Peterborough to Leicester Line Bridge Bash.

[SteveM70]

Peterborough to Syston East Jn, (via Stamford, Oakham and Melton), is the down line.

Thanks

 

[sharpley]

AIUI there are cameras, what you can see are alignment indicators, with a small bar attached to the underside of the deck, and then the indicators attached to the abutments. (if you look closely, you can see arrows on the indicators for the horizontal and vertical planes). The images can be viewed in control, and if there is any movement this shows clearly by reference to the bars position with the indicators.

This enables a person in control (usually the Route Control Manager) to be able to give the line back to traffic (albeit with a speed restriction) remotely, without the need for someone to attend site, once a report of a bridge bash has been received. This usually saves about half an hour of the line being closed.

This kit is fitted to a few high risk bridges with regular bashing history. Thurlow Park Road at Tulse Hill has similar.

Heres a clearer photo from the underside of the bridge, includes the damaged skip. Looks like a CCTV camera between the 2 vertical bars mnunted under the deck. Photo taken from the Leicestershire Live report https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/critically-damaged-rail-bridge-hit-7791881

 

[swt_passenger]

Heres a clearer photo from the underside of the bridge, includes the damaged skip. Looks like a CCTV camera between the 2 vertical bars mnunted under the deck. Photo taken from the Leicestershire Live report https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/critically-damaged-rail-bridge-hit-7791881

The remaining white box has been left at an angle, and its twin for the other beam that should be on the left is no longer present. That suggests an impact well beyond the expected range? The plate separating the two girders, (circled in red),is very badly distorted, and I‘m wondering if the missing white box moved violently and it forced the remaining one off its mounting tube?

 

[Stuart-h]

Who pays for the repairs? Do Network Rail send the bill to the insurance company of the lorry? If so, I presume they just have to accept whatever it is to put both the railway and road back to whatever was there before the strike. And would it include consequential loss (eg cost of replacement buses, loss of potential revenue).

And would the driver of the lorry (temporarily) lose their HGV licence, requiring some form of re-training? Although they would probably have been pretty shaken up by the enormous impact - hope they weren't too badly hurt.

The drive could facing the traffic comisioner. They have the power to revoke both bus and hgv licences.

 

[edwin_m]

There have been plenty of cases where parapets have been knocked onto the track and struck by trains.

Indeed there have been several, such as Oxshott and Barrow-on-Soar ... but RAIB investigated both.

I've already set out the railway-specific aspects that could be looked into for this accident. If an event results in a railway accident or could have done under different circumstances, then it's in RAIB's remit.

If nothing else, it would be covered by:

For all accidents, other than collision between trains or a derailment of trains, which result in the death of at least one person, or serious injuries to five or more persons, or extensive damage to rolling stock, the infrastructure or the environment, the RAIB will always gather sufficient details and evidence to enable it to make an informed decision about whether the accident was the result of failures within the railway system. Where this is the case, excluding those involving suicide or trespass, the RAIB will conduct an investigation.

Note "extensive damage" means damage that can immediately be assessed by the Branch to cost at least 2 million Euros in total.

extension://bfdogplmndidlpjfhoijckpakkdjkkil/pdf/viewer.html?file=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fuploads%2Fsystem%2Fuploads%2Fattachment_data%2Ffile%2F456936%2Fguidance_to_rair_regs_v4.pdf

The remaining white box has been left at an angle, and its twin for the other beam that should be on the left is no longer present. That suggests an impact well beyond the expected range? The plate separating the two girders, (circled in red),is very badly distorted, and I‘m wondering if the missing white box moved violently and it forced the remaining one off its mounting tube?

Considering the extent of damage to the structure, with one of the girders bent out of shape by at least a foot, it's unsurprising if the monitoring equipment has been destroyed.

 

[bspahh]

extension://bfdogplmndidlpjfhoijckpakkdjkkil/pdf/viewer.html?file=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fuploads%2Fsystem%2Fuploads%2Fattachment_data%2Ffile%2F456936%2Fguidance_to_rair_regs_v4.pdf

This link should work better:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/456936/guidance_to_rair_regs_v4.pdf

 

[swt_passenger]

Considering the extent of damage to the structure, with one of the girders bent out of shape by at least a foot, it's unsurprising if the monitoring equipment has been destroyed.

