Track - Riccarton Park-Canterbury JC | Saturday 14 November

[curious]

3 minutes ago, Freda said:

I can't recall whether lateral drains were included initially - probably they were,  but certainly since, including down the back straight where conditions are very different from the home straight.

Pretty sure not initially. I was only there a few times during construction and the memory is hazy though.

 

[Running Man]

15 hours ago, Freda said:

From what I can envisage - and a fair amount of 'creative' thinking involved here, I'm not a drainage or construction hero -   the clay and scoria under the topsoil was supposed to provide a camber to guide the water to the drains along the inner.

That may have worked initially,  but, as Duncan Laing  [of Laing's Construction]   explained to me, the manual he had provided for the track manager at the time, didn't get passed on to the following managers [ so he thought ].  There was not supposed to be any deep cultivation at all, as that would bring the clay up to mix with the topsoil.    That seems to be just what has happened and the makeup  of the turf is consistent with a goodly amount of clay mixed in.

Duncan Laing put the clay over the lateral drains so i wouldn't be listing to anything he tells you

Sounds like he is  passing the buck for his F..K UP

[Running Man]

11 hours ago, Freda said:

If you refer to my above post,  Duncan Laing implied that that had happened. 

He obviously couldn't be definite, but his experience and knowledge of the reconstruction process led him to believe that deeper cultivation than he had advised had taken place.

every track should be deep cultivated

[curious]

19 minutes ago, Freda said:

The amount of topsoil laid wouldn't have grown decent carrots.

Definitely not. I remember walking that track from the birdcage to the 600 prior one of the first meetings on it. Been a bit of rain which had stopped by then. Quite a bit of surface water though. Despite the increasing camber, it seemed worse around the 450-500 than the straight. Took out my pocket knife and poked it in the ground there. It just folded up when it hit that clay. Doubt it would have gone in 70mms.

So yes, they'd be pretty stumpy carrots.

Edited November 24, 2020 by curious

[Running Man]

15 hours ago, Freda said:

From what I can envisage - and a fair amount of 'creative' thinking involved here, I'm not a drainage or construction hero -   the clay and scoria under the topsoil was supposed to provide a camber to guide the water to the drains along the inner.

That may have worked initially,  but, as Duncan Laing  [of Laing's Construction]   explained to me, the manual he had provided for the track manager at the time, didn't get passed on to the following managers [ so he thought ].  There was not supposed to be any deep cultivation at all, as that would bring the clay up to mix with the topsoil.    That seems to be just what has happened and the makeup  of the turf is consistent with a goodly amount of clay mixed in.

if that's the case why spend money putting in lateral drains???? if he constructed it to run off to the inside that's so laughable and you believe him no wonder the track is F..k

[Chief Stipe]

9 minutes ago, Running Man said:

every track should be deep cultivated

That's a sweeping statement and probably impractical unless you don't race on the track very often.

[curious]

31 minutes ago, Running Man said:

every track should be deep cultivated

What do you mean by deep cultivation?

[Freda]

1 hour ago, Running Man said:

Duncan Laing put the clay over the lateral drains so i wouldn't be listing to anything he tells you

Sounds like he is  passing the buck for his F..K UP

Well, I'm no expert ( clearly you are ) so I can only report as I recall it being explained to me.

I would think the fk up would be in the design, surely?

[Freda]

Just now, Freda said:

Well, I'm no expert ( clearly you are ) so I can only report as I recall it being explained to me.

I would think the fk up would be in the design, surely?

And, I must agree with Reefton here, I am hard pressed to think of  a reconstructed track that hasnt had issues.

They wouldn't have all been done by the same contractors,  countrywide- so there must indeed be issues with the design, scope of work, call it what you will.