Wom Brook Blog

The Friends Group took the opportunity to view the site scheduled for re-development from the vantage point of the footbridge running parallel with Gravel Hill.

(The photo was taken from the site itself, and looks east along the Wom).

NOTICE

Next Committee Meeting-Council Chambers, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
1st February

Plans are well underway to commence revetment and conservation work along a well eroded bank section of the Wom, within the Gravel Hill section. South Staffordshire District Council have given the Friends Group to understand that this work is scheduled to commence in January.

This is the section featured in the above photograph, and it is hoped that such pipe work may in some way be disguised.

Winter view of the Wom from the Railway Walk viaduct

This scene can only be viewed during the winter months, as usually it is obscured by leaves. The view looks east towards Gravel Hill and the centre of Wombourne.

The gate leading from Wombourne Park onto the Railway Walk has been a target for vandals during January. In addition to forcing the retained part of the green metal pedestrian gate wide open, the large heavy wooden post ( featured in the above photo) was also wrenched out of the ground, and thrown into the nearby undergrowth.

The latest act of mindless vandalism has been to completely remove both the above chain and lock. These acts have permitted horses to again access the park, and provide easy access for illegal use of motorcycles on both the Park and Railway Walk footpaths.

Behind the Guide Hut.…
..the often repaired footbridge leading onto Rookery
Road has now been closed for a few weeks. This temporary closure forms
part of the South Staffordshire District Council’s overall plan
to implement improvement to access points along the Wom Brook in Wombourne.
The red arrow points to the entrance
onto Rookery Road. The pathway leading down to the footbridge has become
undermined in parts, and the old wooden handrail is in need of repair.
The blue arrow indicates the bare
soil area cleared of rubbish and weeds a few months back, and is scheduled for
landscaping.

Apologies for the poor quality of the photograph, but the green
arrow is pointing at a section of retaining wall that has decayed
due to age, and has revealed the earthen embankment. Hopefully work will be
carried out here soon in order to re-build and strengthen the missing section
of wall.

After an absence of some months, we wish you a belated
and prosperous 2005! During that time, several developments have taken place,
and are about to take place. These are as follows:

Mid October 2004:
As an essential part of the progress towards establishing
The Friends of Wom Brook as a charity, executive officers and a management committee
have been elected.

Twice monthly
litter picks to remove debris and litter from the Brook and surrounding banks
have taken place-these are usually occur on the first Thursday morning and Saturday
morning in the month, beginning at 10:00 a.m. ( The group usually meet up at
the Gravel Hill picnic area).We would welcome other volunteers to help us maintain
the Brook environment-if you intend joining in, don’t wear your Sunday best
clothes!

Wom Walk - members of
the Friends of Wom Brook management committee walked the length of the Brook
in the company of the South Staffordshire District Council’s Landscape manager,
in order to identify locations where conservation work needs to take place.

This year -South Staffordshire
District Council have commissioned revetment work to begin within the Gravel
Hill section of the Brook-this will initially lead to some disturbance and an
area of the Wombourne Park being closed off-hopefully this will only be a temporary
measure, lasting no more than a month.