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Bridge that Gap: Great Central Railway News

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Gav106, May 8, 2010.

  1. ilvaporista

    ilvaporista Part of the furniture

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    I see that the bridge fund has hit £730k, so almost at three quarters of the target. Well done to all. Just the last bit to go...
     
  2. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    The website says "Revised bridge design now chosen, using a single span, allowing reclaimed ex Reading bridge decks to be used elsewhere in reunification." Is that single span also being re-used from somewhere else? If it's to be brand new doesn't it push the price up, relative to re-using the two spans from Reading? Or does eliminating the middle pier save a lot?
     
  3. class8mikado

    class8mikado Part of the furniture

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    If there were 'down time' and or overtime charges from NR to factor in whilst that Pier was built maybe a big saving to be made...
    Having a Single span lifted into place is going to take some Monster Cranes though...
     
  4. pmh_74

    pmh_74 Well-Known Member

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    More for the deck, but less for earthworks/construction (no centre pier) and also saves moving a Network Rail signal. And without the centre pier the bridge can be placed on a better alignment too, apparently. Also the Reading decks can be used elsewhere along the 'gap' which will save money on the next stage. So overall a good decision, I think.
     
  5. b.oldford

    b.oldford Member

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    Thinking ahead somewhat I have to ask; how are the two railways going to merge their various SMSs and rulebooks etc? Are they going to dilute the better one by finding a compromise between their two standards or are they going to "cherry-pick" from that with the higher/lower standard?
     
  6. Enterprise

    Enterprise Part of the furniture

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    A false antithesis that has led inter alia to unnecessarily restrictive legislation throughout Europe.
     
  7. b.oldford

    b.oldford Member

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    I cannot totally disagree with you; however any differences in standards needs to be resolved well before the first train bridges the gap.

    Operating Rule Book to one side such standards could extend to include brake block wear limits and cleanliness of toilets. All of which are important to the paying punters.
     
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2015
  8. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    I can't help thinking that the physical aspect of bridging the gap is a mere molehill compared with the mountain of integrating the two into a single entity. My take on it is that the southern party principally wants the the gap filling for the NR connection. The northern party probably doesn't really need or want anything additional that can be gained.
     
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  9. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    I don't know the ins and outs of the politics between the two lines but I am sure that they all want a nice long line to run their trains on.
     
  10. Corbs

    Corbs Well-Known Member

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  11. Hurricane

    Hurricane Member

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    Not to mention the link will pretty much demolish the current engine/restoration shed and yard at Loughborough!
     
  12. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    There will be, nominally, a city at each end, but the stations are a long way from the centres.
     
  13. Corbs

    Corbs Well-Known Member

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    I believe that provision for a single track line bypassing the shed but allowing it to continue operating has been made.
     
  14. frazoulaswak

    frazoulaswak Member

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    To take a leaf out of the GWR station naming book, after reunification will Leicester North be renamed Leicester Road and Ruddington become Nottingham Road...?
     
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  15. Flipper

    Flipper New Member

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    Both parties bring something to the table. I'm sure the Ruddington based group will enjoy having access to a fully signalled, double-track railway. Or do you think they would be much happer sticking with what they've got ?
     
  16. Flipper

    Flipper New Member

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    Perhaps in the short term, to allow for construction traffic . . .
     
  17. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    I don't think the idea of a fully signalled double track railway excites everybody. I have no involvement with either organisation but I do have conversations with people from time to time and listen with interest.....
     
  18. class8mikado

    class8mikado Part of the furniture

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    Well it excites me, but clearly the double track bit isn't going to happen North of the bridge in a hurry.
    If the two continue to exist as separate entities will there be an exchange Station ?
    If Merged will the industrials be re allocated to the new Branchline ?
    How long will it take ( at 25mph with several station stops) to do a full line return...?
    Interesting times...?
     
  19. NickPreston

    NickPreston Member

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    Out of interest, How is this going to work at the Ruddington end? A train cannot run from GCR directly into Ruddington, it's a reverse manoeuvre for the last half mile or so which GCR(N) manage by topping and tailing. There's no room to run around, and surely this would not be practical anyway part way through every journey along the line anyway. I can't imagine every loco from Leicester topping and tailing, so the only option I can see without trackworks (if there's space) is to have a spare loco to take over the back of the train (which becomes the front) to take it into Ruddington.
    Sounds complicated, or I'm not explaining it very well, the map is here http://www.gcrn.co.uk/about/our-line/
    You'll see what I mean.

    Nick
     
  20. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Whitby? Dorchester South? It happened there. No doubt there were others. Mind you, that was a long time ago, now.
     

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