Bluebell Railway Northern Extension - Hill Place Farm Bridge to Hill Place Viaduct
Separate collections cover (a) Track improvements north of Kingscote; (b) Vowels Lane Bridge to Imberhorne Lane Bridge; (c) Imberhone Tip; (d) Hill Place Farm Bridge to Hill Place Viaduct; (e)Hill Place Viaduct (sometimes called Imberhorne Viaduct); and (f) the Bluebell Railway's East Grinstead Station.
Please note that the vast majority of these pictures were taken on private land with permission. Where necessary lookout protection was provided or a possession was taken. No matter what their status no pedestrian may enter the section of restricted clearance adjacent to Turners Hill Bridge without specific authority and appropriate protection.
The whole area of the extension is OUT OF BOUNDS to holders of a photographic PTS. I have authority from the Bluebell Railway to display this collection.
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Hill Place Farm Bridge at the north end of the Imberhorne Lane tip in 2007, when the tip was still intact. 27.03.2007
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A second image, taken in 2007 with the tip intact, shows Hill Place Farm Bridge more clearly. 27.03.2007
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A third view of Hill Place Farm Bridge, taken from a different angle. 27.03.2007
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This view from the public footpath over Hill Place Farm Bridge looks south over the edge of the bridge in 2007. This was the top of the northern end of the Imberhorne Lane tip before any work was done. 27.03.2007
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A second shot from Hill Place Farm Bridge, this time including the parapet, shows the height of the tip and contrasts with the view to the north from the other side of the bridge (see later). 27.03.2007
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Hill Place Farm Bridge had been half buried for nearly 50 years, and it would have been surprising if the excavation, consequential settlement, and changes in drainage conditions did not cause some movement. There was an obvious crack in the northern parapet and markers were installed to allow it to be monitored. This is the eastern end of the bridge. 20.12.2008
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The same crack at Hill Place Farm Bridge, but from a slightly different angle. The parapet is actually leaning inwards rather than outwards. 20.12.2008
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The parapet of Hill Place Farm Bridge was repaired by the railway in 2013, and this is the same crack, but in repaired condition. The layers of bricks can be compared. I am uncertain how the lean of the parapet was corrected but it was done very effectively. 17.02.2013 6160
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The western end of the northern parapet of Hill Place Farm Bridge had an equivalent crack, and it can be seen that the level had dropped. The land on and around this bridge is a quagmire in the winter, but dries out in the summer months. 20.12.2008
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The same crack in repaired condition in 2013. In this case the parapet had dropped, so the bricks would not have lined up if they had been cut out. I assume this is the reason for the vertical repair, but some of the height variation has nevertheless been corrected. 17.02.2013 6167
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The southern parapet of Hill Place Farm Bridge also had a less obvious crack. Pedestrians using the public footpath over the bridge can hear the sound of constant running water (see later). 20.12.2008
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Repairs to cracks in the southern parapet of Hill Place Farm Bridge seen on 17.02.2013. The surface of this bridge is muddy and waterlogged in winter months. 6162
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Repairs to cracks in the southern parapet of Hill Place Farm Bridge seen on 17.02.2013. The surface of this bridge is muddy and waterlogged in winter months. 6163
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Repairs to cracks in the southern parapet of Hill Place Farm Bridge seen on 17.02.2013. The surface of this bridge is muddy and waterlogged in winter months. 6166
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Looking south at Hill Place Farm Bridge with a long lens after material had been removed from under the bridge in the trial phase of the digging in December 2008. 20.12.2008
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Still standing a significant distance from the bridge, but using a longer lens, this view looks south towards Hill Place Farm Bridge. On the extreme left one of the wooden markers showing the proposed route of the track can just be seen. 20.12.2008
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Using the long lens to move closer to Hill Place Farm Bridge this view shows a flat platform of what is assumed to be inert spoil north of the bridge. This material has been flattened by a digger, but stands above the level of the track bed. It will presumably be removed at a later stage. 20.12.2008
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Increasing the zoom still further, the temporary clay cap on the northern face of the tip can be seen clearly through Hill Place Farm Bridge. 20.12.2008