Sure. I’m trying to add detail to the point made earlier in the thread that the damage is far more significant than is often the case, a couple of posts were suggesting the bridge would be ok to use with some temporary additional supports. It always seemed way beyond that, even from the track level photos.

 

[66701GBRF]

Indeed there have been several, such as Oxshott and Barrow-on-Soar ... but RAIB investigated both.

I've already set out the railway-specific aspects that could be looked into for this accident. If an event results in a railway accident or could have done under different circumstances, then it's in RAIB's remit.

If nothing else, it would be covered by:

extension://bfdogplmndidlpjfhoijckpakkdjkkil/pdf/viewer.html?file=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fuploads%2Fsystem%2Fuploads%2Fattachment_data%2Ffile%2F456936%2Fguidance_to_rair_regs_v4.pdf


Considering the extent of damage to the structure, with one of the girders bent out of shape by at least a foot, it's unsurprising if the monitoring equipment has been destroyed.

Just because it's in their remit that doesn't automatically mean they will investigate. I am happy to be corrected but no RAIB personnel attended this incident and as recovery is well underway that pretty much rules out their involvement.

 

[Gloster]

I suspect that RAIB will be thoroughly scrutinising the logs, reports, photos, etc. and may follow things up at a later date. It may not be the state of the bridge that is their main interest, but the surrounding situation, and previous, contemporaneous and subsequent actions.

 

[Ken H]

I suspect that RAIB will be thoroughly scrutinising the logs, reports, photos, etc. and may follow things up at a later date. It may not be the state of the bridge that is their main interest, but the surrounding situation, and previous, contemporaneous and subsequent actions.

one would hope they did some 'what if' analysis. What if a train was closely approaching. What if a train was actually on the bridge at the time of the collision. What if there were protective measures in place in the road.

 

[sharpley]

Network Rail East Midlands twitter now advising a 3 week closure.

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailEM/status/1589659047195660288?s=20&t=nOzTTbIWf9YtJOLKXK90IQ

Update from Ketton where a heavy lorry hit a railway bridge on Saturday. Now looking like a three week initial repair. Road transport will be provided for
@CrossCountryUK
passengers between Leicester and Peterborough from tomorrow. Sorry for the disruption

 

[High Dyke]

I suspect that RAIB will be thoroughly scrutinising the logs, reports, photos, etc. and may follow things up at a later date. It may not be the state of the bridge that is their main interest, but the surrounding situation, and previous, contemporaneous and subsequent actions.

Information regarding RAIB.

RAIB's response to accident and incident notification

The Regulations place a duty on railway industry bodies (infrastructure managers, railway operators, or maintainers), involved in an accident or incident, to notify us.

www.gov.uk

Some good progress at the bridge already I see.

 

[InOban]

They've certainly got on with the job. Looks as if the two tracks are on separate structures which makes things easier.

 

[edwin_m]

They've certainly got on with the job. Looks as if the two tracks are on separate structures which makes things easier.

Yes, that seemed to be the case from Google - essentially four girders each supporting one rail via a timber waybeam, but essentially resting on the abutments with very little to resist a side impact. There are also more girders to the side, which are lighter and look newer and may in fact be intended to protect against vehicle impact (I think Google's picture stitching makes it look like there are more of these than actually present). One of these appears to have taken the brunt of the impact but from one of the photos the girder that should be supporting the nearest rail is also bent.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.co.uk

 

[12LDA28C]

If a new bridge is required, what are the chances they'll increase its height to prevent this again in the future?

Assuming there's room to increase the gradients either side. 100m to increase 1m in height if I remember correctly.

Easier and cheaper (at least as far as the railway is concerned) to excavate below the bridge and lower the road which would achieve the same result of increasing clearance. This has been done before at locations where bridge-bashes have happened repeatedly, for example Blackthorn bridge on the Chiltern mainline where the railway crosses the A41 between Aylesbury and Bicester.

 

[grumpyoldman01]

Has Network Rail got the skills to design and fabricate a replacement deck in house, or will it have to be outsourced to third-parties?

