to read - Corporal Luisa Scott RLC (Phot)
AWARDING LEICESTERSHIRE EMPLOYERS
AWARDING LEICESTERSHIRE EMPLOYERS
17 Leicestershire-based employers from both the public and private sector are being awarded for supporting Defence personnel.
Reporters and photographers are invited to attend the awards presentation at Beaumanor Hall, Woodhouse, Leicestershire LE12 8TX from 12pm prompt on Monday 24 November 2014.
The businesses from Markfield, Coalville, Loughborough, Leicester and Ibstock are receiving a Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver award for demonstrating their support to Reservist employees.
The awards will be presented by Her Majestyâs Lord-Lieutenant for Leicestershire, Lady Jennifer Gretton JP.
Reservists are men and women who give up their free time to train alongside our regular (full-time) military forces and may be called on to serve the country in times of need at home or aboard.
John Wilson, Regional SaBRE (Supporting Britainâs Reservists and Employers) Campaign Director for the East Midlands, said: âEach of the employers being awarded has shown a commitment to support Reservist employees. They understand that the military training undertaken by Reservists provides them with qualities that employers value and respect including professionalism, adaptability, physical courage, management skills and problem-solving ability.
âI am delighted that 17 employers from Leicestershire are being recognised by the Ministry of Defence. The MOD received over 500 nominations for Silver awards across the UK and 80 are being presented to employers based in the East Midlands.â
Matthew Daly, Chairman at Dalycom, is one of the employers being awarded. He said: âHere at Dalycom we understand the value of employing Reservists and that they are highly committed and motivated people. We currently employ one Reservist and we have found that his decision making and positive attitude are a good asset to our team.â
Ends
Media enquiries Please contact Becky Derbyshire at East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association on 0115 924 8628 / em-comms@rfca.mod.uk
Note to editors Reporters and photographers are invited to attend the awards presentation at Beaumanor Hall, Woodhouse, Leicestershire LE12 8TX from 12pm prompt. Please contact Becky Derbyshire (using the above contact details) if you would like to attend.
The organisations being awarded in Leicestershire are as follows:
· Aggregate Industries Europe, Markfield
· Air Products PLC, Coalville
· Antails Limited, Coalville
· CJ Upton and Sons Ltd, Markfield
· Dalycom, Loughborough
· HMP Glen Parva, Wigston
· Leicester-Shire and Rutland Sport, Loughborough
· Leicestershire County Council, Leicester
· Leicestershire Police, Leicester
· Loughborough Endowed Schools, Loughborough
· MEC, Ibstock
· Parcelforce Worldwide, Leicester
· S and P Coil Products Ltd, Leicester
· Stage Systems Ltd, Loughborough
· University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester
· University of Leicester, Leicester
· Welbeck Defence College, Loughborough
About the Employer Recognition Scheme
As part of Defenceâs commitment to recognise and reward those employers who commit to supporting Defence personnel, a new Employer Recognition Scheme has recently been launched by the Prime Minister. The scheme recognises support given to Defence personnel including
Reservists, veterans, families and cadets. The scheme has three levels of award.
â¢Bronze. Employers who wish to demonstrate a positive attitude towards employees who are Reservists, Armed Forces veterans or Cadet Force adult volunteers, are able to sign up online for a Bronze award: go to www.sabre.mod.uk and click on the âEmployer Recognition Schemeâ banner.
â¢The Silver award recognises employers who actively demonstrate support to Defence personnel. Employers have to be nominated for their commitment to support Defence personnel; this is an annual process and, for 2014, 80 East Midlandsâ employers are receiving Silver awards.
â¢The Gold award recognises those who have become advocates for the support of Defence personnel. The Gold award is an annual process and, for 2014, ten inaugural Gold award recipients were hosted at a Reception by the Prime minister at Downing Street in July. Gold awards for 2015 will be considered in the New Year.
To learn more about the Employer Recognition Scheme visit ers.sabre.mod.uk/Photographer: Corporal Luisa Scott RLC
NOTE TO DESKS:
MoD release authorised handout images.
All images remain crown copyright.
Photo credit to read - Corporal Luisa Scott RLC (Phot)
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were taken in the first full week of November 2014.
There is a noticeable drop-off in the level of activity on this site now.
There's still 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 sheet-steel wall, securing the structure with poured concrete, and then the completion with the pre-fabricated stone capping.
The majority of operatives who attended through the summer months have since moved on to other sites/tasks.
And we can see a slow repatriation of heavy-duty equipment back to base.
Having laid steel frames, back-braced for rigidity, they proceed to pour mixed cement into a suspended cradle which is swung across the river, allowing them to carefully measure out the cement fill through the sleeve.
River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme.
These images were by the end of the 3rd week of September 2017.
Hard to believe - but I've been recording this project now for 5+ years.
Most of the main civil engineering works have ceased along the Slang/Rehills section of the river bank.
The soil-shifters have finished. The main area of land has been seeded and growth is already happening. In selected areas, plants/shrubs have also been planted.
The plan now will be to allow nature to complete the task of reverting this section back to a wild habitat.
The deer, the foxes, the herons, the raptor birds and other associated wildlife can reclaim the banks . . until the planners decide on their next, belated, unnecessary intervention.
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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 meteorological 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.
However, recently the contractors have 'filled-in' a large swathe of the previously cleared opening.
To develop this new pipeline, they need to channel a branch pipe under the Upper Dargle Road, discharging into the adjacent Dargle River itself.
This is not a simple 'cut and fill' overnight operation. They have to excavate deeply, pile-drive the cuttings for support, and lay the pipe sections. The plan here is to close off one lane of the road, at a time, while the work proceeds.
This is quite a busy road, with traffic especially heavy during morning and evening rush hour.
Control traffic lights allow contra-flow systems.
This is causing yet more inconvenience for local residents.
Unfortunately, based on previous bad experience with mindless hooliganism, the temporary compound now requires 24-hour security to protect the assembled machinery.
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.
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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.
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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.
ANOTHER view of this east wall. This is a shot taken inside the equipment room located just east of the living room. A view showing the 1950s inspired abstract wave sculpture that I designed, built, and mounted on the east wall of the hidden equipment room (my bedroom) sometime during 1983. The wall is approximately 27 feet long by 16 feet tall and the sculpture measures 20 feet diagonally. My lighting scheme for this room is visible as well.
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