Oswestry Update

True, but there's only a roundabout at each end and they both join to a single carriageway section of the A5, so a flyover there wouldn't be very useful. There are no junctions in between (ignoring the eastbound services). I was simply pointing out that the most recently build bit of the A5 nearby (that I'm aware of, anyway) had been built as a dual carriageway.

 

Tom.
Hint taken. The gradient profile is being reworked for reopening. I can confirm that the dip under the bridge is 1in48 both sides for a short distance. The rest of the line is relatively flat, even beyond Llynclys.
Once the line is completed a new profile will be issued.

 

If you can't see the roundabout because of the hump it would be quite normal for the traffic to be backed up on the blind side of it. It didn't make sense to me that it wasn't built as a dual carriageway, although probably done to save money on the two viaducts.

Bob.

 

Thursday's job was to adjust sleeper spacings around the Travis Perkins crossing.

 

Thanks to CHR/Facebook here is a picture of the 73 on a trial trip to Weston. More work on the extension this week but no pictures yet.

 

Just for information see the development of Weston over the last few years. Pictures courtesy of CHR.

 

Amazing. What was on the right in the 2018 pic? Looks almost narrow-gauge?

 

Yes there was a private collection of narrow gauge equipment.

 

I think it might be this: https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/mystery-narrow-gauge-morda-oswestry.1162713/

 

Vegetation clearance at Oswestry in readiness for reopening. Dates still to be confirmed.

 

Out of interest does the ORR revised position on Level crossing as meantioned in the RVR thread likely to have a postive impact on future extensions ?

 

My personal opinion is that with the level of traffic on the A5(T) there is no way a level crossing will ever be accepted.
There could be a case for the A483 but I think we should wait until the RVR saga is complete.

 

Don't know if the two situations are sufficiently comparable for this to be of any use to the CHR, but the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust have faced a similar challenge, albeit with a canal rather than a railway ... but ... with the M4 in the way,, rather than the A5. It's taken a while, though finally, things seem to be moving in favour of the Canal Trusr. I include the url below, on the offchance there's any detail which may serve some useful purpose:

https://www.wbct.org.uk/news-plans/wiltshire/628-m4-crossing-update-3

 

You've got a canal level-crossing on the M4...? Nice work

Do you know if the Litchfield lot are getting to the aqueduct soon?

 

It's the first part of turning the morning commute into a steeplechase.

 

Nothing there I can take any credit for, but it certainly is some pretty amazing news from WBCT!

Plans to get the canal back through Swindon, on a new route, look pretty impressive too. At another location where the old cut is lost to housing, there's now local authority support to replace a weir with a new one to permit the restored canal to adopt the course of the river through a town, but I digress ....

Overall, the Wilts & Berks is a seriously impressive project, at need not afraid to employ creative approaches to sticky problems. I just hope there may be something in all that to provide a different perspective.

Sorry, but Lichfield's not one I'm familiar with.

 

Are they going under or over?

 

Under, from the look of it. Seems they've found an 'approved contractor' who specialises in such matters. The Wey & Arun, facing a road transit, with no 'hump back' solution, had to arrange a pair of locks, to dive under their road (just a "B" road).

 

Under, the M4 Crossing updates page says (but not on the original alignment, so they have to re-route the canal to get to it).

Noel