GCR Bridge Project

IanXC · 2 Oct 2017

Flying Phil said:
I see the older thread on the GCR Museum has been "Closed" so a more general thread on the GGC might well be appropriate and keep the Bridge thread for the bridge and gap infrastructure?

Please use the report function should you wish us to consider reopening a thread.

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mushroomchow · 3 Oct 2017

Has there been any update on further bridge decking installation? Presumably the boo-boo with the last "lift" has essentially cost them an extra line possession to get it finished?

That one panel looked awfully lonely at the last check. :lol:

Flying Phil · 9 Oct 2017

From the GCR website.
GREAT CENTRAL SETS SIGHTS ON CANAL BRIDGE AS ‘NEXT STEP’ FOR REUNIFICATION

Contact Lili Tabiner 07939 484516
Date: 05/10/2017

WORK LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE IN AUTUMN 2018

Great Central Railway is preparing to renovate a historic bridge over the Grand Union Canal as part of its project to create an eighteen mile heritage railway. The bridge is a late Victorian structure which crosses the canal in Loughborough, just to the north of the Railway’s engine sheds.

In September, long held ambitions to build a new bridge over the four track Midland main line were realised by enthusiasts who want to reconnect two halves of the Great Central Railway. This bridge was the first part of a chain of infrastructure that needs to be rebuilt to create an eighteen mile heritage line running almost between Leicester and Nottingham.

Michael Gough, the Railway’s General Manager said, “As the final touches are applied to the new bridge, the question now being asked is ‘What next?’ The most obvious section to tackle next is renovating the bridge over the Grand Union Canal. Undertaking this work does not require planning permission and access to the site is relatively easy from both the rear of the engine shed and from the canal towpath beneath.”

A full survey was carried out on the bridge in 2014 which allowed contractors to establish what work is needed to repair it. It last carried trains in 1969 before the original Great Central Railway was shut by British Railways. Michael adds: “We have obtained three quotes for the work and expect it to cost in the region of £400,000. We believe we can raise the funds for the work over the next 12 months.”

Cowley · 9 Oct 2017

Thanks Phil. I'm hoping to visit my family in Quorn around Christmas so I'm looking forward to having a look at what's been done so far.

Flying Phil · 10 Oct 2017

Well, unfortunately most of my previous pictures are not showing on the new website - hopefully though that may be sorted soon. Still in the light of the news from the GCR re the canal bridge, this is what it looks like now.

STEVIEBOY1 · 10 Oct 2017

It is good to see the progress on this project☺

fflint · 11 Oct 2017

Thanks again Phil and others for your inputs. Can I ask how long is the Canal bridge and will they use 2 tracks or just a single line? Is the bridge adjacent to the engine shed?

Flying Phil · 11 Oct 2017

Today's visit shows that 4 Bridge deck sections are in place and the other 4 are on site.
Re the canal bridge - I think it is about 15 m long and to the North of the engine shed by about 150m. I think the plan is to have two tracks running alongside the engine shed and over the canal bridge - then down to a single track somewhere along the embankment and over the road/car park/Main line.

Flying Phil · 11 Oct 2017

Incidentally and a bit "Off Topic" as I have been visiting the GC quite often I thought that I ought to actually "Do" something so I have been painting the "non running" Windcutter wagons whilst they have been in Quorn Station yard. So far I have only painted the railway side!
Despite blowing a gale today I was able to finally get the white diagonal stripes painted.

Cowley · 11 Oct 2017

They look the business Phil.

Ploughman · 13 Oct 2017

Just found this.
https://www.railengineer.uk/2017/10/13/reinstating-great-centrals-bridge-over-the-midland-main-line/

In the early hours of Sunday 3 September 2017, a long-held ambition to reinstate a demolished Great Central Railway bridge across the Midland main line at Loughborough took a major step forward as the two main beams of a new bridge were installed after overnight works by contractors.

There are many heritage railways in the UK; some small and some with a very strong presence. One thing they all have in common is very strong support from volunteers, usually supported by some paid professionals.

Some of the heritage railways also offer more than just a nostalgic or scenic trip by contributing to the general development of railways in the UK. One such is the Great Central, effectively occupying the East Midlands’ remainder of the Great Central Railway main line to London. It was closed as a through route to London in 1966, although the stretch between Nottingham and Rugby didn’t close to passengers until 1969.

Flying Phil · 19 Oct 2017

Thanks for that link Ploughman.
Work on the bridge site continues, as another three of the bridge deck sections have been installed - there is one section left, and the blue brick stacks have got smaller as they are being laid around the concrete (but at present hidden behind the screens I think).

Flying Phil · 23 Oct 2017

The blue brick cladding is now 6 feet high on the North abutment and brick cladding work is starting on the South abutment.

The final decking section has not yet been installed, but there are now attachment brackets on the South beam for the walkway(?).

Flying Phil · 24 Oct 2017

A quick question re the preceding picture - the two workers are busy slicing blue bricks in half....is this to simulate the appearance of a double thickness (or more) brick wall?

tomatwark · 24 Oct 2017

I think it will be to replicate the other brick work on the other bridges, which look like English Bond.

