Bridge that Gap: Great Central Railway News

Having just posted that reply, it occurs to me, wouldn't it be a good idea for discussion of Leicester station and Museum to be a thread of its own, rather than muddled with the Bridge thread?
Andy

 

There is one, but it's about 5 pages away now!
http://www.national-preservation.com/threads/gcr-nrm-almost-£10-million-lottery-win.494520/

 

There's one thing on the GCR's Web page for the project which I don't quite follow, maybe someone can clarify it for me:

An access route has been created between the north and south site underneath the MML track

Does this mean they have put in some sort of access road under the MML, that runs between the two embankments? It look like the MML goes across the stream on a bridge there, so I suppose it's possible, but is there enough clearance?

Noel

 

Looks like they have used the MML bridge over Hermitage Brook as a pedestrian underpass, probably with a scaffolding walkway. Certainly makes accessing the south side from the main site compound a lot easier.

 

We could have done with a bridge that wide to take the A7 over the Borders Railway.

 

This site has different, and more up to date, pictures of the work than the Official website !

http://www.gcrleicester.info/html/bridging_the_gap.html#20170416

 

The first few pictures there show "the original embankment being reduced". Why was that necessary? If anything I would expect the new bridge to need to be higher than the old one to allow for electrification of the MML.

 

From the article in the last Main Line the earth embankment is being replaced by a couple of pre-cast concrete arches which will be clad in blue brick and then a larger span using one of the ex-Reading bridges over the rest of their land and the access road. It enables some car parking spaces underneath for the firm of Preci-Spark who occupy some of the former trackbed and are supportive of the reinstatement scheme.
Looks like this section is going to be constructed at the same time as the MML bridge.

 

Excellent! My thanks to you, for letting us know about it, and to the person who created the site, which is most informative.

Noel

 

Is there any significant progress on the bridge construction site?
The GCR is quite busy and has many departments. There I've found a new appeal for a second DMU. Will this be used on the mountsorrel railway too?
http://www.loughboroughecho.net/news/local-news/6000-appeal-underway-project-gcr-12953512

 

All of the Met-Cam DMU vehicles are owned by the same group (technically slightly different ownership for the 111 buffet car but under the same umbrella), so it's a fair bet that either DMU could work the Mountsorrel branch once both are in traffic. Since the branch only tends to use a 2-car unit due to the gradients on the line, I would imagine the unit formed as 2 cars would probably be first choice most of the time. I'm guessing though.

 

FYI from today's Loughborough Echo:
"THE CHIEF Executive of the Great Central Railway has stepped down from his position after taking on the role less than a year ago. Andy Munro took over from former managing director Bill Ford in July last year and a spokesperson from the Great Central Railway (GCR) told the Echo that Andy had now stepped down as chief executive for his own family reasons".

Hope all is OK.

http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/2017/05/gcr-management/

http://www.loughboroughecho.net/news/local-news/great-central-railway-ceo-steps-13056429

 

http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify/

 

It goes on!

 

According to the GC Railway Magazine, the charity was able to raise the needed 70000 pounds in order to upgrade the Mountsorrel Railway, allowing the trains running to the Heritage Center more frequently. And that's only in 2 months!!

 

Another update.............

 

Progress with the Bridge works
http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify/


And also at the Mountsorrel branch line, where passenger trains are able to use GCR stations for one weekend!
http://www.loughboroughecho.net/news/local-news/great-central-railway-mountsorrel-passenger-13255534

 

What is the device swinging from the digger at the start of the video? Towards the end of the video it is sitting around one of the new piles.

Andy

 

Is it a Vibrator for bedding down the concrete in the holes around the rebar framework?

 

Hydraulic pile breaker used for trimming.