Northwich Station Roof Collapse - 18/05/2021

[Trackman]

Lucky nobody was hurt.

I hope we have a proper restoration of the building, including the canopy.

We hope.
Might be easier more cost effective to repair it than flattening it and installing a shelter.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Might be easier more cost effective to repair it than flattening it and installing a shelter.

What would be the cheaper option?

 

[LOL The Irony]

I've seen videos on Facebook, pretty nasty considering the side it fell on.

Image from https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/new...s/live-roof-collapses-onto-northwich-20621496

Appears the wall has come down and the roof has stayed up...

(Image shows gable end wall has collapsed onto the station platform and through the platform canopy)

You can see greenery under all of that. Not good at all.

There's smaller examples of this on the wall between the Chester bound platform at Knutsford and the A537 as well (the platform side.) If that wall collapses then not only would the train line close but the main road route between Macclesfield and Warrington would close as well.

And cause a massive diversion for everyone in the northern part of town, such as myself, just to get into town. It's also not the only plant problem on the line. Quite a few trees need cutting back at Deansgate Junction.

 

[yorksrob]

Lucky nobody was hurt.

We hope.
Might be easier more cost effective to repair it than flattening it and installing a shelter.

What would be the cheaper option?

Well, it's a relatively small section of masonry missing. So long as there's nothing else growing out of it.

 

[peters]

Well they've allowed a freight train through Northwich now: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H19585/2021-05-18/detailed

 

[Grumpy Git]

The main culprit (buddleia) is clearly visible in the top photograph on post #6 amongst the detritus on the platform, .

 

[Robertj21a]

To be fair to NR, access to a wall immediately over any sort of fragile roof covering is difficult and would need a significant amount of scaffolding and possibly removing some panes of glass. Gable walls with no proper head restraint (no ties between the purlins and the wall) are often not terribly stable.
Whoever did the last inspection is probably checking their files!

Is this sort of thing subject to a routine check every X months/years ?. What would be a typical timeframe for such checks?

 

[peters]

17:41 Manchester Piccadilly to Chester and 19:00 Chester to Manchester Piccadilly will be the first passenger services in each direction to run the entire route, they will not call at Northwich and a shuttle bus will run between Greenbank and Tesco's on Manchester Road (near the station) until at least tomorrow afternoon.

 

[M60lad]

Looking at the damage how are Northern expecting to get the station open to passengers in time for tomorrow evening's rush hour?

When will repairs take place to fix the damage caused today?

 

[Geeves]

The building is to be made safe during the night, trains passing will divert round the goods lines for the time being.

 

[skyhigh]

The building is to be made safe during the night, trains passing will divert round the goods lines for the time being.

And the rest of the building (bar the units sublet) will be demolished in the next 24hrs.

 

[LOL The Irony]

And the rest of the building (bar the units sublet) will be demolished in the next 24hrs.

Source?

 

[KendalKing]

Indeed and if it had happened at just after the 15:33 train to Manchester had stopped there then could have been getting on for 200 children injured or worse.

That doesn't bear thinking about.

 

[yorksrob]

And the rest of the building (bar the units sublet) will be demolished in the next 24hrs.

Have they established that the rest of the building is unsafe and requiring demolition ?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

And the rest of the building (bar the units sublet) will be demolished in the next 24hrs.

Source?

Mentioned in a Northern press release. See link below...

Northern issues updated statement following Northwich station collapse

Earlier today part of the station building collapsed at Northwich station. Thankfully, no one was injured.

media.northernrailway.co.uk

Extract from press release...

"...Network Rail is carrying out a full investigation into what happened alongside the regulator, the Office for Rail and Road, but the priority for now is to make the station safe and operational as soon as possible.

Part of the station building will be demolished tonight (Tuesday 18 May) and the site fully cleared during tomorrow. ..."

 

[LOL The Irony]

Mentioned in a Northern press release. See link below...

Northern issues updated statement following Northwich station collapse

Earlier today part of the station building collapsed at Northwich station. Thankfully, no one was injured.

media.northernrailway.co.uk

Extract from press release...

