Bridge that Gap: Great Central Railway News

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...

 

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?

 

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...

 

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.

 

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?

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

Perhaps they also want a town at each end of said line?

 

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

 

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

 

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...?

 

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 ?

 

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

 

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.....

 

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...?

 

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

 

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