Ramsey Pier Community Trust

[finlo]

 

I believe some of the materials,like replacement decking, aren't costing them anything. There was talk of trees that been felled by DEFA being donated for planking.

You mean tax payers property, felled by people being paid by the taxpayer, at pay rates paid by the taxpayer and dhipped in tax payer funded lorries?

 

May as well weigh in the Laxey wheel and demolish Peel castle and build some Dandara rabbit hutches on that site too then.

[marauder]

Good idea

[notwell]

 

It's disgusting really that the pier wasn't fully renovated 25 years ago when we had oodles of money and the cost was only several million for the whole job.

 

It'll be wonderful to see it back in some shape or form. Spent many a summer out there conger bashing!

It's a very good point. If we've lost a third of our income, what the bloody hell was it all going on if things like this weren't sorted out?

That's an interesting question.

 

I clearly remember the cost about 25 years ago was buttons at the time. It's actually criminal but IMHO was typical of the people running Ramsey who for far too long didn't have the fight in them to challenge government.

 

I'll be chucking in a few quid and hope to find the time to do some work.

[Non-Believer]

 

 

It's disgusting really that the pier wasn't fully renovated 25 years ago when we had oodles of money and the cost was only several million for the whole job.

 

It'll be wonderful to see it back in some shape or form. Spent many a summer out there conger bashing!

It's a very good point. If we've lost a third of our income, what the bloody hell was it all going on if things like this weren't sorted out?

That's an interesting question.

 

I clearly remember the cost about 25 years ago was buttons at the time. It's actually criminal but IMHO was typical of the people running Ramsey who for far too long didn't have the fight in them to challenge government.

 

I'll be chucking in a few quid and hope to find the time to do some work.

The people who WERE running Ramsey? They still are. Don't you know Wilfy's back in on an uncontested seat?

[notwell]

That's sad. That tosser has cost the town some massive opportunities.

[GD4ELI]

That's sad. That tosser has cost the town some massive opportunities.

 

Sums up Ramsey sadly

[dilligaf]

Richard will have fiddled his way through any chance of getting timber. In the same way that the hypocrite has been wanting motorcycles banned from any form of trail riding and then just recently tries to contact Guy Martin through his facebook page to try and use his name to help publish his own ideals and wants.

 

A very needy man with very dubious ways of going about his business

 

A nasty conniving twat IMO. Would not trust that man one inch.

[woolley]

 

Exactly. Even as recently as 2012 it was given an estimate of between 1.2-1.7M per phase,of which there was a total of seven phases. Perhaps these idiots have a deal on with B&Q for some offcuts?

You can't be seriously suggesting that costings that Govt. came up with could be used as a realistic benchmark for restoring the pier.

 

You can never trust costings from public authorities or any large organisation or their consultants for that matter. It will be way over the top at the best of times and even more so when they have an agenda not to do the work or get rid of the amenity entirely.

 

It reminds me a bit of the machinations of BR over the Ribblehead Viaduct when they were trying to close the Settle and Carlisle line in the early 1980s. They claimed that the viaduct alone would cost at least £6 million to replace. In the event it was repaired for less than half of that.

 

From Railforums.co.uk: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=125684

 

The poor condition of Ribblehead viaduct in particular and the cost of replacement was the reason the Settle-Carlisle line was put up for closure by BR in 1980. The line over the viaduct was singled for two reasons.

 

To take the weight off the outside of the viaduct and to prevent the weight of two trains on the viaduct at the same time. This bought a little extra time until the closure procedure could proceed.

 

The reason for the poor condition was neglect of regular maintenance particularly the waterproof membrane and drainage for probably 30 years. Water was allowed to get into the columns and with time winters caused this water to freeze, expand and eventually cause cracking of individual stones above or below a joint and spalling. This was very noticeable underneath each arch where the stone edges, or voussoir, became detached from the brick arch.

 

BR claimed replacement of this viaduct alone would be £6m, quite a lot in 1980, and was not economically worthwhile for the traffic on offer. Typical. They have been made to eat their words as without this line W&ECMLs could not have coped with all the coal trains from Hunterston to Yorkshire and East Midlands route this way from Carlisle.

 

BR local manager Ron Cotton was appointed to close the line. He started promoting the line with cheap day tickets for a couple of £s. Many last chance railtours ran over the route and Cumbria County Council sponsored a local service stopping at stations closed in 1972? assisted by the Committee formed in 1980 by just two people and a dog called Ruswarp, to save the line.

 

The line was reprieved by Thatcher of all people because of public pressure in 1988.

 

Ribblehead viaduct was still a problem. It has 23 piers including 3 king piers numbers 6,12,and 18 and 24 arches.

 

BR Civil Engineer, Tony Freschini, persuaded BR to let him repair one arch and one pier to estimate costs for making the whole structure fit for purpose.

 

After this work was completed it was estimated it would cost between £2.75 and £3.25m to fully restore the viaduct instead of £6m for a replacement allowing for any unknowns.

 

Between 1988 and 1992 the following work was carried out with the bulk of work being done in 1990/91.

 

1. 3000 tonnes of ballast removed of which 500 tonnes reused.

2. 2500 tonnes of new ballast.

3. 450 yards of track removed and long welded replaced.

4. 2647 square yards of deck waterproofed.

5. 4686 holes drilled of over a yard long each and filled with 1420 tonnes of grout.

6. 1200 holes drilled of at least 3 yards length for stainless steel rock anchors.

7. 1000 yards of new downpipes

8. 289 masonry blocks replaced.

9. Replacement of 35 defective voussoirs.

10.Large areas of pointing.

11.150,000 feet of scaffolding, enough for 6 piers and 4 arches.

 

Despite all this work, the speed limit is still 30mph over the viaduct because of slow speed turnouts and single track retained. I have heard that when the turnouts and rail are due for replacement it will be doubled again.

 

This was sufficient to last 25 years which is about now.

[Katman]

I believe some of the materials,like replacement decking, aren't costing them anything. There was talk of trees that been felled by DEFA being donated for planking.

I doubt if we have any trees on the Island which would produce wood suitable for use in decking in such an extreme environment.

 

If they are going that route of doing it on the cheap I think I have some old Mechano somewhere they can have.

[GD4ELI]

 

I believe some of the materials,like replacement decking, aren't costing them anything. There was talk of trees that been felled by DEFA being donated for planking.

I doubt if we have any trees on the Island which would produce wood suitable for use in decking in such an extreme environment.

 

If they are going that route of doing it on the cheap I think I have some old Mechano somewhere they can have.

 

 

Wouldn't they want larch or maybe beech?

[far_north]

 

 

I believe some of the materials,like replacement decking, aren't costing them anything. There was talk of trees that been felled by DEFA being donated for planking.

I doubt if we have any trees on the Island which would produce wood suitable for use in decking in such an extreme environment.

 

If they are going that route of doing it on the cheap I think I have some old Mechano somewhere they can have.

 

 

Wouldn't they want larch or maybe beech?

 

 

I would expect if they're getting timber FOC it will the larch that is being felled to prevent the spread of phytophthora

[GD4ELI]

I would expect if they're getting timber FOC it will the larch that is being felled to prevent the spread of phytophthora

 

 

Which is perfectly safe to use.

[Non-Believer]

The boardwalk of the pier is planked with cedar. Very expensive, imported cedar IIRC.

[x-in-man]

I'm for it, don't forget, they don't build Victorian piers anymore.

[Jam_Sandwich]

Love it - hope it gets restored.

That crowd funding for me is desperately short notice though for someone who hasn't been following it.

Hope there's an option to donate in a few weeks when I actually have some spare money