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Still looking with a long lens, but now changing angle towards the eastern side of Hill Place Farm Bridge, water can be seen pouring from a drain in the bridge arch. This water is obviously draining from the top of the arch (which is saturated) and from the adjacent land. The flow is filling the pit at the base of the tip. The older pictures that show the bridge partially filled with rubbish (before the trial digging) suggest that this drain may previously have been buried. 20.12.2008
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At the limit of my long lens this is the steady flow of water from the drain in the arch at Hill Place Farm Bridge. 20.12.2008
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A month later, Hill Place Farm accommodation bridge looking south, with the vast clay cap of the tip visible through the arch. 17.01.2009
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Pulling back on the zoom, the inert spoil on the north side of the bridge can be seen. 17.01.2009
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Reducing the zoom still further, this is the section of the track bed north of Hill Place Farm Bridge that has yet to be prepared for track laying. 17.01.2009
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In the Autumn of 2009 this is Hill Place Farm Bridge looking south towards the northern cap on Imberhorne tip. 10.10.2009
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Looking south at Hill Place Farm Bridge in October 2009. Contrast this picture with earlier views, when Imberhorne tip was spilling out underneath the bridge. 10.10.2009
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Hill Place Farm Bridge looking east. A public footpath leads over the bridge. 10.10.2009
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Looking south at Hill Place Farm Bridge. One of the visiting groups from the East Grinstead Open Day is under the bridge. 10.10.2009
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The eastern side of Hill Place Farm Bridge. 10.10.2009
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The underside of the arch of Hill Place Farm Bridge. 10.10.2009
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The western side of Hill Place Farm Bridge. 10.10.2009
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The western foundation of Hill Place Farm Bridge. 10.10.2009
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The land drain on the western side of Hill Place Farm Bridge. More water seems to come out from under the pipe than inside it. 10.10.2009
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The eastern foundation of Hill Place Farm Bridge. 10.10.2009
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The land drain on the eastern side of Hill Place Farm Bridge. These drains currently run into the pool at the base of the cap on the tip. 10.10.2009
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Looking through Hill Place Farm Bridge at the eastern side of the cutting. The rock wall of the cutting can just be seen. 10.10.2009
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Looking through Hill Place Farm Bridge at the western side of the cutting. The rock wall of the cutting can just be seen. 10.10.2009
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In 2010, West Sussex County Council decided that Hill Place Farm Bridge required repairs, for which the authority was responsible. This view looks south, with the bridge covered in scaffolding and protective fencing. 08.08.2010 3837
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Looking south down Hill Place cutting towards the bridge, which is closed by the WSCC scaffolding. 08.08.2010 3838
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Hill Place Farm Bridge, hidden by scaffolding and orange health and safety fencing. 08.08.2010 3839
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The footbridge over Hill Place Farm Bridge, looking west, with the parapets fenced off and repairs in progress by WSCC. 08.08.2010 3836
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The footpath over Hill Place Farm Bridge looking east. 08.08.2010 3842
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Taken the following month, Hill Place Farm Bridge, under repair by West Sussex County Council. 25.09.2010 4991
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Looking south towards Hill Place Farm Bridge with repairs in progress underneath the arch. 25.09.2010 4990
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Looking south down Hill Place cutting towards the bridge, which remains blocked by WSCC scaffolding. 25.09.2010 4992
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Slightly closer to the bridge, with work in progress on the eastern side of the arch. 25.09.2010 4994
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Looking up at the western side of the arch. The bricks have been refaced and repointed. 25.09.2010 4997
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The centre of the repaired arch at Hill Place Farm Bridge. 25.09.2010 4999
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The underside of the eastern arch with repointing in progress. The improvement to the face of the arch is dramatic and obvious. 25.09.2010 4996
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