December 2025
Tallington Flooding & Drainage report for November updated as at 3rd December 2025.
Network Rail contractors CML attended overnight on the 11th and 18th October but ran out of time to complete all the planned work due to the discovery of a number of unknown buried services. They de-silted a 900mm diameter section of the brick culvert under the rail tracks with a further CCTV survey undertaken. A revised plan to install a new manhole chamber instead of installing at this stage a new section of plastic culvert was not completed running out of time. A chamber will allow safe access into the existing old box culvert arrangement to clear blockages also enabling future clearance work without the need to close the track. Further work was undertaken overnight on the 15th November with the installation of the 2m circa concrete chamber completed overnight on the 29th November. An attempt to jet and clear the blocked culvert was then made but was aborted for fear of a further collapse. We are now awaiting an update from NR on what they intend to do next to clear the remaining blockage. At the 12th November MAG meeting their engineer did state that this is one of their most difficult current projects to complete but that they will clear. An emergency pump is still in place with the telemetry warning level lowered to provide more time for engineers to start the pump if required.
Clearing of the surface water sewer/culvert on Main road – LCC Highways have apologised to the parish council for the failure of their contractors to complete the majority of the planned work scheduled during the overnight works of w/c 20th October! The remaining work – to raise the kerb outside the Chestnuts, raise 3 more kerbs as agreed, install a gully opposite the Old post office, install balance of new silt trap gullies, clean the beanie blocks adjacent to the railway crossing and complete the rouitine cleanse of the highway drainage assets throughout the village is to be urgently rescheduled. Anglian Water (AW) completed the clearance dig outside of the Gables over an area of 16 mtrs but were unable to clear beyond this at this time. A new pipe link has been installed between the 2 chambers outside of the Old Post office.
Clearing of Mill Lane lateral 8” blocked Drain – AW managed to clear 37 meters of the blocked surface water sewer pipe from the chamber at Mill Lane junction to outside of no 60 on the 13th November in the 2 hours they were actually working! They failed to arrange traffic lights that they required to work on the Main Road so will have to return with a permit during the day and/or on night works to complete the rest of the Mill Lane clearance work. They removed a lot of silt and roots on the small section they worked on using specialist equipment. Following the amber warning and heavy continuous rain that ensued over the 13th and 14th November this work appeared to have had a beneficial effect with no pooling of water. AW have also been doing further clearance work outside of the Old Post office and at the Mill Lane Junction during the day.
Casewick Lane Collapsed culvert under road reconstruction. – The scheduled installation of the new plastic culvert under the lane by LCC contractors should have been completed w/c 24th November- it was not! Instead LCC specialist contractors Jet4 attended on the 2nd December and without having to dig up the lane managed to clear the old dry stone wall culvert collapses at either end and insert a new plastic liner pipe under the lane using specialist equipment. This appears to have lowered the water in the ditches somewhat. However, the water flow from here across Casewick fields, under the rail tracks into the cement works and out towards Barholm is as it was in 2024 again being slowed down by blockages, we believe under a service road in the cement works and also where it exits the cement works ditches under a field crossing next to where a derelict van is parked. The cement works ditches are again full of rubbish. I have asked the landowner to investigate further and SKDC to get the cement works to tackle their restriction under their service road and clear their open ditches.
Maintenance of the repaired culvert including the ditches to it from outside of Hawthorn Lodge, along with the culverts under St Lawrence Way and the chamber at the junction will be the responsibility of SKDC going forward.
Maxey Cut Bank erosion works – Work to repair the embankment upstream of Tallington is sadly still pending: This is at the location known locally as ‘the waterfall’ and is erosion that was discovered after trees growing in the embankment were removed. Following the Parish council’s continued expressions of concern the Environment Agency have assured us that pending works starting the Field Team will continue to monitor the situation. They still plan to reinforce this section of embankment.
Additional measures around River flap valve – Following the failure to fit a penstock gate in September as previously reported the heavy-duty replacement flap valve fitted in May this year continues to be monitored by the Field Team to ensure its reliability. The concerns of the many residents who have contacted the Parish council have been passed onto the EA requesting action before the onset of winter high river levels. In the meantime, the EA and village flood team are monitoring the situation and it is likely that a bung will be fitted during the winter period.
We continue to hold the various agencies feet to the fire to ensure the promised works are completed as well as seeking funding for further improvements. As and when new information is available the Parish council website will be updated.
Wishing you and your family a very happy Xmas, and a prosperous safe New year.
Take care. Philip. Tallington Parish council as at 3rd December 2025.