Pont Briwet to be closed to trains until 2015 [Update - now reopened as of Sept 2014]

[PHILIPE]

I'm not sure if the continuing story of the bridge's construction is relevant on a rail forum now it's open to trains, but anyway, there are three new pictures on the Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/datblygiadpontbriwetdevelopment

They show that not only has demolition of the old bridge not yet started, but there are still no pipes on the new bridge.

Each time I see this thread title on the Index Page now, it makes me wonder if it's been closed again !!!

 

[Kite159]

Nice little bridge

http://oi58.tinypic.com/1z1d0ci.jpg
http://oi59.tinypic.com/126bnfr.jpg (approaching from the south)

The thread title should really be renamed as it's happily no longer closed

 

[PHILIPE]

Nice little bridge

http://oi58.tinypic.com/1z1d0ci.jpg
http://oi59.tinypic.com/126bnfr.jpg (approaching from the south)

The thread title should really be renamed as it's happily no longer closed

As Snowball said earlier

 

[Kite159]

As Snowball said earlier

What in saying it is a nice bridge which has now been reopened posting a couple extra pictures which I took on Saturday rather than a facebook link?

I do apologise for repeating another poster, maybe I show read all 543 prior posts at least 3 times to make sure something hasn't already been said or posted

 

[PHILIPE]

What in saying it is a nice bridge which has now been reopened posting a couple extra pictures rather than a facebook link?

I do apologise for repeating another poster, maybe I show read all 543 prior posts at least 3 times to make sure something hasn't already been said or posted

I've done the same thing myself !!!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

My thanks to whomsoever caused the title of this thread to be so clarified.

 

[snowball]

Just in case anyone's interested, the opening of the road bridge is now put at June 2015:

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/pont-briwet-road-bridge-opening-7915556


The pictures with that report are not recent. The most recent ones I've seen are from around 17-18 Sep on sites I've linked previously.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

There's not much progress - it's the same old story with the water main and BT cables causing delays. The approach roads are nearly complete however. On the bits that are finished, I've never seen such perfect asphalt pavements and beautiful slate walls, currently leading nowhere.

Photo of the north side from yesterday:

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There's not much progress - it's the same old story with the water main and BT cables causing delays. The approach roads are nearly complete however. On the bits that are finished, I've never seen such perfect asphalt pavements and beautiful slate walls, currently leading nowhere.

Photo of the north side from yesterday:

Was there much trouble in relocating any of the assorted pipeworks?

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Having spoken to some of the guys working on site, I gather that the replacement water main is still not installed in the services channel at the side of the new railway bridge (Thursday was suggested as the latest target), and BT having to give a month's notice to customers before any planned interruption of service has delayed the fibre cable switchover. That was the word on the (shiny new) street yesterday at any rate.

The locals are not impressed - one ex-army chap was telling me that the Engineers could have had a temporary floating bridge installed in a couple of days and a microwave link up in a few hours.

 

[snowball]

None of the items I've seen (until PV's post above) has gone into any detail on the nature of the problems with transferring the pipes and cables, except for one report around the time the rail bridge reopened, which claimed they were arguing about what sort of clips to use to attach them to the new bridge.

Surely that sort of thing (and notifying BT's customers) could have been arranged in advance.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

I'm surprised how much there is still to do at LLandecwyn station, considering it's been open since the beginning of September. Hand rails/lighting/etc but the no smoking sign was there in time.

Photo a week old, but I doubt if it has changed much since.

 

[L&Y Robert]

Surely that sort of thing (and notifying BT's customers) could have been arranged in advance.

Lack of comprehensive planning again! It's what I do (did! - ref to the Todmorden Curve thread). Our Generl Manager would have blown a fuse over this lot.

 

[najaB]

The locals are not impressed - one ex-army chap was telling me that the Engineers could have had a temporary floating bridge installed in a couple of days and a microwave link up in a few hours.

I've no doubt that BT could set up a microwave link or similar to repair damage to the network - they've done it in the past - but since this falls into the category of planned work, they have to give appropriate notice.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Looks like something did happen last Thurday:
https://www.facebook.com/datblygiad...41827.255539287961800/347507718764956/?type=1

This picture shows the Welsh Water pipes, 1 No. pumped main pipe in their permanent position awaiting connection to the live mains. Also the diverted BT conduits temporarily strapped to the railway bridge parapet, awaiting cables.

 

[Oxfordblues]

The locals are not impressed - one ex-army chap was telling me that the Engineers could have had a temporary floating bridge installed in a couple of days and a microwave link up in a few hours.

In 1947 the Army installed a Bailey bridge over a distributary of the Thames on Port Meadow here in Oxford and it's still in use today after virtually no maintenance 67 years later.

Guess how long it took to assemble the bridge on site: precisely one hour and forty-five minutes!

