Bridge strike at Plymouth (30/08)

[alastair]

This does not look good. https://www.devonlive.com/news/devo...5yMdPgDaMKpZFj-XnvXBHvcVjgUaH1ISsoP-DqSCnIOHn

Disruption to trains and nearby roads is expected until the end of the day after a lorry wedged itself under a Plymouth bridge.

The lorry first became stuck some time just before 3.30pm today (August 30) underneath the train bridge in Mannamead.


Other vehicles can not get through as a result of the lorry-shaped blockage.

Some westbound XC's seem to be turning round at Totnes.

 

[londonmidland]

A picture showing the damage caused to the bridge. All lines blocked as a result.

 

[PHILIPE]

GWR saying could be closed until end of the day with passengers, especially at Exeter St Davids, all over the place trying to get information.
GWR saying only limited road transport available.

Extract from GWR Journey Check

Cancellations to services between Plymouth and Totnes


Due to a lorry colliding with a bridge between Plymouth and Totnes all lines are closed.
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
Extremely limited replacement road transport has been sourced to run between Exeter St. Davids and Plymouth. Passengers are advised not to travel between these stations.
South Western Railway are conveying passengers between Exeter St Davids and London Waterloo in both directions until further notice. Arrangements have been made for Great Western Railway rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.
CrossCountry are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice. Arrangements have been made for Great Western Railway rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.

Information on the ground virtually non-existent

 

[py_megapixel]

Based on the picture in that news article and the Google Street View for what I assume must be the bridge in question, the driver must have ignored at least two signs warning them of the 10'9 height limit in conjuction with the mandatory notice in their cab informing them of the vehicle height.

If that is indeed what happened then they should be stripped of their drivers license and maybe they or their company should foot the bill for all the delay compensation that will come out of this.

 

[Nova1]

Plymouth rail services disrupted after lorry hits bridge - BBC News

this image is hilarious to me, how on earth that driver thought he'd fit is beyond me. I hope the driver is held accountable and the company is expected to pay for repairs to the infastructure.
apparently there is significant damage to the bridge, it's been lifted up by a few inches, and the rails have been moved slighty.

and meanwhile on the passenger side, CrossCountry have said they've been unable to source road transport. Going to be a long night if you wanted to go in or out of Cornwall and Plymouth (as I imagine many may want to at the end of a long bank holiday!)

XC services from the east are terminating at Totnes. I expect they'll have a unit or two and crew "cut off" to the west.

GWR are advising "do not travel" between Exeter and Plymouth, and the Night Riviera is cancelled in both directions tonight.

 

[CheapAndNerdy]

Looking at it from the other side (https://goo.gl/maps/QJGm4j1t2fNfViw5A) you can see that the road is on an incline and the headroom at the far end is less. I wonder if the driver ignored the signs and just saw the size of the tunnel entrance?

 

[Horizon22]

Large Tesco lorry which was 0.6m higher than the bridge height has struck the bridge. Line expected to be shut until the end of service today and beyond. It's reported that the line has been raised. Trains are terminating at Exeter, Netwon Abbot and Totnes where possible. Currently hundreds stranded at Exeter SD.

 

[GB]

Line potentially closed for a couple of days. Has lifted the rails and cracked sleepers.

 

[Nova1]

Looking at it from the other side (https://goo.gl/maps/QJGm4j1t2fNfViw5A) you can see that the road is on an incline and the headroom at the far end is less. I wonder if the driver ignored the signs and just saw the size of the tunnel entrance?

Probably - but still, the driver should know better. They should know the height of their vehicle. It wouldn't have even been that far to divert to a bridge over the railway!

Other bridges have these "strike plates" (not sure of official name), so overheight vehicles hit that instead of ripping apart the bridge.

(This bridge is near Grantham)

As you can see here, the structure in front of the bridge meant there was no damage to the actual bridge, allowing services to continue.

 

[py_megapixel]

Looking at it from the other side (https://goo.gl/maps/QJGm4j1t2fNfViw5A) you can see that the road is on an incline and the headroom at the far end is less. I wonder if the driver ignored the signs and just saw the size of the tunnel entrance?

In my view that is no excuse. Height limits are signs on every low bridge for a reason. Vehicle heights are posted in every HGV cab for a reason. HGV drivers require specialist training for a reason.

It is their responsibility to know the height of their vehicle and plan their route accordingly, and frankly, if they can't do that then they should not be in charge of multiple tons of machinery.

 

[Darandio]

And so the HGV driver shortfall increases by 1......

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Will be a challenge to recover the lorry without damaging the bridge further, the deflate the tyres and pull it out method won't work from the front, so it looks like it will have to be winched back under the bridge. Fortunate no train was crossing at the time.

