BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE
Piling on the pressure
Physical work continues at the site of the new bridge over the Midland Main Line at Loughborough. However, the contractors have encountered an unexpected problem and we need your help.
As far back as January 2014 ground samples were taken around the site of the northern and southern bridge abutments. Now work has begun to drive concrete piles into the ground which will support the abutments. Unfortunately the piling machine has encountered water, which wasn't revealed in the test drilling.
This is not a technical problem but it does mean switching the current piling machine on site for a much larger one which can handle the previously hidden water. This - and the resulting short delay plus larger piles now needed - is likely to incur an extra cost of approximately one hundred thousand pounds.
Once again we need to ask you to help. Spread across the entire readership of the weekly newsletter and the members of Friends, this can be achieved with lots of small contributions, particularly when gift aid is applied. Please donate on line at the GCR website at
www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify. Alternatively a new Bridge to the Future flyer is included with the next edition of Main Line magazine, due on doormats in the next week or so. Every penny we receive really helps us - and the reunification project to move forward.
Thank you for your support.