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/co...k_back_at_when_port_meadow_got_Bailey_Bridge/

 

[Llanigraham]

The pipes and cables are on the bridge, but apparently not yet connected.

 

[snowball]

Transfer of services is complete and demolition of the old bridge has begun. Expected to take four weeks. Details here:

https://www.facebook.com/datblygiadpontbriwetdevelopment

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Maybe it will be delayed again because the German contractors don't have an Imperial spanner to take the bolts off the old bridge.

 

[krus_aragon]

Maybe it will be delayed again because the German contractors don't have an Imperial spanner to take the bolts off the old bridge.

Not for nothing do the French call an adjustable wrench a Clé Anglais. I wonder if the Germans have a similar term...

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Not for nothing do the French call an adjustable wrench a Clé Anglais. I wonder if the Germans have a similar term...

Wasfickenschraubemessungschraubenschlüssel?

(Apologies for various offences against taste and literacy)

 

[Requeststop]

Not for nothing do the French call an adjustable wrench a Clé Anglais. I wonder if the Germans have a similar term...

Boringly they call adjustable spanners "Engländer"

 

[Llanigraham]

More photos on the FB page of the demolition.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

I'm quite sad to see the old trestle bridge go, but if it was impractical to save it, I suppose it had to happen.

I miss the distinctive sound the trains made on the old bridge - not just the jointed track, the whole structure resonated.

 

[the-gog]

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/pont-briwet-drivers-face-further-8110476

Pont Briwet drivers face further misery due to cable repairs

Nov 15, 2014 07:00
By Eryl Crump

Fears that works on detour route on the A496 at Maentwrog will cause more hold-ups
Motorists, who already face an eight-mile detour because of delays on work on a new road bridge, face more misery and disruption.

Scottish Power and BT engineers will be carrying out essential repairs on overhead cables on the A496 at Maentwrog.

The road is being used as a diversion for motorists travelling from the Harlech area towards Porthmadog because of the continuing delays on replacing Pont Briwet.

Work on the bridge had been scheduled for completion by the end of this year but delays have forced Gwynedd Council to reschedule the opening of the bridge until June 2015.

The proposed works on the A496 will include replacing overhead power lines with underground cables and will last for eight weeks starting on November 23.

Cllr Eryl Jones-Williams, who represents Dyffryn Ardudwy on Gwynedd Council, said: “These new works will add even more delays to people who have to travel north from the Ardudwy area to Porthmadog and Caernarfon.

“There have been complaints that Porthmadog is losing business already with the Pont Briwet saga, that area will lose out economically again because this new Scottish Power and BT Work will be done on the lead up to Christmas.

“Businesses in the Ardudwy area of Harlech, Dyffryn Ardudwy and down to Barmouth will also lose out as people from the more populated areas of Gwynedd will have difficulty in travelling south to Ardudwy.”

Drivers also criticised the move.

Archie Harris, who lives in Talsarnau, said: “This latest news strengthens the case that a temporary crossing should have been provided at Pont Briwet.”

Pont Briwet public liaison officer Cheryl Morgan said: “Scottish Power and BT intend to carry out work near Maentwrog on the A496, including replacing an overhead power line with underground cable.

Gwynedd Council requested that the work was postponed until after Pont Briwet is complete but have been informed this work is critical to avoid potential problems and loss of power for customers, and they will face financial penalties if it is not completed before March 2015.

“Gwynedd Council do understand that additional traffic management on this road will cause further disruption to motorists, but we are not in a position to stop the statutory authorities undertaking these upgrades.

“However to try to minimise disruption, both Scottish Power and BT have agreed to co-ordinate the works and use the same contractor.

The wooden 156-year-old Pont Briwet, which carries road and rail traffic over the Dwyryd estuary, is being replaced by a modern structure in a £20m project. The rail bridge was opened in September.

 

[Gareth Marston]

Road users whining about a road scheme!

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Yes, but it is interesting that the burying of power lines appears to relate to the leaning pylon of Penrhyndeudraeth (the one that caused some problems to the railway last December) if the picture in this Times article is to be believed. The Portmeirion Hotel can be seen between the cables near the second pylon and Pont Briwet is just out of sight down behind the hill of the left.

Of course they might just have grabbed the first picture of Snowdonia National Park featuring pylons that came up in a library search. I haven't read the full article since I'm too parsimonious to subscribe to the Times online.

 

[snowball]

The newest photographs on Martin Pritchard's site (bottom of page 2 at the link) show the old bridge is now gone.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/63164772@N05/sets/72157628880715873/

 

[nowananorack]

The November 27th pictures on Martin Pritchard's site show pilling work has started for bthe next phase. How long do you think it will be until we start having reports of the new rail bridge shifting?

 

[snowball]

There are also new pictures on the Facebook page including the first pile:

https://www.facebook.com/datblygiadpontbriwetdevelopment