Gloucester Warwickshire Railway extension

Laverton Bridge

Yes, around 09:25 this morning! Before adjourn back to Toddington for some shovelling work!

 

The local authority road works page states that the Laverton Road will be reopened after 4 December 2009 and I therefore presume that all work on the Laverton Road bridge which necessitates a road closure will be completed by then. I saw the bridge (from a distance) last Saturday and it looked to be well on the way to completion. Does anyone have any updates or, better still, images of the bridge now?

 

Progress at 13:30 today, bridge nearing completion. Height restriction signs in place, finishing off brickwork.

A snap is here:-
http://nigel-black.fotopic.net/p62374340.html

Not sure exact reopening date to road, would guess soon (nor rail, not as soon as we would hope!!!)

 

Great Stuff!

D6969, thank you very much for posting this. It certainly looks as if the bridge is nearly finished. The local authority road works site (I cannot remember the correct name) stated that the road would be closed until 4 December and it certainly looks that way! However, it also looks to me that the contractors are pretty close to finishing - it would not take long to dismantle the remaining scaffolding for example. I agree with you about track over the bridge - too soon is not soon enough!!

 

I doubt the wetest November on record can have helped matters, so they look like they have done very well considering .

 

Indeed, they have done very well. I have just noticed an update on the GWR Official Site and it is now expected that the bridge renewal will be completed on 11 Dec 09. There is also some very interesting information on the work done to repair Gretton Bridge. I live quite close to one of the most bashed railway bridges in the UK due mainly to the fact that 20th century lorries still think that the A52 through Grantham and under the ECML is a sensible journey to make! A bit harsh as its not really their fault; the A52 by-pass is still a dream and increasing investment in rail is really the best way to go. After 2013 it will all be academic apparantly as Peak Oil will start to bite and, unless you have an electic vehicle or a steam locomotive, to quote Clarkson (out of context) "you're f....d"!

Anyway, enough of my ramblings, here is the GWR link:

http://www.gwsr.com/news/latest-news/bridge-progress.aspx

 

The repairs at Gretton look to be very high quality - and the offending truck's insurers have paid for it

 

Laverton bridge

Looks like it's close to opening. Final brickwork being completed, scaffold down, just need to clean up and move skip/kit out etc.

For info see:- http://nigel-black.fotopic.net/p62474732.html

 

Thanks for the link. It looks as if the job is nearly done. The weather has been a little kinder this week (at least in this part of the UK) so this has probably helped after a very wet period last month. It will of course be even better when there's track running over it but a good picture of progress for today. What with this, a good Christmas Lunch with some of my RAF colleagues and seeing a clip of the "Bristol Bureaucrat" A400M's first flight at Seville today it's been quite a good Friday all round so far! Pity I'm now on resettlement and will never get to fly in the bloomin thing! However, I will get to travel over Laverton bridge by train quite soon I guess!

 

Laverton Bridge

The bridge has been reopened for a few days. A final updated pix at :- http://nigel-black.fotopic.net/p62552657.html

Now we need the rail!

 

The picture caption mentions aiming for double track. How long would that doubled section be, or is it intended for a passing loop?

 

Yes a passing loop!

 

On to Broadway!

Many thanks for posting the latest photo of Laverton Bridge. It's great to see it reinstated better than before. It seems a very long time since the gap was last filled!

Regarding double track length, it should of course be about 20 miles, from Cheltenham to Honeybourne, but since none of us really knew just how things would turn out all the track was removed in the late 1970s when it should have been left in situ and given to us by BR instead of being sold off for scrap.....

"Three Two One, you're back in the room...." actually it will be double track someday but, until then, there will, I understand, be a passing loop at Laverton (the site of the original Laverton Halt was just to the South of the bridge I think) as soon as the P-Way folks can get it done - total respect to them too!

 

No! A runround loop that will be left in that can be subsequently used as a passing loop, if the need arises.

 

Well I suppose that once the GWSR extends to Broadway, a passing loop would come in very handy on gala days and summer weekend timetables.
Meanwhile, what trains will be "given the runaround" I wonder. Mostly engineering trains bringing heavy kit for the further extension northwards? Or mostly scheduled services to a new terminus halt at Laverton?

 

Some very good photos of the new Laverton Bridge and the extension to Broadway can be found from the attached link. The weather was lovely!

http://gwsr-photos.fpic.co.uk/p62674731.html

 

Presumably subject to a fairly big flood risk looking at the markers on the bridge. How did this area fair in the floods of a couple of summers ago?

John

 

Excellent, many thanks for this.

Patrick

 

Although a station must be built at Broadway , who owns the track bed beyond Broadway to Honeyborne Junc?