Trench digging technique

[Furniss]

edf did a trench to a clients house year or 2 back , downhill along their drive to back corner of house, made a pretty effective drain and made water literally run in at the corner - dont know how they reinstated trench but it can be a consideration depending on circumstances.

 

[Canal Navvy]

Thames Water

 

[pettsy]

I did a new mains connection about 15years ago into a commercial yard for a customer to feed a single outside tap. STW insisted on barrier pipe to go the 3m from the road, which we did at considerable cost at the time (they also need barrier-spec fittings) As soon as it was all connected and live the customer then laid his own pipework from what I’d done all across the yard to his “temporary” shipping container offices and workshop in normal pipe 🫣

 

[Jimoz]

I did a new mains connection about 15years ago into a commercial yard for a customer to feed a single outside tap. STW insisted on barrier pipe to go the 3m from the road, which we did at considerable cost at the time (they also need barrier-spec fittings) As soon as it was all connected and live the customer then laid his own pipework from what I’d done all across the yard to his “temporary” shipping container offices and workshop in normal pipe 🫣

I think STW want barrier on any brownfield type site nowadays even if on your private land. New offices around 10 years ago I was working on had to have it in. About 3x the price if I remember right? Didn't need fittings as done in 1 length but didn't realise the fittings were specific too

 

[pettsy]

Didn't need fittings as done in 1 length but didn't realise the fittings were specific too

I’ve only used barrier once, I don’t normally do commercial. I seem to remember it was something to do with water potentially getting inbetween the layers if you didn’t use the correct barrier fittings. It could have been a scare tactic mind!

 

[Stroppymonkey]

edf did a trench to a clients house year or 2 back , downhill along their drive to back corner of house, made a pretty effective drain and made water literally run in at the corner - dont know how they reinstated trench but it can be a consideration depending on circumstances.

We moled a new 25mm MDPE up a customers drive (Tarmac) a few years ago ( Friend of mine has the mole) and at the top end by the house we hit a LOT of rising water (natural spring) which a 1" pump barely kept up with. Got it all sorted in the end after loosing the mole a couple times.
A year later we had to go back as the ground water must have found its way down the moled hole and washed out pits under the tarmac drive.
On the plus side, the garden near the house is less wet than it was.

 

[Giles]

Used barrier a few times, hatefully stuff with copper core. Easy to kink but a nightmare to get to sit straight and flat in trench

 

[Giles]

I’ve a few mains to get in for the trust this year on farm land, tempted by a proper trencher like a this as few hundred metres across fields just can’t get over fear of hitting buried services or drains

I’d do fully visual scan, cat scan and get all utility plans but least with a bucket you can feel it and see it

 

[JD450A]

I’ve a few mains to get in for the trust this year on farm land, tempted by a proper trencher like a this as few hundred metres across fields just can’t get over fear of hitting buried services or drains

I’d do fully visual scan, cat scan and get all utility plans but least with a bucket you can feel it and see it

Borrow my one stick it on a digger

 

[Giles]

Borrow my one stick it on a digger

Thank you for kind offer

300 odd miles between us though

I’ve used trencher on a 3 ton before and was slow and hard work, but was a rugby pitch built over an old garden so was hitting things like chainsaw engine size setts and drystone walls would jump out trench on hitting one of them and tracking backwards was problematic on a few hundred metre run but that was partially machine as was tracking unevenly

How do you find it on 100m or so runs?

Do you run it shallow like 500 instead of 900mm for main spec etc?