Flying Phil · 29 Oct 2017

Thanks Tomatwark.
The brickwork is now halfway up the abutments and most of the deck plates for the walkway are installed, together with the stanchions (?) for the side plates.

Cowley · 29 Oct 2017

Thanks for the updates Phil, much appreciated as always.

John Webb · 29 Oct 2017

My thanks too - You started this thread in April last year - and here we are with a substantially completed bridge - what progress!

Flying Phil · 30 Oct 2017

John Webb said:
My thanks too - You started this thread in April last year - and here we are with a substantially completed bridge - what progress!

Yes it has been very good to see how quickly the bridge has been built, as building the abutments only really started in April this year! Whilst I was there on Sunday, the weekend normal train arrived from Ruddington hauled by the Standard 2.
I hope that the point is put into the Chord line soon and the remaining section of embankment to the North abutment is built up, so that track can then be laid up to and over the new bridge. Obviously steam engines on the bridge over the MML, will give gorgeous photo opportunities. That will again give great publicity for the project, which is obviously 2-4(?) years from completion. If the point is "Locked" out of use during the week then any Gypsum/NR traffic is unaffected?

AndyY1951 · 30 Oct 2017

I thought the plan was for the lines to diverge north of the bridge over the A60, so refurbishment of this to allow double track over it will have to come first?
Andy

Flying Phil · 30 Oct 2017

Hi Andy
I know the A60 bridge is planned to be refurbed, but, as it is in use now, the idea of a point, in the near future, is an intrim solution to keep the momentum (funds etc) going for the project.

mushroomchow · 30 Oct 2017

AndyY1951 said:
I thought the plan was for the lines to diverge north of the bridge over the A60, so refurbishment of this to allow double track over it will have to come first?
Andy

@Flying Phil may know more about track layout plans than me and whether anything else has been finalised, but here's my tuppence.

I'm not sure on the final plans - that was certainly the plan in the past when the northern section were planning a station with a runaround north of the "gap", but that was based on the original straight alignment rather than the more sinuous route now planned. In the plan below, there will be a gentle left curve with the MML crossing roughly where the tree line on the left of the trackbed is. I'm not sure it would have too much bearing on track laying, but may make a straight points connection at the southern end of the A60 bridge more logical.

There is definitely room along the route for a fairly lengthy "double tracking", mind you - practically the whole route is laid with the "up" trackbed intact as far as 50 Steps Junction. A short double track stretch as far as, say, Stanford Viaduct may be desirable in the short term to allow greater flexibility and to allow heritage running to occur alongside Gypsum flows in the future.

To my knowledge, the layout is yet to be finalised - all we know for sure is that the bridge itself and the viaduct directly south of it as far as the canal will be single track. Apart from that, it's all up for discussion (funding permitting).

STEVIEBOY1 · 31 Oct 2017

Is the plan above, an impression of what may happen eventually? or is it definite?

AndyY1951 · 31 Oct 2017

It can only be an impression. No date I can spot, but it does mention 'Railtrack'.

Andy

Flying Phil · 31 Oct 2017

That impression does say "Temporary" and is several years old so certainly not definite.
I suspect the actual track plans are still fluid as the "Ideal" solution may well be too expensive - certainly at this point in time. The problem re locomotive shed access across an active double track is very difficult to resolve, how far the double track goes after going over the canal bridge is uncertain and that impacts upon the embankment width/design/structure. Exciting times though!

Flying Phil · 1 Nov 2017

The brick work on the North abutment is creeping higher but the final bridge deck section is still on the ground.

There is no change to be seen on the South abutment.
And a big "Thank You" to the Mods/tech crew on this site as my photograph images have all been restored.

Mogulb · 1 Nov 2017

Thanks Phil. Nice to have up to the minute updates.

The southern interim terminus drawing was published 18 years ago, so may not be the current thinking.

Cowley · 1 Nov 2017

Without going back through the whole forum, do you Phil or anyone else know what happened with the plan a few years ago to locate the old Workington shed north of Loughborough Central?
Was it to be to the left of the current shed as you head north? Is that land still available or would there be major planning permission problems with unhappy neighbours etc?
Thanks.

AndyY1951 · 1 Nov 2017

Looking on Google earth, there aren't any neighbours to be unhappy, although I heard that Network Rail were concerned about smoke obscuring their line! It would be accessed by a line a going to the right once over the canal. I believe the main problem was the poor ground conditions which would mean expensive foundations. I do think this site should be revisited.

Cowley · 1 Nov 2017

AndyY1951 said:
Looking on Google earth, there aren't any neighbours to be unhappy, although I heard that Network Rail were concerned about smoke obscuring their line! It would be accessed by a line a going to the right once over the canal. I believe the main problem was the poor ground conditions which would mean expensive foundations. I do think this site should be revisited.

Thanks Andy.

GCR Bridge Project

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