Overrunning engineering works.

There seems to be an issue with overrunning engineering works lately affecting steam operations alone, one caused problems with the 70013 trip to Rowsely the other week, another one stranding 60007 on the NYMR this week & I am sure there was another one as well. This is not counting any that might affect the normal day to day operations. Not sure what the problem is or any penalties that might be imposed by NR.

 

45407 cant move north to Scotland from the NYMR and 60007 can't return to the NYMR because of bridge replacement on the Esk valley, the work seems to be causing no end of problems for WCRC and the NYMR.
I'm guessing it's just normal NR being slow...

 

Is it NR or outside contractors though?

 

I beleive I read somewhere that it's the same contractors with replaced Bridge 30 on the NYMR

 

Dippers!

Birds, that is - 2 nests under one of the Bridges. They are protected and needed a licence from Natural England for their removal - guess who wasn't back in their office until after the end of the long Jubilee weekend (i.e. 4 days into the 9 day blockade!)

There have been other minor delays I believe (could have been weather related - the rivers in the area were pretty high last weekend), but basically that cost 4 days delay and I suspect leaving it closed until this evening was to make sure that the work could be completed. Some material/equipment was removed last night, which shows the other 3 Bridges being done at the same time were complete.

The Birdge in question is a close twin to the NYMR's Bridge 30. We took 3 months. NwR have taken 10 days - but they did use the same crane, so Kev and crew will be getting quite practised at this now! (Not that they didn't get it spot on 1st time, because they did - in a couple of feet of snow).

Steven

 

Dippers: lovely birds, and fairly scarce so most certainly need protection at nesting times.

I'm not aware that they are specially protected under Schedule 1 of the 1981 Countryside Act, but they and their nests will get the general protection afforded by the Act.

Surprised no one looked before the work started. They do tend to nest in the same areas year after year.

 

Probably someone misjudging how long any particular work should take, or missing the full scale of what's needed when guestimating the time needed, it's not a new problem and not an easy one to fix either.

What I do find perplexing is the notion that the economy of a certain part of the country can be screwed up, possibly to the tune of a few millions by a birds nest, however rare they are, I'd suggest the priorities in such a case need reviewing.

 

What would the reaction have been if it was any bridge on the ECML or any other mainline?

 

Quite, I cant imagine Mr Branson being so sympathetic if this bridge was at say Watford rather than the Whitby branch.

 

That appalling attitude is why so many species in the UK and worldwide have been suffering very significant declines. Some almost to the point of extinction. Like English breeding Hen Harriers, a truly dreadful story of persecution and destruction.

And to save the "millions" all it needs is someone who knows even just a little bit about the creatures we share this planet with to make a check or two on a location as part of the planning process for such works.

 

Well said Bryan, well said.

 

Can see where your coming from Bryan, but what about the bloke who can't get to work on time because of such a farce ?, who's boss irritated by his absence, his put his name first on the list in the next round of redundancies ?, or the local shop which has to close down because customers can't get it as easily ?, putting so many of it's employee's out of work.

Basically my point is, people rank their jobs, livelyhood and families above all else and have little time for anything that puts these under threat, a man struggling to make ends meet with his wife and two kids and two part time jobs which don't pay anything like the income he needs is unlikely to consider how few Eagles there are in Derbyshire as a higher priority.

 

Coincidentally there was a bit on the BBC News at Ten about a similar arguement Re: an airport by Romney Marsh, the main question being posed being which should come first - Jobs (and by extension transport) or Nature ?, in an ideal world you'd have both but easier said than done, food for thought mind.

 

Could'nt agree more ......the human race has a lot to answer for............

 

Don't see your point i'm afraid. As KentYeti put very well, a bit of prior planning in this case and all the work could have been completed without affecting the bird nests and no one need lose their jobs. The environment has plenty to offer in this time of recession to help us get out of what is a man made situation, such as investing in green technlogies and environmental tourism. Casting aside environmental protection because we humans are finding it a bit tough at the moment is short sighted. Future generations will not thank us for if we allow species to go extinct and countryside to be destroyed, because we're short of cash. If anything the environment needs protecting most at the moment because people are putting these views forward. Recession won't last forever, but in the natural world when something is gone it is definitely gone.

 

Absolutely spot on.