Bridge that Gap: Great Central Railway News

I would hope that planning permission is but a formality, given the £1 million contribution from the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership and then the purchase of shares by Leicestershire County Council.

Yes, the update in Main Line will be first article I'll read as soon as it arrives!

 

Main Line is reportedly delayed until mid September. Not sure why.

(Maybe because I submitted my article late! Hope not!)

 

And in the picture looking South over the new Abutments doesn't the GCR engine shed look tantalisingly close

David R

 

Waiting for photos of the Bridge Span being craned into place perhaps???????

 

I'd rather get it as soon as possible, I find it to be the best read of the magazines from the various preserved railways I am a member of.

 

The crane for putting the bridge section in place is arriving on site, and is been built ready for the lift most likely in September and will be done over night when the MR line can be shut. http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify/

 

The companies that hire out these cranes are not usually known for being charitable as each day is about the same cost as a large family car. So it's in their interest to get the job done quickly. Be prepared to be surprised.

 

Main bridge bearer beams were craned into position earlier this morning during a MML possession. It will be interesting to see wether the crane stays or is dismantled and returns in September.

 

Moderators - isn't it about time those nay-sayers question marks were deleted from this thread title?

Andy

 

Hope it's OK to post an image taken from the GCR Facebook group this morning, showing the bearer beams being swung into place last night, during the MML possession. Credit to the original photographer for the excellent image. At the GCR AGM it was announced that the bridge span would be put in place weekend of 2/3 Sept ( ie next weekend) if all went well.

 

Beautiful shot. I'd heard rumours about when the bridge span was going in, but nothing official. Thanks for the report that it should (fingers crossed!) go in next weekend.... it's only been six weeks since the first concrete blocks turned up on site! Never expected it to go up that quickly.

 

It's going really well. (Thanks for removing the question marks, no-one can question that it will happen!)

Andy

 

Well, we've gone a bit beyond the point of turning back now, the bridge going in (a magnificent achievement in itself) is surely going to give added impetus to the rest of the project.

 

They do appear to have dropped the proposal of giving advance publicity to when the installation will take place though, which was mentioned in various editions of Main Line - i.e. - "it will be quite a spectacle and there will be opportunities to come and watch".
Will be interesting to see if they do get round to quoting a date on their website before it happens.......

 

What is the state of the bridge over the canal? Is it just a case of re-laying the track or is there other work required?

 

The canal bridge is in place but needs a fair amount of work, but considering it has had little or no maintenance for 50 odd years is not in bad condition.

The date for the bridge over the MML installation has still not officially been announced, there is a lot of speculation that it will be next a Sunday morning early. Still need the bridge components to be delivered.

 

From the Geograph website (click on pictures to go to the larger originals) - a canal level view:
Great Central Bridge, Grand Union Canal

© Copyright Stephen McKay and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

And the deck of the bridge:
Bridge over the Grand Union Canal, Loughborough, Leicestershire

© Copyright Christine Matthews and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

John Webb

 

Press release by the GCR advises that the bridge deck will be craned into place on the night of Sat 02 Sept and early Sun 03 Sept!

 

Once the connection is made is there ' a plan' for the northern end either terms of infrastructure or operation to receive trains from the GCR south /?>