Friday 11 September 2009

2009 Railway Garden Competition #XXV

This just in from Chionanthus virginicus...

Last year Eye brought us pictures of a tree on a bridge at Ambergate, resolutely withstanding any lumberjacks who may be patrolling the MML.

As the 2009 season of mists & mellow fruitfulness draws nigh, I popped up to see how the "garden" is getting on.

As you can see, the tree has had a little light "trackside" pruning - nothing too severe.

A team of strolling strimmers & trimmers have carried out more vigorous work on the adjacent bridge (carrying the Matlock branch) revealing more of the structure, but growth on the mainline bridge is doing well, with several silver birch saplings establishing themselves in the parapet wall beyond.

Perhaps Network Rail are leaving them there so they can act as carbon neutral stanchions when the MML is electrified?