 

[Megabus]

Oh dear.

 

[Horizon22]

The lorry cannot currently be moved. Coaches are being arranged for tomorrow morning's service.

 

[Haywain]

Other bridges have these "strike plates" (not sure of official name), so overheight vehicles hit that instead of ripping apart the bridge.

I believe there are restrictions in putting things like that in place which is unfortunate as it is such a simple solution.

 

[SteveM70]

I believe there are restrictions in putting things like that in place which is unfortunate as it is such a simple solution.

That’s a shame. Although in the example in the photo upthread, I’m not convinced having the strike plate so close to the bridge would be that effective

 

[74A]

Looking at it from the other side (https://goo.gl/maps/QJGm4j1t2fNfViw5A) you can see that the road is on an incline and the headroom at the far end is less. I wonder if the driver ignored the signs and just saw the size of the tunnel entrance?

Yes with the rising gradient the lorry was able to enter the bridge easily. Couldn't make it out the other side though !

 

[Grumpy Git]

A strike to the lorry driver's ear'ole with the back of someones hand should to be in order.

 

[Siemens Trains]

In my view that is no excuse. Height limits are signs on every low bridge for a reason. Vehicle heights are posted in every HGV cab for a reason. HGV drivers require specialist training for a reason.

It is their responsibility to know the height of their vehicle and plan their route accordingly, and frankly, if they can't do that then they should not be in charge of multiple tons of machinery.

All very well being wise after the event but apportioning blame or chastising drivers isn't much consolation to those inconvenienced by these seemingly regular occurences. Furthermore, trains may well pass over unsafe bridges prior to the strike being identified, which is hardly ideal. Surely it would be better to reduce the possibility in the first place by design.
I often wonder how much effort goes into raising low bridges. Often bridges (and/or the roads beneath) are replaced with others of similar limited clearance

 

[Horizon22]

All very well being wise after the event but apportioning blame or chastising drivers isn't much consolation to those inconvenienced by these seemingly regular occurences. Furthermore, trains may well pass over unsafe bridges prior to the strike being identified, which is hardly ideal. Surely it would be better to reduce the possibility in the first place by design.
I often wonder how much effort goes into raising low bridges. Often bridges (and/or the roads beneath) are replaced with others of similar limited clearance

You wouldn't be raising low bridges for bridge strikes - you'd be needing to lower the road surface.

 

[E6007]

or closing the road completely?

 

[yorksrob]

All very well being wise after the event but apportioning blame or chastising drivers isn't much consolation to those inconvenienced by these seemingly regular occurences. Furthermore, trains may well pass over unsafe bridges prior to the strike being identified, which is hardly ideal. Surely it would be better to reduce the possibility in the first place by design.
I often wonder how much effort goes into raising low bridges. Often bridges (and/or the roads beneath) are replaced with others of similar limited clearance

It would be better if lorry drivers drove properly. Or get the road haulage industry to pay to redesign our Victorian under bridges.

 

[27016]

We'll have to wait and see what the full bridge inspection reveals, once the lorry has been removed. Either way that looks very much like major structural damage to the bridge, which will take more than a few days to repair....

 

[nanstallon]

The railway is so vulnerable and there is no resilience. Regardless of fault, it makes me feel that road transport is more reliable.

 

[fgwrich]

I think it’s fair to say Tesco will be looking for a new driver in the Plymouth area shortly. (On phone so can’t share the full photos)

https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1432420907205681154?s=21

 

[Ediswan]

You wouldn't be raising low bridges for bridge strikes - you'd be needing to lower the road surface.

Horses for Courses. The relatively notorious '11 foot 8 Bridge' aka 'Can Opener' was raised by 8 inches. http://11foot8.com/raising-11foot8/

 

[Snow1964]

or closing the road completely?

There is strong case for putting in something like a physical 2m width restriction to stop trucks.

No point in closing it to cycles and pedestrians

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

The bridge is over a notorious rat-run through residential streets between Mutley Plain and Alexandra Road, used to avoid most of the traffic-lights on Mutley Plain itself. It should be closed anyway, apart for pedestrians and cyclists. Looking at the pictures the rising gradient has meant the lorry has given the bridge a severe thwack, and the damage is pretty major.

 

[Jamesrob637]

The bridge is over a notorious rat-run through residential streets between Mutley Plain and Alexandra Road, used to avoid most of the traffic-lights on Mutley Plain itself. It should be closed anyway, apart for pedestrians and cyclists. Looking at the pictures the rising gradient has meant the lorry has given the bridge a severe thwack, and the damage is pretty major.

Done it a few times when living there! Surely the route via Okehampton should be reopened in the next decade!

 

[-Colly405-]

or closing the road completely?

Knowing this location, that's unrealistic.