"...Network Rail is carrying out a full investigation into what happened alongside the regulator, the Office for Rail and Road, but the priority for now is to make the station safe and operational as soon as possible.

Part of the station building will be demolished tonight (Tuesday 18 May) and the site fully cleared during tomorrow. ..."

I'm assuming it'll be rebuilt at some point then as Northwich can't go forever without a ticket office


Can it?

 

[yorksrob]

Do you think that means the whole building, or just the part that has to be cleared tonight ?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I'm assuming it'll be rebuilt at some point then as Northwich can't go forever without a ticket office

Can it?

Bus shelter and card only TVM?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The main culprit (buddleia) is clearly visible in the top photograph on post #6 amongst the detritus on the platform, .

You see Buddleia Davidii all over the railway system. Incidentally, if you look at the tramway entrance to Manchester Victoria station, above the level of the wires, there seems to be a specimen that has been in the brickwork for quite a long time.

 

[185]

Seen footage of it. Seems to be someone exiting the building & shuts the door behind them.

There's the lesson, just like yer mum told ya, never slam doors

 

[Ash Bridge]

Have not Freightliner fairly recently been involved in some overnight trials of class 70 hauled “Jumbo“ sized 4000 tonne aggregate trains on the Mid Cheshire Line? Not that I’m in any way suggesting that these trains were responsible for today’s Northwich collapse...

 

[LOL The Irony]

Have not Freightliner fairly recently been involved in some overnight trials of class 70 hauled “Jumbo“ sized 4000 tonne aggregate trains on the Mid Cheshire Line? Not that I’m in any way suggesting that these trains were responsible for today’s Northwich collapse...

I'd personally say our recent weather was more of a factor that the heavy freight trains, although I won't downplay that they may be a cause.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Is the station building something like 150 years old?

 

[Ash Bridge]

I'd personally say our recent weather was more of a factor that the heavy freight trains, although I won't downplay that they may be a cause.

Agreed, could well be.

 

[Grumpy Git]

I'd personally say our recent weather was more of a factor that the heavy freight trains, although I won't downplay that they may be a cause.

I'd say lack of maintenance.

 

[skyhigh]

Seen footage of it. Seems to be someone exiting the building & shuts the door behind them.

There's the lesson, just like yer mum told ya, never slam doors

Do you happen to have a link please?

Do you think that means the whole building, or just the part that has to be cleared tonight ?

I believe the whole thing is going - I suspect they can't be sure on the structural integrity of the rest, and don't want to risk any further issues.

 

[yorksrob]

I believe the whole thing is going - I suspect they can't be sure on the structural integrity of the rest, and don't want to risk any further issues.

Thanks. That seems like quite an extreme reaction to me, when one considers that structures such as Middlesborough station (as an example) sustained quite significant bomb damage, yet were repaired and brought back into use.

 

[daodao]

I believe the whole thing is going - I suspect they can't be sure on the structural integrity of the rest, and don't want to risk any further issues.

It will be the loss of a familiar landmark for me - I often use the nearby Tesco fuel station when working in Northwich or travelling to Leighton (the petrol price per litre in Northwich is typically cheaper than elsewhere), as does D&G buses (judging from my last visit on 11/5/21), but not the railway itself.

 

[185]

Do you happen to have a link please?

Apols it's not public domain.

 

[peters]

Bus shelter and card only TVM?

There are two card only TVMs on the Manchester bound platform, whether they still work now is another question.

Is the station building something like 150 years old?

The date is/was engraved into the building over the entrance. Wikipedia says the station opened 1st Jan 1863, but it could be 1862 was the date on the building given the station needed to be built before it could open.

Have not Freightliner fairly recently been involved in some overnight trials of class 70 hauled “Jumbo“ sized 4000 tonne aggregate trains on the Mid Cheshire Line? Not that I’m in any way suggesting that these trains were responsible for today’s Northwich collapse...

If the freight trains are solely responsible then they'll be some issues with other buildings right next to the line as well.