Nuneham Viaduct shut - Didcot- Oxford

[jdp30]

Perhaps there's an argument for just waiting for a crisis as long as it doesn't jeopardise safety to get things done.

How can you know if the crisis is going to occur at 3am, or during the evening peak as a train passes?

 

[Deepgreen]

Is there a public map of all temporary speed restrictions or sites under special observation?

I very much doubt it, but would love to be wrong as it would be very interesting viewing.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Jun 2023 ==

Good to see the industry can deliver extraordinary things when in crisis mode yet if you had tried to do this through normal channels probably would have needed a three year lead in and cost a lot more as @Bald Rick quoted above.

Perhaps there's an argument for just waiting for a crisis as long as it doesn't jeopardise safety to get things done.

A very high-risk strategy as crises, by their nature, are hard to predict and manage accurately. A non saftey-critical crisis can tip over the line to safety-critical extremely easily (and under a train, for example).

 

[Bald Rick]

Is there a public map of all temporary speed restrictions or sites under special observation?

no.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

When does freight traffic resume over the viaduct?

 

[railfan99]

Yes, 50mph.

High by my country's (low) standards.

Is 'NS' (normal speed) on this section limited for passenger trains to 100mph, or higher?

 

[4COR]

When does freight traffic resume over the viaduct?

Looks ike there is a Didcot to Morris Cowley freight (4V39) runnning now... https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:66868/2023-06-09/detailed

 

[swt_passenger]

High by my country's (low) standards.

Is 'NS' (normal speed) on this section limited for passenger trains to 100mph, or higher?

From the public sectional appendix it looks like a maximum 90 mph between Didcot and Oxford, there are slight increases north of Oxford.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Jun 2023 ==

Looks ike there is a Didcot to Morris Cowley freight (4V39) runnning now... https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:66868/2023-06-09/detailed

Also a Southampton MCT to Lawley St just started out, activated 1328:

Realtime Trains | 4M65 1345 Southampton M.C.T. to Lawley Street F.L.T. | 09/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 4M65 1345 departure from Southampton M.C.T. to Lawley Street F.L.T. on 09/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Gagravarr]

High by my country's (low) standards.

Is 'NS' (normal speed) on this section limited for passenger trains to 100mph, or higher?

Based on "Page 148" (actually 329) of
https://sacuksprodnrdigital0001.blo...e 23/Western Sectional Appendix June 2023.pdf it's 90mph

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Also a Southampton MCT to Lawley St just started out, activated 1328:

Realtime Trains | 4M65 1345 Southampton M.C.T. to Lawley Street F.L.T. | 09/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 4M65 1345 departure from Southampton M.C.T. to Lawley Street F.L.T. on 09/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

But now seemingly cancelled by the operator...

I was interested in how NR tested for the maximum safe weight of trains, as we don't seem to park multiple locos on new bridges/viaducts any more.
Maybe there are initial limits to weight as well as speed.
The Didcot-Cowley service would presumably be empty.

 

[swt_passenger]

But now seemingly cancelled by the operator...

I was interested in how NR tested for the maximum safe weight of trains, as we don't seem to park multiple locos on new bridges/viaducts any more.
Maybe there are initial limits to weight as well as speed.
The Didcot-Cowley service would presumably be empty.

Now altered back to running via Acton and WCML, activated 1401, well after departure. Obviously all still up in the air…

 

[27000]

I’m on 2L09 1455 Oxford-Didcot Parkway.

Just passed over the viaduct; looks like there’s a 50mph TSR in place.

 

[QueensCurve]

A very high-risk strategy as crises, by their nature, are hard to predict and manage accurately. A non saftey-critical crisis can tip over the line to safety-critical extremely easily (and under a train, for example).

As happened with the Lamington viaduct after Storm Frank.

 

[reddragon]

High by my country's (low) standards.

Is 'NS' (normal speed) on this section limited for passenger trains to 100mph, or higher?

Local trains in the UK tend to run at up to 90mph (diesel) or 100/110 mph (electric) on most main/busy lines, obviously less on branches, local lines. Many heavy freight operate at 75mph. intercity trains operate at up to 125 mph exc on HS1 when 'local' trains operate at 140 mph and expresses at 200 mph.

My local stopping train goes faster between stations than a 'high speed' train does in the US!

 

[mr_moo]

Network Rail has just released a video about it on their youtube channel:

 

[Dan G]

It should also be remembered that although the line has now reopened, there is still lot of work to do under the span.

