Conservation work at the Incline has focused on two aspects, firstly the management of water and secondly the repair of a number of the structures along its length. Also, as part of the work, a number of trees (27 in total) were removed to allow access, and scrub control was undertaken by volunteers.
The programme of conservation work was carried out under the challenging logistics of working on a complex structure which is itself a 1 in 4 slope situated in remote countryside.
The original construction of the Incline required a complex water management system; the Incline crosses several spring lines and streams. One of the streams was permanently diverted. In fact the problems of managing the runoff of water are documented from the very earliest days after the Incline was completed.
A programme of groundworks was carried out in the Autumn of 2008 to stabilise the surface of the Incline and unblock the drains. This was followed in spring 2009 by a programme of repairs to the Winding House, cable ducts, underbridge, stone sluices and culverts. Repairs were also carried out on the massive Retaining Wall.
During these repairs a major crack was revealed running up the Retaining Wall and discussions are now taking place with English Heritage as to the best way of repairing the structure.
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