Barmouth / Y Bermo bridge

[Tomos y Tanc]

There's a very interesting long read on the the history of Barmouth bridge and plans for its future on BBC Online

The 'Trigger's broom' of bridges is to undergo a £30m restoration in a bid to keep the 154-year-old structure safe.
In the classic Only Fools and Horses scene, Trigger proudly reveals he has used the same broom for 20 years, saying deadpan: "This old thing has had 17 new heads and 14 new handles!"
Much like Trigger's broom, there is little remaining of the original 1867 Barmouth Bridge in north-west Wales.
Now the Grade II listed rail and foot bridge will undergo another facelift.

 

[Gwenllian2001]

There's a very interesting long read on the the history of Barmouth bridge and plans for its future on BBC Online

It's just a bit of lazy journalism. 'Trigger's Broom' used to be William the Conquerer's broom when I was a lad. In any case, things ger renewed from time to time on most things. Perhaps Flying Scotsman should be known as 'Bruce's Broom'.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It's just a bit of lazy journalism. 'Trigger's Broom' used to be William the Conquerer's broom when I was a lad. In any case, things ger renewed from time to time on most things. Perhaps Flying Scotsman should be known as 'Bruce's Broom'.

Putting a couple of pictures of Roger Lloyd-Pack in the article is further laziness.
A great actor but entirely irrelevant to the job in hand.

 

[Gloster]

It's just a bit of lazy journalism. 'Trigger's Broom' used to be William the Conquerer's broom when I was a lad. In any case, things ger renewed from time to time on most things. Perhaps Flying Scotsman should be known as 'Bruce's Broom'.

It did strike me as a bit of cheap headline grabbing by tying it in to a TV show, although there are probably more who will read the item because of the reference than those who (like me) switch off as soon as they see the reference. In my day it was grandfather’s axe with so many new heads and hafts.

 

[zwk500]

In my day it was grandfather’s axe with so many new heads and hafts.

Is the original not Theseus' Ship?

 

[snowball]

Network Rail press release with video

Barmouth Viaduct restoration recommences following summer staycation boost

Network Rail is reminding passengers that work to restore Barmouth Viaduct restarts this weekend, after one of the busiest summer seasons in living memory

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Network Rail is reminding passengers that work to restore Barmouth Viaduct restarts this weekend, after one of the busiest summer seasons in living memory

The vital £30m restoration project has been carefully planned to avoid the busy summer months and that’s helped cement Barmouth’s position as southern Snowdonia’s most popular seaside spot, with Barmouth recently named the third fastest growing holiday destination in the UK*.

Passengers, visitors and the local community are reminded that, with the peak Summer season over, the viaduct will be completely closed, including the walkway, from Sunday 12 September to Sunday 12 December 2021, in order to allow the work to be carried out safely.

 

[philthetube]

I wonder how many people are seriously inconvenienced by this, people living/working on opposite sides of the river, not necessarily train passengers.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Considering the road journey from Morffa Mawddach to Barmouth is 40-odd minutes, probably a fair number.

 

[py_megapixel]

Isn't there a boat across to Fairbourne?

 

[splashoutradio]

Isn't there a boat across to Fairbourne?

There is a summer only tourist boat across the estuary, but it's far from luxurious as this stock image shows.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

The walkway was not closed when the railway was closed c1981! Quite a few people from Fairbourne and Arthog shall be greatly inconvenienced. For the duration Dolgellau shall be nearer and easier to reach than Y Bermo.

Is the Pemaenpool bridge open?

 

[Llanigraham]

There is a summer only tourist boat across the estuary, but it's far from luxurious as this stock image shows.

And if the Fairbourne isn't running it's a long and windy walk to the station!

 

[Penmorfa]

That seasonal f

There is a summer only tourist boat across the estuary, but it's far from luxurious as this stock image shows.

That ferry is a long walk from Fairbourne, unless the Fairbourne Railway can be persuaded to run a rail rail replacement service, the boat could then be a boat rail replacement service. Sorry, this is getting silly.

 

[RPI]

Surely it would be cheaper to build a new bridge at some point, though I appreciate that it is a listed structure.

 

[trebor79]

Surely it would be cheaper to build a new bridge at some point, though I appreciate that it is a listed structure.

From the article, it sounds that a new bridge is exactly what is being built, just in better materials and (more or less) to the original design.

 

[RPI]

From the article, it sounds that a new bridge is exactly what is being built, just in better materials and (more or less) to the original design.

Very true!

 

[snowball]

There have been features about the works to Barmouth Bridge in both Rail and Modern Railways within the last year or so, but I can't remember the dates.

 

[1955LR]

Not sure if this is the right thread but does anyone know if the bus replacement from Machynlleth to Pwllheli runs all the way or is there a rail shuttle north of Barmouth

 

[Llanigraham]

Not sure if this is the right thread but does anyone know if the bus replacement from Machynlleth to Pwllheli runs all the way or is there a rail shuttle north of Barmouth

I've just checked the TfW journey planner and it confirms it is coach all the way, which isn't really surprising as there are no train servicing facilities at Pwllheli

 

[splashoutradio]

Not sure if this is the right thread but does anyone know if the bus replacement from Machynlleth to Pwllheli runs all the way or is there a rail shuttle north of Barmouth

The buses run the full length from Machynlleth to Pwllheli, with trains running as normal between Aberystwyth, Machynlleth, Shrewsbury and Birmingham. There's an early morning journey that starts at Barmouth and some busses are limited stop. The full timetable is available here: http://www.railwaydata.co.uk/timetables/Oct21/timetable.php?table=152

Edit: perhaps unsurprisingly, especially as the trains to/from Aberystwyth do, the buses don't call at Dovey Junction,

 

