Bridge that Gap: Great Central Railway News

Thanks Phil, it looks like Bridge 307 is something of a black hole information wise!

 

Driving under the A60 bridge today there were several people at work and some vegetation has already been cut down on the embankment.
There was also this lorry with concrete segments that looked as though it was waiting to go into the site...

 

Good to see some concrete progress ...... I'll just get my coat ....

 

Those are TVCBs, they're crash barriers (think segregation between vehicles and pedestrians on building sites). Sounds like they're getting the compound ready.

 

The vegetation has been cleared from the West side of the embankment. There are quite a few concrete segments waiting...


and they are being used to narrow the base of the embankment and widen the roadway.


Which leads to the Network Rail worksite where the Midland Main Line crosses the brook by the new GCR bridge.

 

Interesting. I've not seen TVCBs laid on the flat like that before, it's quite an imaginative way of building a low retaining wall without needing to resort to insitu concrete or gabion baskets. I wonder how the layers are fixed together or whether the design is reliant upon friction and the deadweight of the blocks to resist sliding.

I wonder why though the embankment is being narrowed- I assume (as nothing has been said about rebuilding the embankment north of the bridge in the immediate future) that this needs to be done to achieve adequate room or the site compound/ allow access for large lorries and plant?

 

I believe there is a new owner of the land and they did not want any traffic on their land - note there is a second gate in the new fencing. (I thought that land was owned by the private school and was a paddock?).

 

Interesting photo's Phil, thanks for posting.
In the first, which you've noted shows the vegetation clearance, could there also be evidence of some slippage? It looks as if there could be a slump line near the top of the bank that extends from somewhere above the worksite gate along towards the fixed distant/warning board where the chord starts to turn away. If so, this might be a reason for digging away the toe of the slope and adding concrete blocks to provide extra support without having to impinge on the access roadway as providing a berm would.

 

Hi NBDR
I think that "slippage" is more to do with the extra spoil added to the embankments three/four years ago. When they built the New MML bridge, they did create a big spoil pile on that paddock land and this was then distributed along the embankment to return the land to its former state.

 

Thanks, I wasn't aware of the spoil distribution following construction of the MML bridge. Hopefully that means the existing earthworks remain stable.

 

I have this picture from 2019 showing some of the work done distributing the spoil on the original embankment.

 

Another interesting photo, thanks again Phil. Do you know if this was done as part of the adjustment of the embankment to align with the new MML bridge, or was it just to 'lose' the spoil?
It's not usually a good idea to pile too much extra weight on the top of an embankment as it can easily increase the risk of slippage.

 

Here is another view and I think it was done with three reasons......
1 To clear the site and lose the spoil
2 To start raising the trackbed to the higher bridge deck
3 To start the re-alignment

 

Is that spoil the embankment or dumped spoil from another project?

I think the overall project would get a good increase in PR and funds if the Northern embankment could be built up into its final configuration to the MML bridge, then lay some track again in the final configuration for placement of some rolling stock (temp.) for special media events.

The shot from the footplate at the Northern end looking the last few 100yds to the South would focus minds and wallets.

 

The spoil is from the section of removed Northern embankment, the spoil from the abutment pile holes and the lowered Preci Spark car park.
I totally agree that the project could do with a PR boost, but to do it at the North end would be relatively expensive if done temporarily - and take longer and at even more expense, if done to the final design.
I believe a much better alternative would be to lay some track, from the existing track North of the loco shed, over the canal bridge. This would be far cheaper and easier with the iconic lattice parapets and canal barge etc images. It is also much more accessible for stock and photographers. This could be achieved and act as a celebration for the 50th Anniversary (First running of steam on the preserved GCR) in Jan 2023.

 

That sounds interesting..... I suppose the usual January accolade will tie in with this?

 

The work on the A60 bridge embankment is continuing with the roadway nearly reaching the works compound.


This compound is for the work being done on the MML bridge across the stream. There are 4 pipelines/pumps being used to divert the stream where it goes under the MML.

 

I had a drive by yesterday and this is the current status of the embankment and access.

 

Work on the A60 bridge should be starting very soon with the removal of track and ballast. Then cranes will be used to lift the old bridge at the beginning of October. The lower part of abutments will be repaired and new top sections built. At the end of October cranes will again be used as the new concrete top pieces will be installed, followed by the new bridge sections.

 

News from the GCR website.

The A60 bridge work starts this weekend!

"Temporary road closures are will be in place on the A60 Nottingham Road between the junction of Station Boulevard, Loughborough, and the junction of Loughborough Road, Cotes, from 01st October 2022 to allow Volker Laser, on behalf of the GCR to safely undertake works to replace the rail overbridge.

The existing 120 year old structure is life expired and has been struck many times by over height lorries. Replacing it with a twin track structure, will allow freight trains from the national rail network to use the line again as well as paving the way for heritage trains to run between Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire as part of the Reunification project".