Broadway Bridges - Repairs

Not certain costs would stop events. At Bearley there is a low bridge on A3400. It has sensor height warning signs, flashing lights etc. This did not stop an HGV driver ramming the bridge. It was a new outfit owned by a major transport company. The trailer body was ripped rigt off and was imediately written off. The tractor was recovered but found to have a twisted chassis and also written off. I knew the transport manager socially and he reluctantly agreed that dispite this expensive incident it was likely to happen to one of his outfits somewhere.

 

I recall reading about a bridge strike on the SVR a while ago, and the apparent disinterest of the police when the vehicle details were reported to them.
Are they now stretched so thin that they are selective in what crimes or offences they actually deal with?

In the circumstances maybe "self-defence" ie sacrificial beams are the answer, assuming it is "your" bridge and not one belonging to the highways authority....

 

I found the minutes of the meeting but it doesn't say an awful lot, I know there is some definite things written down on paper as I've seen a big envelope marked "Winchcombe site development plans" or something similar, but I haven't had a chance to see. What the minutes do say roughly is:

Clearance work has taken place ( behind the C+W workshops and sidings so that we can see what land we actually have);
A number of groups have expressed interest in the area (S&T would like their own workshop rather than an old coach which I think is somewhere way way down on our list to restore as a running coach anyway, B&S might get something more substntial than their current building and I think P'way would like something as well);
And a team is being led to look at all the possibilities and how they will benefit the railway as a whole.

I also heard murmurings from a couple of volunteers about suggestions to make the main base of the railway at Winchcombe with trains starting an terminating there and loco facilities being moved to Winchcombe (again!) There were a few other parts to this idea about what to do at Toddington but I can't remember them at the moment. I have no idea how much gravitas is behind this idea, I suspect little, what with a lot of investment going into both the loco facilities at Toddington and the C+W facilities at Winchcombe recently.

 

This must be a contender for the 'most hit bridge' award

Even the beam takes a pounding

 

Brilliant - thanks for showing.
There was a second strike last night at 22.30! Similar damage as the first, heavy scratches underneath. Articulated, curtain side lorry - Driver failed to stop.

 

Totally hucking foursome Rodney!

 

Already!!?? Definitely something needs to be done sooner rather than later, were driver details taken, or did he get away?

 

He did, but left the cab roof as evidence

Tom

(Avoidance of doubt disclaimer: comment made in jest and should not be taken as evidence of any knowledge about the incident on the part of the author...)

 

Just noticed the blog post, and read that the driver got away, hopefully someone knows something though.

 

7 months, just over £1/2 million and now up to 3 bridge strikes later the bridges to Broadway are completed. ho many more hits until something is done? Hopefully not many, although it highlights very well why they needed so much work in the first place. Thanks to Jo for documenting it all.

 

It was a joint effort with John, our structures engineer, who supervised the works on behalf of the railway. A 'dynamic duo', if you like. Remember that? (Not you, Alex, too young )

 

Noticed another bridge with a "crash beam" today, at Amberley, Sussex (adjacent to the Amberley Heritage Centre). Google Street View (dated 2013) doesn't show it, so it must be a very recent addition - certainly I don't remember it before, and I travel that road several times per year on average. Just in case you are still searching for examples!

Tom

 

As I'm rarely able to visit the GWSR these days, the blogs are a great way to keep up with what's going on. Now that the Broadway bridges contract is completed I'd like to publically add my thanks to the folks who have provided the blog material and of course, to the contractors who seem to have done an excellent job (I know this stuff is what they are paid to do but it still can be daunting work so thank you). Thanks also to the many supporters far and wide. Clearly, ongoing bridge strikes will, like the pox, always be with us but mitigation (and prosecution if possible) is the only answer I guess. Now for the trackside clearance, trackbed preparation, ballast, rail and all that stuff!

 

That's rather worrying TOM, its been there at least a couple of years now and was put up after a run of fresh produce lorry strikes. It has certainly done its job, several strike marks can be seen on it. I was following a Tesco petrol lorry the other day coming back from the Spa Valley and he got under with what looked like just inches to spare, in fact I actually stopped thinking he was going to hit the beam. Why he did not use the recognized A280 and A27 lorry I do not know,

The bridges at Pulborough on the A283 and walls on the narrow A29 at Hardham also get hit, I remember when I used to use the trains we were detained at Pulborough one evening and most of the passenger went to the Waters Edge pub until the civils came and gave the ok. Gaurd came down and got us ( well most of us) out of the pub when the ok was given.

Brian

 

I would suggest the GWSR contacts the local County Councillor (who lives in Broadway and is very supportive of the return of the railway) to lobby for action by Worcestershire Highways.

 

It's always good to see examples, to see what our 'big brother' is doing. Thank you! Among the various options the sacrificial beam appears to be used most frequently. But it's no open and shut case, it's expensive, with many other issues.

 

One road too far south Martin. Haslucks green road is the over bridge at the station. The bridge you are thinking of is Colebrook road.

 

CCTV will be the best bet for starters, so you will be able to claim of their insurance for any repairs including repainting the damaged metalwork.

 

You can add the cost of track removal and crane hire to lift the bridge back into allignment and track replacement afterwards. Spending 6 months with a 5 mph TSR from a bridge strike is no fun either