Hello everyone

You may have seen us out in the village today when we celebrated National Walking Month #walkthismay by doing a lunch time 'walk and pick' where we combined stretching our legs around the village with a litter pick. Everywhere was nice and tidy as usual but we managed to collect a good bag full of rubbish by the end of the walk. All back to work now but we hope to organise another one soon

Brian

Hi, everyone

I dropped a proper rick last week by talking in jargon - when I mentioned MCC's on a number of occasions. A motor control centre (MCC) is an assembly of one or more enclosed sections having a common power bus (a strip or bar of copper, brass or aluminium that conducts electricity within a switchboard, distribution board, substation.......blah, blah, blah.....nuclear submarine....) and principally containing motor control units. Motor control centers are, in modern practice, a factory assembly of several motor starters. A motor control center can include variable frequency drives, programmable controllers, and metering and may also be the electrical service entrance for the building. I hope that's now clear to everyone and you can show off this new-found knowledge over your next favoured drink. Although derived from the Latin "omnibus" the bus reference here has nothing to do with a mode of public transport - which reminds me that as I entered my 61st year on the planet somebody spitefully advised me that my Local Authority had withdrawn the bus pass I'd been looking forward to for the last 10 years (apparently if I'd moved to Liverpool I would have got one - don't get me started!!). A photo of an MCC panel is attached.

Anyway, work has continued in the Actiflo MCC (see above) room with the installation of cable support trays. Similar work has continued around the Actiflo building. Underground duct installation to provide electric cable routes around the site continued. High level weir walls were cast in the Birney Hill Pumping Station at the southern end of the site. Final concrete benching concrete work was completed to the Inlet distribution chamber (this is the location where raw water enters the site from the River Tyne and Whittle Dene reservoirs. Work to support the outlet channels in the Rapid Gravity filters was completed.

As a treat from our respective companies we've been given the opportunity of completing a short walk from the site through Horsley Village and back, coupled with a litter-picking event. (Look out for a band of well-honed people trudging through the village at lunchtime on Wednesday, 16 May. If you see a group fitting this description give me shout as you're looking the wrong way. This is to support the wellbeing of all staff. The fact that we're doing this in our lunch break begs the question will I need to stock up on Gaviscon for the impending heartburn brought on by eating en route? Oh, well, if we're not marching we're fighting!

Have a nice weekend.

Geoff

Hi, everyone

Sorry I've been missing for a while.

You should see a big change in the construction stage at Horsley since my last offering.

The biggest change is at the Birney Hill Pumping Station at the south-east corner of the site. Wall construction has continued apace. Pipework (both above and below ground) and duct installation have continued since the last report.Pipe testing has commenced in the Actiflo building. The Actiflo MCC panel has been installed inside the MCC room. The kiosk which will house the Rapid Gravity Filters MCC panel has been erected on site.

Have a nice weekend.

Geoff

Hi, everyone

I left the update for a couple of weeks after the so-called Beast from the East put paid to any progress for the best part of the week. Since the short-lived enforced standstill progress has picked up again.

Pipelaying activities have continued around site (sadly for the pipelaying gangs they have to bury most of their work so it's not on show for the beholder's eye).

Concrete placement has continued to the Birney Hill Pumping Station walls at the south end of the site.

The Motor Control Centre panel has been delivered and fitted in position in the Actiflo MCC room. This controls all of the equipment in the early stages of the water treatment process.

Excavation works and blinding concrete have been completed to the high voltage Transformer area immediately south of the Rapid Gravity Filters. Reinforcement is now being fixed to teh base slab.

I'm pleased the decent weather's here now. I wonder what the Europeans think of us when the country grinds to a halt after a few inches of snow. I dug out an old photo from 1963 (the last proper winter the north east endured). That could be our mam on her way home after dropping us off at school in our short pants. She must have left the 4x4 at home that day.

By the way, when I checked out some archive photos of Newcastle for that winter, the buses were still running in the city centre. I'm just saying!

Enjoy the balmy weekend.

Geoff

Hi, everyone. I had a week's leave last week so this update covers the last fortnight.

Mechanical installation work continued in the Actiflo Building. In the adjacent Chemical Building, purlins wre installed in readiness for cladding works to commence next week. Mechanical installation work continued also to the Rapid Gravity Filters.

At the south end of the site, reinforcement fixing, formwork erection and concrete placement have continued.

Underground pipelines continue to be installed.

Have a nice weekend.

Geoff

Hi, everyone

Work has continued again at a good pace despite some more miserable conditions.

Mechanical installations have continued in the Actiflo Building and Rapid Gravity Filters Gallery. Below-ground pipework installation continues between the two aforementioned edifices. Advance works were carried out this week on one of the existing high voltage housings in order to facilitate permanent works to the HV system for the new Works areas. Wall construction has continued to the Birney Hill Pumping Station at the south end of the site, with formwork erection and steelfixing activities. Similarly, reinforcement and concrete installation has continued to the Inlet Distribution Chamber and the silos slab to the Chemical Building.

I hope you all caught sight of the recent "super moon" at the end of January. To celebrate its arrival I went for a swim in the sea to tackle the accompanying spring tide. I mistakenly thought there was yet another super-moon due ( which will fix the date for Easter) at the end of March, but it turns out that that one's only going to be a standard full moon. Probably just as well as I'd have had to celebrate the treble - supermoon, high tide AND Easter and I don't know if my full-body all-in one knitted bathing costume will have dried out by then. Bring on the next blue moon lunar eclipse. I'll be 210 years old by then. Isn't modern medicine marvellous!

