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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. pmh_74

    pmh_74 Well-Known Member

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    What a bizarre looking repair. I’m no bridge engineer and I daresay it’s fit for purpose but it’s a shame they couldn’t maintain the original appearance. Oh well.


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  2. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Give it the same colour paint as the rest of the bridge and I doubt you would ever notice. How often have you looked at bridges and failed to notice repairs carried out. Such things aren't exactly rare. Those at Goathland, for example, have lots of extra metal bits attached to them from repairs going back many years.
     
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  3. ilvaporista

    ilvaporista Part of the furniture

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    Yes, I dare say that in a few years time when we see pictures of majestic steam locomotives passing over the canal the eye will be drawn to the repairs and the picture will be ruined by the extra rows of rivets...
     
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  4. jsm8b

    jsm8b Part of the furniture

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    Just PLEASE - Not the Network Rail Green :Arghh:


    (Bridge livery debate for a change :p)
     
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  5. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Wow! Bridge livery? ..... Is this a 'first' for NP? :)
     
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  6. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    So, whats the next hurdle to be tackled once the bridge is done will it be to rebuild the embankment then the bridge sections, or is it to work down from the midland mainline line end ?
     
  7. Davo

    Davo Well-Known Member

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    The bridge sections over preci spark car park and railway terrace i think are next. It would make sense how high the south side of the bridge is going to be over railway terrace so then the civil engineers know how high to mount up the railway enbankment.
     
  8. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    I would like to think that ...If a LOT of money came in quickly, they could have three work sites and get the MML bridge connected North, Precispark and road bridged, whilst "embanking" North from the Canal Bridge!
    But it is fantastic that they are steadily working to get the Gap bridged.
     
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  9. pmh_74

    pmh_74 Well-Known Member

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    It wasn't so much the rivets that drew my eye (after all, a riveted repair is about as traditional as it gets), but the weird end-on bit of I-beam.

    I can assure you that I would notice, but then I'm an engineer not a modeller or photographer.
     
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  10. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    If that had been an old repair done in BR days would you still decry it or say and excellent job that has saved a lot of money on replacement?
    Steve; a Chartered Engineer and not a modeller or photographer.
     
  11. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    Here is a closer view and I think it will blend in when painted - but it certainly looks to be a significantly stronger arrangement. Well done, so far, to all concerned.

    DSCF7245s.jpg
     
  12. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Bizarre? It's a matter of opinion.
    Fit for purpose? Almost certainly.
    Maintain original appearance? There will be a reason that's for the engineers and the GCR to know.

    Either way it's 'job done' and in the fullness of time who will really be bothered?
     
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  13. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    There's always one. :rolleyes: <BJ>
     
  14. pmh_74

    pmh_74 Well-Known Member

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    A fair question. I’m not ‘decrying’ it though, I merely commented about its appearance. I’m more than happy that it’s fit for purpose.

    Yes I’m also a CEng but anyway, lets move on.




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  15. J Rob't Harrison

    J Rob't Harrison Member

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    Speaking with my architectural conservationist hat on, it's an honest repair that's identifiably not part of the original structure, in much the same vein as on historic buildings you will see masonry walling repaired with tile and mortar. The whole point being that it identifies 'this is a repair' that adds to how an architectural historian could read the structure (if you want to go down the academic route), or alternatively shows future generations of engineers and maintenance crews what has already been done to keep the structure stable (going down the feet on the ground nuts-and-bolts route).

    Personally I'm just pleased to see work really progressing with the second stage of the unification project.
     
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  16. AndyY

    AndyY Member

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    I am very pleased that the original bridge is being repaired rather than replaced with a modern concrete slab.
     
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  17. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    The canal bridge is now encased whilst they shot blast the underside. DSCF7297.JPG
     
  18. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    There is an updated video on the GCR website, showing the work being done inside the cocoon, (sorry but I do not know how to put up a direct link).
     
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  19. Groks212

    Groks212 Member

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    This link?



    Dave B
     
  20. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    Thanks Dave B.
     

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