News
The latest news from Braunston-in-Rutland Parish Council.
1st Prize - Ticket # 11 - Emlyn Smith
2nd Prize - Ticket # 69 - Simon Dyer
3rd Prize - Ticket # 102 - Laura Blake
We have had some aggravation during the failure and repair of the Oakham Road water main, which developed a leak in early April. Problems were:
- We in the village didn't know what was happening
- Severn-Trent's initial estimate to complete the works was optimistic, and was relied upon by RCC.
- Rutland County Council did not effect an appropriate diversion of traffic to, from, and through the village, partly because they thought the job would be completed quicker; making the Brooke loop one-way for the duration would have helped.
- Poor site security seems to have allowed essential materials to be stolen at a critical point in the operation
- Brooke Rd verges still need to be adequately repaired, which is apparently Severn Trent's responsibility
All this seems rather negative, and I understand that steps have been taken to improve by all parties (hopefully excepting the metal thieves!). More »
However, what is little understood, by most folk I talk to, is the impressive scale and the technology applied to fix the main without severing the water supply for up to 26,000 households. This turned out to be quite an heroic task!
On or about the3rd of April the 18" (450mm) trunk line from Wing treatment works, which supplies around 26,000 households, developed a leak underneath the Oakham Road, North of Braunston. The line runs at a modest pressure ( 3.2 bar) and the failed section was made of asbestos-reinforced concrete. Technically, it is not really feasible to patch a pipe made of this material, so a section had to be cut out and replaced without losing the water supply. Severn Trent called on Hydra-Valve, a Derby-based company which has tools to cut into a live line either side of the failed section, install a bypass to keep water flowing, and isolate the failed section whilst a replacement wrought iron section is put in place. Because of the size, materials and orientation of the line, Hydra-Valve's tools needed to be modified before work could start. The road was closed on the 13th April and the bypass was put in place by the 17th April, sustaining the water supply whilst the major work took place between the 14th and 24th April. Theft of steel from the site occurred one night during this period, slowing the job down. Hydra-Valve worked shifts to replace the section and completed their work on the 24th April. The trench across the road was backfilled and the surface re-instated for the road to re-open on the 27 April.
So, really, both Severn-Trent and Hydra-valve performed quite an impressive technical feat, in a relatively short time, whilst keeping the water flowing to 26,000 customers.
Sadly, as the end of May approaches, the verges on Brooke Road are still in a poor condition; I don't yet have a date from Severn Trent when the remedial work will be completed, but RCC says they have six weeks from the completion of repairs...and we seem to have developed another leak in the same place over the last few days.
The photographs show the specialist intervention tools, used by Hydra-Valve, to effect the bypass and replace the pipe section.
Jim Atack
May 2012 » Less
A meeting to progress the scheme was held on 2nd May in the village hall. Read all about it on the Good Neighbour Scheme page of this website.
1st Prize : Ticket # 84 - Alan & Gail Rudge
2nd Prize : Ticket # 55 - Jon Butler
3rd Prize : Ticket # 01 - Suzanne Harry
Rutland County Council has awarded the contract for 'Digital Rutland' to British Telecom as anticipated. You can read more about this by following this link : http://www.rutland.gov.uk/digital_rutland.aspx
No details of the roll-out plan are available yet but you can register your interest in being kept informed of updates by following this link :
http://www.rutland.gov.uk/digital_rutland/register_-_im_a_resident.aspx
Please do register your interest as this may influence the eventual roll-out schedule.
Worried about the price you have to pay for your fuel oil ?
Local supplier Chandlers Oil have proposed a Group Oil Buying scheme for the village which could save you money.
Read all about it on the Oil Buying Group page.
March 18th - Mothering Sunday
Bring your Mum for Breakfast in Braunston Village Hall at 09:30
on Mothering Sunday, and stay for a celebration service at 10:30, also in the village hall.
Both events are free of charge.
There is a possibility to introduce super-fast broadband to the village like similar schemes in Lyddington and Hambleton.
See the Village Broadband page for more information about this.
The winners for the January Bongo draw were :
1st Prize £50 73 Linda Mullineaux
2nd Prize £25 144 Neil Redman-Davies
3rd Prize £10 49 Cheryl Rogerson
4th Prize £5 42 Amanda Steele
Winning Tickets in the December draw were are follows :
1st Prize - No. 9
2nd Prize - No. 69
3rd Prize - No. 115
Draw took place in The Old Plough.
The Winners of the November 2011 Draw were as follows :
1st Prize Paul Dallow
2nd Prize Helen Stainforth
3rd Prize A Dyer
