Flying Phil
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Thanks Rob F ......You are quite correct, which will make it a harder lift? I thought it was similar to the bridge at Swithland that was repaired several years ago.
Whilst I was there a train of 4 preserved diesel locomotives made its way from the North, down the chord, onto the MML heading South.
Great Central Railway Bridging the Gap
Bridge Installation
Saturday 2nd Sept 2017
Overnight From 23.00 hrs 07.00 hrs
Contact: Lili Tabiner 07939484516
Press Release
It will be a night to remember! The Great Central Railways long held ambition to reunite two halves of the line will take a huge step forward with the installation of a key bridge in Loughborough. On the night of Saturday 2nd September, in a moment rail enthusiasts have campaigned decades to see, a 1000 tonne crane will install the new steel bridge deck across two concrete abutments.
The new bridge will one day carry Great Central Railway heritage trains over the tracks of the Midland Main Line below. As one of the most ambitious civil engineering projects undertaken by a heritage railway, Bridging the Gap will reinstate approximately 500 metres of missing embankment, track and bridges all of which were removed after the Great Central Railway was closed as part of a major rationalisation of the railway network by the Government of the day.
When the whole project is complete it will create an eighteen mile heritage railway stretching across the East Midlands which will create jobs and drive regeneration through tourism.
GCRs CEO, Richard Patching stated This is an exciting night for the Great Central Railway. For over 40 years, our supporters and friends have dreamt of work starting on the reunification of the line. We hope to continue raising funds to complete the project and finally join the two railways. We would like to thank our many supporters who have enabled us to get to this stage. Phil Stanway, Director of GCRN added As this first phase of the reunification project reaches an exciting climax, what was once deemed nothing more than a dream moves one step closer. The bridge installation is testimony to all who have contributed so far.
The operation to lower the bridge deck into place will start as soon as possession of the Midland Main Line is granted by Network Rail at approximately 23.00 hrs and work will continue throughout the night to be completed by 07.00 hrs when the trains start operating again on the Midland Mainline.
The project is managed by FJD Construction on behalf of GCR and work has taken place in collaboration with Network Rail who have supported the project and monitored the work to ensure there is no disruption to the main line operation. Contractors MPB have been on site since February 2017 constructing the abutments and preparing the site for this historic event.
Meanwhile Moore Steel of Peterborough have manufactured the bridge deck and will deliver the sections to site shortly before the installation work starts.
The crane arrived on site on 24th August, transported in sections and assembled on site in preparation for the bridge installation.
Rob McIntosh Route Director of Network Rail said We are delighted to be supporting GCR with this exciting and ambitious project which will provide a real boost to tourism for the region.
At a cost of £2.5m, this element of the Bridging the Gap project is the most complex and has taken a number of years to complete, with funding provided through a combination of donations from GCR and GCRN supporters, a £1m grant from the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership and £250,000 worth of shares purchased by Leicestershire County Council. Nick Pulley, Chair of the LLEP said, The LLEP Growth Deal has been extremely successful for the Leicester and Leicestershire area and we are really excited by this unique project which supports the creation of an 18 mile mainline railway from Leicester to Ruddington (Nottingham South). The GCR project will open up significant commercial and tourism opportunities to increase visitors by 60,000 per year. In fact, this is the biggest investment in a heritage railway in the UK.
Background: The Great Central Railway was opened in 1899, the last main line railway to be built in the UK. It represented the pinnacle of British railway engineering and the owner of the Company Edward Watkin had ambitions to tunnel under the English Channel to connect to France. The GCR linked Manchester and Sheffield to London terminating at its brand new Marylebone Station.
Note to Media Representatives: On the night of 2nd September, there will be limited access to view the bridge installation the only viewing area will be the footpath on the A60 Nottingham Road and on the road bridge over the MML track. GCR representatives will be available for interview on Friday 1st and Monday 4th September by arrangement.
Lift is planned to start at 0030 Sunday morning according to GCR website!
View earlier this morning.( photo courtesy Ian Farnfield)
I had to pinch myself that this wasn't an artists impression.
It looks so odd with no central support that it looks like it's been photoshopped in!
Mind the Gap: New bridge links two heritage rail lines
Parts of a railway bridge have been moved into place by a 1,000-tonne crane in a bid to re-connect a rail line in the East Midlands.
The bridge at Loughborough will allow the Great Central Railway to cross the Midland Mainline and link up with another heritage line from Ruddington.
The £2.5m project will see the reinstatement of 500m of missing embankment, track and bridge.
Two steel beams were put in place and the bridge decking will be added later.
The original bridge was removed in the early 1980s as part of cutbacks to the railway network.
When completed, the bridge will allow heritage rail lines on both sides to link up creating a new 18-mile (29km) route.
The Great Central Railway runs from Leicester to Loughborough while the Great Central Railway Nottingham runs from south Nottinghamshire to northwest Leicestershire.
Great Central Railway spokesman Richard Patching said: "For over 40 years, our supporters and friends have dreamt of work starting on the reunification of the line.
"We hope to continue raising funds to complete the project and finally join the two railways."
Phil Stanway, director of Great Central Railway Nottingham, said: "What was once deemed nothing more than a dream moves one step closer.
"The bridge installation is testimony to all who have contributed so far."
What is the length of the span in metres ?
Also what speeds and axleloads can the bridge take ?