Have a good weekend.

Geoff

Hi, everyone

First update of the new year. I've had some more problems with access due to a company change of email addresses but all is well now. I hope everybody enjoyed the festive break and you're all back wondering where it all went.

The Horsley project continues as it left off at the end of last year with good progress on all fronts interspersed with blips due to the weather. Mechanical instalaltion is ongoing to the Actiflo building and the Rapid Gravity Filters structure. Pipeline installation is continuing around the site, and some finishing works to the cladding to the Actiflo building is nearing completion. Adjacent to the Actiflo building, the Chemical building, which houses equipment which allows injection of treatment products into the raw water to begin the clarifying process (think finings in wine-making), is being prepared for storage tank bases to be constructed in reinforced concrete.

Reinforcement and formwork installation is continuing to the new Birney Hill Pumping Station walls at the south end of the site.

Whilst out on an evening stroll with my better half a couple of weeks ago I happened to look heavenwards and saw a row of three bright stars in what appeared to be a perfectly straight line. On returning home I checked out this marvel of the universe and discovered it to be "Orion's Belt". Apparently it's quite prominent during the month of January in the southern sky (best between 8 and 9 p.m.) in this locale. On a similar walk a couple of days later I was regaling my wife with my new-found astronomical knowledge, and urging her to gaze skywards, when I walked into a lighting column (When she'd said "Watch!" I thought she'd left her timepiece at home.). I then discovered a new constellation in the form of a pefect circle orbitting my rapidly-swelling napper. With a jaw like Desperate Dan, I'm now content with gazing at celestial bodies solely from a static position in the garden. Heed the warning - stick to Philately!

Enjoy the weekend

Geoff

Hi everyone,

work over the last two weeks has concentrated on the new Birney Hill Pumping Station at the south end of the site with the base slab well underway with concrete and reinforcement works progressing well. Concrete was placed this week to the Inlet Distribution Chamber walls (first lift) at the north end of the site. Mechanical works continued to the Actiflo and Rapid Gravity Filters areas. Pipeline and duct installation progressed also. See photos attached.

I fell foul of that new-fangled online shopping experience last week when I ordered a piece by my wife's favourite sculptress. Whilst ordering, my computer kept buffering and I didn't receive any confirmation email for the purchase so I ran through the order procedure again (twice). I later discovered that the confirmations were being diverted into my junk mailbox and I'd inadvertently "successfully" ordered three. I had intended to provide her sculptures of the Three Wise Monkeys over the next three celebration events. She's going to be disappointed on Christmas Day when she finds that what she thinks is the full set actually consists of "Speak-no-evil, Speak-no-evil, Speak-no-evil". I'm taking my earplugs home with me for the gift-opening ceremony in our house so that I can act like the middle fella of the trinity. I've decided from henceforth to stick to "hard" shopping in retail emporia, although at my age by the time I arrive home I've forgotten what I've purchased so the outcome would probably be the same.

I'm dreading losing my memory fully.

I'm dreading losing my memory fully.

I'm dreading ............

You get the picture.

I've got some friends from Yorkshire who prove a nightmare to buy presents for. At this age it's normally the standard pack of three pairs of underwear, but being Yorkshiremen (not known for their generosity) they don't like anything with elasticated waistbands, because they give.

I must thank all the people who have made the last year at Horsley such a great experience. Too many to mention but they know who they are. Congratulations to our Project Manager for winning the competition for the most relaxed stance while awaiting delivery of the books in July. (photo attached).

Some topical themes for discussion over the Festive period:

Why was Richard III interred in a car park in Leicester?

If Jesus was born in Bethlehem how come he was given a Spanish name?

Please spare a thought for the homeless and lonely.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.

Geoff

Hi, everyone

Latest update from Horsley WTW Upgrade:

Work has continued apace to the Birney Hill Pumping Station, part of the base slab was concreted earlier this week. Mechanical installations have continued to both the Actiflo and Rapid Gravity Filters areas. pipe and duct laying work continued to the external areas. Some time was lost on Wednesday and Thursday this week due to high winds (there's a surprise).

I'm working with a bloke who reckons that we didn't put a man on the moon. In 1969 I was there watching live on black and white TV. And I've got the photo to prove it (see attached). Neil, nobody should be that cynical!

I've come up with a cunning plan - if we get Trump to declare Newcastle as the capital of England we'll probably a get high-speed railway system in double quick time to link the rest of the UK with the Northern Powerhouse.

Have a good weekend.

Geoff

Hi, everyone. Please find below a brief update on progress on Horsley WTW Upgrade scheme.

Mechanical installation has continued to the Actiflo building, and to the Rapid Gravity Filters.

Excavation for the Inlet Distribution Chamber has been completed and reinforcement and concrete works to the base slab were completed last week (w/e 24 Nov. '17).

The structural steel frame to the Chemical Building which will serve the chemical dosing to the actiflo streams has been erected.

Blinding concrete has been placed to the Birney Hill Pumping Station at the south end of the site. Reinforcement fixing has commenced to the base slab of thye pumping station.

Pipelaying to various areas of the site has continued.

The Christmas break will be here before very long (not many shopping days left now!).

Take care.

Geoff