• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Weather related bridge closures?

Status
Not open for further replies.
trainophile

trainophile

Established Member
Joined
28 Oct 2010
Messages
6,211
Location
Wherever I lay my hat
On my way to Scotland, and in view of the forecast high winds today I wondered whether they ever close the Forth Bridge if there’s bad gales?

Got me wondering if any major rail structures have to be closed in similar situations.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

A

AndyB28

Member
Joined
8 Sep 2018
Messages
73
They certainly do. I was stranded on the Edinburgh side on one occasion and had to stay with friends for the night. I don't remember the exact date but it would have been about 2004/5?
 
J

John Webb

Established Member
Joined
5 Jun 2010
Messages
3,067
Location
St Albans
I recall reading some time ago of several viaducts (East coast? Wales?) which had wind pressure gauges to measure wind speed. The line would be closed if specified wind speeds were being exceeded. I assume more modern instruments are used these days where needed.
 
L

leightonbd

Member
Joined
4 Oct 2013
Messages
321
Location
Edinburgh (South Sub)
trainophile said:
On my way to Scotland, and in view of the forecast high winds today I wondered whether they ever close the Forth Bridge if there’s bad gales?

Got me wondering if any major rail structures have to be closed in similar situations.
Click to expand...

I don’t recall ever hearing of the rail bridge being closed on grounds of wind (it’s currently open).

The old road bridge was quite often closed to ‘high sided vehicles’ - as it is just now (11.09 am). The new one (Queensferry Crossing) has windbreaks on the sides so may be more resilient; it’s currently open.

Link:https://www.theforthbridges.org/
 
F

Failed Unit

Established Member
Joined
26 Jan 2009
Messages
8,881
Location
Central Belt
leightonbd said:
I don’t recall ever hearing of the rail bridge being closed on grounds of wind (it’s currently open).

The old road bridge was quite often closed to ‘high sided vehicles’ - as it is just now (11.09 am). The new one (Queensferry Crossing) has windbreaks on the sides so may be more resilient; it’s currently open.

Link:https://www.theforthbridges.org/
Click to expand...
As post 2 states, I can think of 2 occasions the line has closed. Now this may not be because of the bridge itself.

The 2nd closed the entire ScotRail central belt network. I was travelling that day trains were hitting too many obstacles (including trampolines). This actually lead to all services getting withdrawn.

The first occasion was a withdrawal of all services in Fife. (Including both bridges). But no shuttles ran either.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top