Concerned about timber retaining wall (crib)

[BRizzle Ben]

Hello all. Not sure if I'm posting in the right forum for this question but here goes.

I'm the prospective purchaser of a house built below a former railway line, now a cycle path.

The embankment wall is retained with a timber wall, of a type I have found to be called 'crib.'

It's about 15-20 years old.

My concern is over its lifespan and how to determine it. Could be a nightmare if the wall needs attention.

Does anyone have any experience of such things?

{pic attached}

 

[^woody^]

they last for decades. It's the stone behind that does the retaining. Just confirm ownership responsibilities. And if it's in good condition now.

 

[Notch7]

If its a permacrib kit, they give a 60 year service life....

http://www.phigroup.co.uk/techniques/permacrib-timber-crib