Hi everyone

I hope everybody enjoyed the festive break (I know it seems like a long time ago now). Work to the scheme re-commenced on Monday and already it feels like we've never been away.

Work continued to install blinding concrete to the Rapid Gravity Filter area at the south end of the site. However, the weather in the latter half of the week has hampered progress, mainly due to the high winds which scuppered the use of the cranes. The photo of the horizontal wind sock does not lend itself to emphasise the reality of the wind speeds encountered.

A couple of delivery vehicles have recently inadvertently accessed the Treatment Works via Mill Way. These vehicles were not associated with the current scheme, but we have, on request, erected signs which are visible from both directions (east and west) to advise that access to the Works is not allowed via this route. (photo attached).

Have a nice weekend. Wrap up.

Geoff

Hi everyone

The site is now closed for the festive break. Work will recommence on Monday, 9 January, 2017.

Work has continued to the north and south of the site. I've attached some photos to show the progress.

My wife's friend sent us a Christmas card because she reckoned that it has a photo of me on the front. I do agree it does look like me (I even thought that she'd had one of those moonpig or similar ones made). However, I can assure everybody that it is NOT me. I've never owned a pair of shades like that, nor had a mullet. It looks more like my twin brother but he assures me that he's received no fees from Hallmark. I'll leave him to take up the legal battle if he so wishes. Photo of said card attached.

Have a lovely Christmas and New Year.

All the best!

Geoff

Hi, everyone,

the unseasonally mild weather this week has introduced a raging contagion to the incubator (otherwise known as the site office). However, the site team has remained resolute in the face of physical adversity (aka tickly coughs).

This week we have continued with formwork and steel reinforcement erection to the southern walls of the Actiflo building at the north end of the site (see photos). We continued with placing of blinding concrete to the base of the Rapid Gravity Filter area at the south end of the site (see photos).

Next week the intention is to place concrete to the Actiflo walls and to complete placing blinding concrete to the RGF area.

Apparently there are some new £5 notes going into circulation (in fact one was released last week in a shop in Kelso) that could be worth £20,000 each. The source of the excitement is some micro engraving (5 mm high) on the transparent part of the note showing a portrait of Jane Austen. That's my weekend sorted with a pin and a magnifying glass if that's all it takes!!!!

Have an enjoyable weekend.

Geoff

Hi, everyone

When I mentioned winter being here last week I realised earlier this week that I was premature and the official start was yesterday, 1 December. Anyway, we're now in mid-winter and the weather has been kind all week. The formwork has been stripped from the concrete walls placed last Friday and re-erected further south for the next walls to the Actiflo area. We commenced this week placing blinding concrete to the Rapid Gravity Filter area to the south end of the working area. This will give extra stabilisation to the excavated slopes and provide a good clean working surface for future slab construction.

Access scaffolding and walkways are now being erected in the northern cells of the Actiflo to allow completion of minor intrnel concrete walls.

When I took the first photo of this week's collection I thought the shot in the viewfinder was like a New York skyline. When I downloaded the photo, however, it's more like Rotterdam docks. Maybe that's just my dodgy peepers. First we'll take Manhattan, then we'll take Berlin.

Have a good weekend. Surely it's still too early for Christmas tree erection?

Geoff

Hello everyone, quick introduction; I am Brian Hall the customer service officer for Interserve, really pleased to get involved with the Horsley upgrade.

Last week myself and a group of staff from the Horsley Water Treatment works took a day of our time to do some work on the car parks

at the rear of the Womens Institute and The Hearth in Horsley village. All of our staff were keen to put something back into the local community for the patience and friendship shown to us while carrying out the upgrade. Both locations are fantastic resources for this lovely village and it was a pleasure for us to do some work here. 

We spent the day cutting back old vegetation, cutting and trimming back grass, pulling away moss and ivy from walls, replacing rotten wood borders and laying fresh gravel. We were lucky to have a fine day before the weather changed.

We would like to say a big thank you to the ladies at the WI and the staff and volunteers at the Hearth for their help and cooperation while we did this work, especially the lovely all day breakfast we had after work at the Hearth!

Hi, everyone.

The main goal this week was to place concrete to the next lot of walls to the Actiflo area at the north-east corner of the site. The heavy rainfall on Monday and Tuesday tried hard to defeat our aim. However, after a sterling effort by the lads on site who worked through the inclement conditions, we completed the wall pours today using a concrete pump (see photos). Well done, lads!

We continued in the south end of the site with excavation to formation level (underside of the blinding concrete) to prepare for placing of blinding concrete in that area.