The temporary jacking platform needs to be removed, the temporary piles in the riverbed cut and removed (the affected span needs to be reopened to river navigation, so that boats can resume normal drive on the right).

Some of the worksite is also on the flood plain (although river has been low due to lack of rain), so probably need to build up some scour protection in front of the new piled abutment, and remove all temporary equipment, ahead of the autumn and winter high river season.

I've been wondering about that. Will the remaining work be done with the same urgency as the project has seen so far? I guess not!

 

[dk1]

Excellent news that it’s open early so well done to all involved. Will be very welcome indeed to have proper fast trains to London (Paddington) in around 50 minutes once again.

 

[Snow1964]

I've been wondering about that. Will the remaining work be done with the same urgency as the project has seen so far? I guess not!

Network Rail press release says

Engineers will remain on site for up to 12 weeks to finish works and demobilise the construction site, working outside of train operating hours, whilst track, signalling and station upgrades continue in Oxford city centre*.

Rail passengers on the move again through Nuneham as major project to replace 160-year-old viaduct support completes ahead of schedule

Engineers have worked around the clock to safely reopen Nuneham Viaduct, in Oxfordshire, a day early, on Friday 9 June, following an intensive ten-week programme of work.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

 

[railfan99]

A friend who has much knowledge about engineering said '19 metres is a long way to go to find parent material.'

All the more impressive.

 

[webweasel]

Most ground is unlikely to be susceptible to this sort of failure. It needs to a particular type of ground - typically silt or sand, occasionally gravel. Rocks and clays are not at risk. The material also needs to be loose and located below the water table. So there will be certain locations which are susceptible but by no means all the network.

There are sand and gravel pits located adjacent to the bridge, so this would certainly be an angle worth exploring.

 

[BrianW]

Network Rail has just released a video about it on their youtube channel:

Well done Network Rail and Claudia Philps- great work; great PR.

 

[swt_passenger]

There are sand and gravel pits located adjacent to the bridge, so this would certainly be an angle worth exploring.

This has been mentioned quite a few times in the thread already.

 

[Jimini]

Looks like for the most part, all XC services are single units today, but are running to Bournemouth (no alternate hourly Reading terminators).

Great to see it open again

 

[PCV]

I crossed it on the up line yesterday on the 11:55 departure from Oxford. It was actually rather exciting and the fastest crossing for several years, very smooth too.

I joined the forum to get reliable information so thanks to all those experts here for providing updates and thanks to the teams who did the hard work. Just hoping when the jacking mechanism on the river bed piles is removed the new abutment holds...

 

[Nicholas43]

I crossed it on the up line yesterday on the 11:55 departure from Oxford. It was actually rather exciting and the fastest crossing for several years, very smooth too.

I joined the forum to get reliable information so thanks to all those experts here for providing updates and thanks to the teams who did the hard work. Just hoping when the jacking mechanism on the river bed piles is removed the new abutment holds...

Fear not: the jacks are no longer providing any support to the once-sagging span.

 

[crablab]

Regrettably, something signalling related has gone 'pop' so it's back to wrong road running between Didcot and Oxford at the moment.

 

[Class15]

Is that final or is it temporary? Will there have to be another closure in the future?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I crossed it on the up line yesterday on the 11:55 departure from Oxford. It was actually rather exciting and the fastest crossing for several years, very smooth too.

I joined the forum to get reliable information so thanks to all those experts here for providing updates and thanks to the teams who did the hard work. Just hoping when the jacking mechanism on the river bed piles is removed the new abutment holds...

Welcome to the forum.

 

[swt_passenger]

Is that final or is it temporary? Will there have to be another closure in the future?

Permanent. There was some misunderstanding, (or misreporting), in early April but subsequent NR reports have all indicated it’s a long term fix.

 

[dk1]

Is that final or is it temporary? Will there have to be another closure in the future?

Hopefully electrification will be the only next closure.

 

[BayPaul]

Have we been told who (presumably at Network Rail) devised the overall Cunning Plan? And can forum members fill me in on how conversations with contractors would have gone?
For example, hello, is that TMS Maritime, can you pile into the river bed (the river is currently in rather a spate) to prop up this sagging bridge span by 20 April? You mean April 2024? No, next week ...

I've done quite a lot of work with TMS. They're the kind of company where you can pick up the phone and speak to the owner - nicely flexible for a job like this.