Rail - left hand doesn't know what right hand is doing

[Harry Bloomfield]

The rear of my back garden borders railway land. There is a large, 50 yard deep area of railway waste land, then the line in a shallow cutting. Lots of trees and bushes, help keep the noise down. 1/2 mile to the left is a station.

In early September, after a postcard from them which suggested there would be one months noise and disturbance, as they would be turning the wasteland into an equipment storage area working down towards us from the station. The card gave a number to ring, for more information. Lots of activity over the month levelling ground, earth moving, large earth moving lorries, then it went quiet. I was mostly concerned about whether they would be extending the compound down as far as my back garden, but the end of the month, it remained untouched.

A week later the noise, work and lorries restarted and they are still at it, what ever 'it' is. Curious as to how far my way they might be extending the operation, I then rang the number given on the card, to try to find out.

They were absolutely clueless as to what the work was or any details about it. They suggested the work was simply one of installing mesh netting along the cuttings, to prevent rock falls onto the line. Rocks, what rocks might those be? They are supposed to be building a compound. No rocks around here, just soil and clay.

 

[JP_]

Best go and ask them what they are doing, only way to get any sense out of anybody these days.

 

[Ihavenojob]

The rear of my back garden borders railway land. There is a large, 50 yard deep area of railway waste land, then the line in a shallow cutting. Lots of trees and bushes, help keep the noise down. 1/2 mile to the left is a station.

In early September, after a postcard from them which suggested there would be one months noise and disturbance, as they would be turning the wasteland into an equipment storage area working down towards us from the station. The card gave a number to ring, for more information. Lots of activity over the month levelling ground, earth moving, large earth moving lorries, then it went quiet. I was mostly concerned about whether they would be extending the compound down as far as my back garden, but the end of the month, it remained untouched.

A week later the noise, work and lorries restarted and they are still at it, what ever 'it' is. Curious as to how far my way they might be extending the operation, I then rang the number given on the card, to try to find out.

They were absolutely clueless as to what the work was or any details about it. They suggested the work was simply one of installing mesh netting along the cuttings, to prevent rock falls onto the line. Rocks, what rocks might those be? They are supposed to be building a compound. No rocks around here, just soil and clay.

New houses?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

New houses?

Yes, I was thinking of going along there and asking..

No, no, no - definitely not new houses. I receive emails outlining any new planning applications and the only access to the land would be via railway property, the compound they are presently busy installing.

A couple of days ago I received another postcard from them, suggesting there would be a couple of years of work on the line, surveying, minor works and etc. in readiness for line improvements. I suspect the compound the are working on, might be a depot for that work.

 

[Notch7]

No, no, no - definitely not new houses. I receive emails outlining any new planning applications and the only access to the land would be via railway property, the compound they are presently busy installing

If the work is on network rail land, it probably all falls under their deemed consent, ie permitted development. If its being developed for domestic houses it would need planning -as a neighbour as you say you woukd prob have heard. You could always do a search on the local coucil planning site in case there is anything.....long shot though.

You might not get anywhere but you could take the postcard info you have down to the site and try and find a friendly nanager to get feedback.

Perhaps it is the start of the big investment in the north that the politicians are promising buying votes with.