[Bletchleyite]

Edit: perhaps unsurprisingly, especially as the trains to/from Aberystwyth do, the buses don't call at Dovey Junction,

As there's nothing there and it's purely an interchange there wouldn't be a lot of point

 

[30907]

Not sure if this is the right thread but does anyone know if the bus replacement from Machynlleth to Pwllheli runs all the way or is there a rail shuttle north of Barmouth

A rail shuttle isn't practicable over any length of time because swapping the unit/s over requires a low loader to negotiate Barmouth streets. It was done a while back (and I think more recently).
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/watch-entire-train-squeezed-through-12003339

 

[1955LR]

Thanks for the info. which confirms my own understanding . I posted the question as my initial phone contact this morning with TFW advised me that that the bus from Machynlleth went to Barmouth to pick up the train, which I questioned as I didn't believe there were any facilities for such a rail service to the north. . I have just had a call back from TFW to confirm it is buses all the way and that they do not have toilet facilities.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

So no trains in service along the Cambrian Coast route between Dovey Junction to/from Pwllheli, on all days between Sunday 12 September 2021 and Sunday 12 December 2021, is that right?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thanks for the info. which confirms my own understanding . I posted the question as my initial phone contact this morning with TFW advised me that that the bus from Machynlleth went to Barmouth to pick up the train, which I questioned as I didn't believe there were any facilities for such a rail service to the north. . I have just had a call back from TFW to confirm it is buses all the way and that they do not have toilet facilities.

It really annoys me that providing for one set of disabled travellers (wheelchair users) has been done at the expense of a far more common set of disabled travellers (those requiring frequent toilet access, be that due to Crohn's, IBS or similar or simply age) by putting low floor buses on very long RRB runs instead of more suitable coaches. PSVAR really makes no sense applied to RRBs; a more railway-like requirement for provision rather than every vehicle would make much more sense. Indeed, it makes no sense for scheduled coaches either - if the service car is accessible, duplicates really don't need to be.

 

[Llanigraham]

As there's nothing there and it's purely an interchange there wouldn't be a lot of point

It has been known for locals to walk down the footpath to the station.

So no trains in service along the Cambrian Coast route between Dovey Junction to/from Pwllheli, on all days between Sunday 12 September 2021 and Sunday 12 December 2021, is that right?

Yes, that is correct.

It really annoys me that providing for one set of disabled travellers (wheelchair users) has been done at the expense of a far more common set of disabled travellers (those requiring frequent toilet access, be that due to Crohn's, IBS or similar or simply age) by putting low floor buses on very long RRB runs instead of more suitable coaches. PSVAR really makes no sense applied to RRBs; a more railway-like requirement for provision rather than every vehicle would make much more sense. Indeed, it makes no sense for scheduled coaches either - if the service car is accessible, duplicates really don't need to be.

In this area, if you want to demand that then quite simply there would be NO bus service at all. Even the Traws Cymru service doesn't have toliets!

 

[mrcheek]

They should get the Sugababes to reopen it

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I'm going to be in the area next week, and I'm going to have to take the Rail Replacement Bus Services from Machynlleth to the north on about three occasions. However, although it's disappointing, because I'd much prefer to be on the train, I understand why it's being done and that it's unavoidable.

I've been aware of the alterations for a while, and I've built them into my plans. I appreciate, though, that this might be difficult for the locals, and they do have my sympathy.

Surely it would be cheaper to build a new bridge at some point, though I appreciate that it is a listed structure.

From the article, it sounds that a new bridge is exactly what is being built, just in better materials and (more or less) to the original design.

I appreciate that RPIs comment could be a little tongue in cheek, but it really doesn't seem to be a practical proposition to build a new bridge. There could be room at the south end, but I doubt that there's any at the north end for a new bridge.

In addition, as it's a listed building, I guess that Network Rail would still have to maintain it, even if it wasn't being used. It might end up in the long run being cheaper to do what they're doing, even though it might not sound like it now.

 

[Pat Figg]

Thanks for the info. which confirms my own understanding . I posted the question as my initial phone contact this morning with TFW advised me that that the bus from Machynlleth went to Barmouth to pick up the train, which I questioned as I didn't believe there were any facilities for such a rail service to the north. . I have just had a call back from TFW to confirm it is buses all the way and that they do not have toilet facilities.

I caught the bus from Pwllheli to Machynlleth on Saturday night and it was a coach with toilet facilities. I wasn't paying much attention but I don't think we stopped everywhere and in Barmouth we were delayed waiting for a connecting service. I assume that covered some of the smaller stations in between Harlech and Barmouth but nobody got on anyway.

I also caught it from Pwllheli to Porthmadog earlier in the week and that was a small minibus. That was the 2025 service and there seemed to be another service leaving at 2040. I think the one I was on was going to stop at most stations and the later one was missing some out. As I got off at Porthmadog though I don't really know what happened after that. I think the later service was a coach so I probably would have chosen that if I was doing a longer journey.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I've just returned to Aberystwyth, having travelled to Harlech and back, and I can confirm that there are two types of services from Machynlleth.

One is a direct service which stops at the major stations (Tywyn, Barmouth, Harlech and then, I think, a few more stations to Pwhelli; this is a coach. The other is an "all stations" stopper, which is a minibus. I took that direct service there and back, but I saw the minibus version in Harlech. The services seem to work well, which is good. I'm getting the coach again tomorrow to Tywyn and then the minibus to Fairbourne on Thursday.

They also seem to be taking the opportunity of relaying stretches of track whilst the line is closed. On the way up, I saw that the track between (I think) Aberdyfi and Barmouth has been or was being relayed as we went past. I don't know how far they're going to do this, but it makes sense to do it while they can do so without more disruption.