The weather in the latter part of the week was in complete contrast to the early days' rain. Friday in particular proved to be a glorious sunny November day, after the early morning fog obscured the Tyne valley (see photo). Reminiscent of autumnal Austria (if you ignore the scaffolding - oh to be conversant with Photoshop now that winter's here!).

Aufwiedersehen. Mach Spass!

Geoff

Hi everyone

Latest update on Horsley WTW below:

Work has continued to wall construction to the Actiflo area at the north west corner of the site. Work continued also to the ground anchor installation at the south end of the site. It is hoped to complete this work tomorrow (Saturday) and to commence work on blinding concrete next week. See photos attached.

Some of the site team enjoyed a break from work on Wednesday, when they carried out some community work in Horsley village. A report on the work carried out will be published separately.

Have an enjoyable weekend.

Geoff

Hi everyone,

latest update for Horsley WTW Upgrade follows:

I hope everyone enjoyed last weekend's fireworks in the cold without mishap.

Following last weekend's downpours the previously - installed temporary land drain around the periphery of the works area proved inavaluable in keeping the ground conditions as dry as could be expected.

Works continued to the base slab and walls to the Actiflo area in the north-west corner of the site. The base slab is now complete with wall construction progressing well. (Photos attached).

To the south end of the site work continued to install ground anchors. it is hoped to complete this stage of the work by Friday, 18 November, 2016. This will be followed by placing of blinding concrete to the base area of the proposed Rapid Gravity Filters. In this case "blinding" is not a colloquialism for some form of excellence. "Blinding" is a thin layer of concrete placed on the excavated strata below the proposed concrete slabs to be constructed in the future. This layer gives a seal to the excavated layer to protect it from further inclement weather. It also provides a clean, level surface for future works activities.

Some further rock anchor installation will be carried out over the weekend. (Saturday morning only).

Have a nice weekend.

Geoff

Hi everyone, please find below the latest update on the Horsley WTW upgrade for week ending 4 November, 2016.

Works continued to the north end of the site with steelfixing and formwork erection to base slabs and walls for the Actiflo area.

At the south end of the working area installation of ground anchors continued for the Rapid Gravity Filters base. As I mentioned on an earlier update these are being installed to prevent the building from floating (in cases of high groundwater levels).

Please find some photos attached showing progress to date.

Enjoy the weekend fireworks , remember - be safe. If you're lighting any bonfires don't forget to check for hedgehogs before ignition.

Regards

Geoff

Hi everyone. My name is Tom Hornsey; I study civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and am currently on a placement year with Interserve. I am working with other engineers to undertake the surveying and setting out of the Actiflo and RGF structures. I will be going into my 4th and final year of study upon completion of the placement.   

Below are the latest updates for the construction of the Horsley WTW upgrade.

Further developments have taken place in the Actiflo area. As previously stated, the concrete for the walls of the coagulation tanks in streams 2 and 3 was poured last Friday 21st October. The formwork for these was built just short of the turn in the walls. A vibro poker was used to remove any air voids and the top surface was subsequently finished with a steel trowel. The concrete was left to harden and set over the course of the weekend, allowing the shutters to be stripped on Monday and Tuesday of this week. On Wednesday, construction of the main walls continued. Steel fixing has taken place where the walls surround the flocculation tanks; some of the formwork for these has also been lifted in. On Thursday and Friday, the steel strips for the coagulation tank inside walls of streams 2 and 3 were torn out. The rest of the steel for these walls has been fixed also. The next planned stage of construction of the coagulation tank area is to fix the steel and build the formwork, for stream 1.

In addition, the main tank level slab was planned to be poured where the lamella scrapers are to be set.  The steel fixing for this area commenced towards the end of last week and followed on to the start of this week. The locations of the lamella cones and pipework were also boxed out; to prevent the concrete entering them during the pour. The pour itself took place on Thursday; a number of cubes were taken to test the 7 and 28 day strengths of the concrete. Furthermore, slump tests were taken on the concrete as it was being poured, to check the consistency of it was within the required limits. The concrete was finished using a steel trowel and vibro compactor, and jet washed on Friday once it had set.

Work has also continued in the RGF area, where excess water has been pumped out. Following on from last week, large amounts of stone have been bought in to build the ground up to formation level. This process takes time as only so much material can be placed before requiring rolling, so it can be fully compacted.  A drainage trench has been formed on the east side of the area, allowing the pipeline to be installed. Previously, six test ground anchors were installed and grouted in different locations around the RGF area. The grout was left to set; stress testing on these anchors then commenced on Wednesday to determine if the anchors are strong enough. The results of the tests will enable a decision to be made on whether they are suitable to be used.

Attached are photos of the latest proceedings. Enjoy your weekend.