Sand rails access way update - 4 September 2025

Work has continued on the walkway with various sections now completed at the seaward and landward canal path ends.

The final walkway section left to complete is located in the middle of the tramway walkway close to the dwarf wall and tramway siding. This last section to be completed will incorporate the historic granite setts into the final surface which used to support the sand tramway siding rails.

Before work started, the positions of all the granite setts were surveyed. Before the new surfacing was laid, the setts were put back in their existing positions, and were set to the new walkway finished level.

The final concrete bay has now been excavated. In this area, the new walkway is wider than it was originally, requiring the bank to be dug out. During this work, approximately ten of the historic granite setts were uncovered. It is likely that over time, these setts have come loose from the section of the walkway that is regularly under water at high tide. It is thought that to prevent these loose setts being washed out to sea, they had been moved to an area that is not submerged by the high tide, and over time, these have become buried by soil. As the work to the walkway where these setts have come from is already complete, unfortunately they will not be able to be reinstated. They are being safely stored, and we would welcome thoughts from the community as to how best they should be used or displayed in the future.

Past the seaward end of the tramway walkway the surface defects in the existing concrete walkway have been cleaned and repaired to ensure a smooth and accessible walkway surface is provided all the way down to the beach.

Preparation of tramway siding area foundation and replacement rails before concrete walkway pouring.	Finished section of concrete walkway with granite setts freshly finished exposed aggregate finish.	Concrete repairs to historic surface defects in lower section of tramway walkway underway.