 

[The Planner]

Has Network Rail got the skills to design and fabricate a replacement deck in house, or will it have to be outsourced to third-parties?

Outsourced.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Easier and cheaper (at least as far as the railway is concerned) to excavate below the bridge and lower the road which would achieve the same result of increasing clearance.

Someone pointed out on Twitter yesterday ( I'm not going to spend hours searching for the relevant tweet! ) that this can't be done at this location because of local flooding in the area.

 

[Bald Rick]

Has Network Rail got the skills to design and fabricate a replacement deck in house, or will it have to be outsourced to third-parties?

The new beams have already been sourced.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

The new beams have already been sourced.

B——y —-l that is fast. I am impressed.

 

[Bald Rick]

B——y —-l that is fast. I am impressed.

As beams go, they are fairly straightforward. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone found them in a civil engineering contractors’ equivalent of ‘down the back of the sofa’ (in the compound).

 

[dannyman30]

Morning all I know this off topic slightly but I'm just wondering what would happen to the driver because he's crashed in to this bridge?

 

[Stampy]

Morning all I know this off topic slightly but I'm just wondering what would happen to the driver because he's crashed in to this bridge?

Well, I think it might be more than a "friendly chat over Tea & Biscuits"

 

[zwk500]

Morning all I know this off topic slightly but I'm just wondering what would happen to the driver because he's crashed in to this bridge?

The driver was first taken to hospital, so may not yet have spoken to the police. https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/lorry-driver-injured-hospital-after-7788257

A previous driver was given a fixed penalty for careless driving in Scotland (not sure if the traffic laws vary slightly) https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/lorry-driver-hit-penalty-after-27491595

I guess the police will speak to the driver and then decide whether to issue a Fixed Penalty or take the driver to court for something like driving without due care and attention. The driver will also presumably have a somewhat awkward conversation with their employer.

 

[ashkeba]

What are the possible penalties for driving an "out of gauge" lorry into a bridge and how do they compare with those for doing it with an out of gauge train?

 

[sharpley]

Lorries have height markers in the cab, vehicle height should be checked as part of their walkaround checks before they set off. Clearly that doesn't always happen judging by the number of bridge bashes that occur.

Carry out HGV daily walkaround checks

What you need to check inside and outside of the vehicle when you do a lorry or other HGV walkaround check.

www.gov.uk

 

[Ken H]

The driver was first taken to hospital, so may not yet have spoken to the police. https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/lorry-driver-injured-hospital-after-7788257

A previous driver was given a fixed penalty for careless driving in Scotland (not sure if the traffic laws vary slightly) https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/lorry-driver-hit-penalty-after-27491595

I guess the police will speak to the driver and then decide whether to issue a Fixed Penalty or take the driver to court for something like driving without due care and attention. The driver will also presumably have a somewhat awkward conversation with their employer.

They will have to make an insurance claim. I assume quite a big one. That will make getting further insurance very expensive. The question on the proposal about any accidents or convictions in the last 5 years may alarm underwriters.

 

[Gloster]

The driver who tipped his lorry on top of a 455 at Oxshott got five points, £100 fine, £15 victim surcharge and £43 costs. Still, that was twelve years ago, so maybe they’ll make it £110.

 

[Floydlover25]

Has one line reopened today? This train got through albeit with an 8 min delay between Oakham and Stamford

Realtime Trains | 1L02 0607 Nottingham to Norwich | 09/11/2022

Real-time train running information for 1L02 0607 departure from Nottingham to Norwich on 09/11/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[LowLevel]

Has one line reopened today? This train got through albeit with an 8 min delay between Oakham and Stamford

Realtime Trains | 1L02 0607 Nottingham to Norwich | 09/11/2022

Real-time train running information for 1L02 0607 departure from Nottingham to Norwich on 09/11/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

The up line has reopened, primarily for freight but the two EMR eastbound trains will run. Gives the stations a peak timeish connection to Peterborough. Down line remains shut UFN and XC won't run because they have no easy way of getting trains back westbound.

Hopefully common sense will be used and if they need to exchange the sets at Cambridge they can work with EMR to swap them via Nottingham.