Somerleyton Swing Bridge

[Trainfan344]

Seeing reports on Facebook of Somerleyton Swing Bridge being broken big time. Rumours of it having dropped at one end and being inspected by pontoon in the morning. There always seem to be problems with this bridge, is it not due for replacement soon?
NRE Page:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/148640.aspx

A fault with a swing bridge between Reedham and Lowestoft is causing disruption to services between these stations.
The following changes will apply:
20.05 Norwich to Lowestoft will terminate at Reedham
20.57 Lowestoft to Norwich will start at Reedham
21.05 Norwich to Lowestoft has been cancelled
22:05 Norwich to Lowestoft has been cancelled
22:48 Lowestoft to Norwich has been cancelled

If you are travelling between Norwich and Lowestoft, please contact station staff who will organise a taxi for your journey tonight. Customers at unmanned stations, please use the Help Point to arrange transport.

 

[LAX54]

Could this be a result of the 'hauled' sets going over the bridge ? When I was there in the early to mid 80's, we had the odd Lowestoft Goods with a 31 or 37, all other traffic was formed for 101's or Cravens (with the odd Birmingham unit on a Summer Sat)

 

[TheEdge]

It had moved slightly but it now looks like it should be open in the morning.

But yes, there does seem to have been lots of issues recently with that bridge, surprised AGA doesn't seem to have pushed NR for a proper solution.

 

[grumblingalong]

It had moved slightly but it now looks like it should be open in the morning.

But yes, there does seem to have been lots of issues recently with that bridge, surprised AGA doesn't seem to have pushed NR for a proper solution.

Especially when so many local crew and unit diagrams end with a cars/service trip over that section of the wherry lines.

 

[route:oxford]

there does seem to have been lots of issues recently with that bridge, surprised AGA doesn't seem to have pushed NR for a proper solution.

Isn't the Caledonian Canal Bridge also close to end-of-life?

Perhaps it's time for Network Rail to develop a 21st century swing bridge...

Or build a flyover or fully tanked tunnel.

 

[Railsigns]

Isn't the Caledonian Canal Bridge also close to end-of-life?

Which one?

 

[LAX54]

Isn't the Caledonian Canal Bridge also close to end-of-life?

Perhaps it's time for Network Rail to develop a 21st century swing bridge...

Or build a flyover or fully tanked tunnel.

They sort of did come up with a new modern design back in the mid 80's with Trowse Swing Bridge

 

[Robertj21a]

Any idea how many swing bridges on rail lines are still in operation across the country ?

 

[lincolnshire]

Any idea how many swing bridges on rail lines are still in operation across the country ?

Well there are 3 swing bridges in Yorkshire Goole, Selby & Hull Swing Bridges, 1 drawbridge in North Lincolnshire at Keadby Canal (not a swing bridge but an opening bridge across water.
The ones in Norfolk at Trowse, Reedham & Somerleyton.
The ones on either end of the Caledonian Canal.

Any more then?

 

[Bald Rick]

Oulton Broad.

I may be one of the few people who have swung all 4 bridges in Anglia.

 

[grumblingalong]

Oulton Broad.

I may be one of the few people who have swung all 4 bridges in Anglia.

So it's all your fault?

 

[DPWH]

Would it not be better (easier, cheaper) in the long run to ramp up the railway line and use a conventional bridge?

 

[route:oxford]

Which one?

Sorry, Inverness End.

 

[najaB]

Would it not be better (easier, cheaper) in the long run to ramp up the railway line and use a conventional bridge?

Depends on how long you mean by 'the long run', but it definitely wouldn't be cheap. You're talking several tens of millions per bridge. Not to mention the visual impact.

 

[Llanigraham]

And would have to be high enough for the tallest masted boat to get under it!!

 

[najaB]

And would have to be high enough for the tallest masted boat to get under it!!

Make that many tens of millions!

 

[Tio Terry]

Well there are 3 swing bridges in Yorkshire Goole, Selby & Hull Swing Bridges, 1 drawbridge in North Lincolnshire at Keadby Canal (not a swing bridge but an opening bridge across water.
The ones in Norfolk at Trowse, Reedham & Somerleyton.
The ones on either end of the Caledonian Canal.

Any more then?

Carlton Colville, on the East Suffolk line near Oulton Broad.

There also used to be swing bridges at Breydon Water, Haddiscoe and Beccles but they went long ago during the Beeching cuts.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

I'm not familiar with the waterway in question, but the standard starting point for air-draught at Mean High Water Springs (MHWS) for the free passage of tall ships is about 25 metres ... the Manchester Ship Canal typically has about 23m.

That said, one the Waveney's bridges appears to have 7 feet, so perhaps it isn't such an issue.

 

[najaB]

I'm not familiar with the waterway in question, but the standard starting point for air-draught at Mean High Water Springs (MHWS) for the free passage of tall ships is about 25 metres ... the Manchester Ship Canal typically has about 23m.

So if we assume 1:30 gradient on the approaches (seems like a reasonable figure for modern traction) we end up with bridge+approaches being over 1.3km long. Make that a few hundreds of millions.

 

[Joseph_Locke]

So if we assume 1:30 gradient on the approaches (seems like a reasonable figure for modern traction) we end up with bridge+approaches being over 1.3km long. Make that a few hundreds of millions.

My edit crossed with your reply, but NR's normal minimum standard design gradient is 1 in 80, exceptionally 1 in 50.

 

[jimmyvonk]

So if we assume 1:30 gradient on the approaches (seems like a reasonable figure for modern traction) we end up with bridge+approaches being over 1.3km long. Make that a few hundreds of millions.

Add a bit more for the Norfolk ones - can't be easy to find good footings on what is near enough marshland.
Be cheaper to build new swing bridges if they ever get round to it.

 

[grumblingalong]

Rumour is NR have applied to alter water rights under Trowse bridge to allow for a fixed double track structure to be installed instead, Trowse bridge hasn't swung for a while now.

Wouldn't be possible to do at Reedham or Somerleyton due to the high levels of boat traffic, especially in the summer season. I don't think there could be a "standard" swing bridge given the differences between the two.

 

[jimmyvonk]

Rumour is NR have applied to alter water rights under Trowse bridge to allow for a fixed double track structure to be installed instead,

I have heard the same, fixed twin track bridge. Though won't be cheap.

 

[LAX54]

Oulton Broad.

I may be one of the few people who have swung all 4 bridges in Anglia.

I've only done 3, Somerleyton, Reedham and Oulton Broad South.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

So if we assume 1:30 gradient on the approaches (seems like a reasonable figure for modern traction) we end up with bridge+approaches being over 1.3km long. Make that a few hundreds of millions.

and with Somerleyton you will have to put the station on stilts !

 

[najaB]

...and with Somerleyton you will have to put the station on stilts !

Make it a big chunk of a billion. The costs keep going up!

 

[endecotp]

The Rendsburg High Bridge wikipedia page (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendsburg_High_Bridge) reports that it cost 13.4 million marks to build in 1911. I think that was about £1 million, or maybe £100 million today.

 

[najaB]

At this rate it would be cheaper to build a boat lift and take the boats over the railway!

 

[306024]

The Rendsburg High Bridge wikipedia page (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendsburg_High_Bridge) reports that it cost 13.4 million marks to build in 1911. I think that was about £1 million, or maybe £100 million today.

Now that would be quite a structure on the Norfolk Broads That picture on wiki doesn't do it justice, it is a remarkable structure.

Looking at the Broads Authority website, Trowse swing bridge can be swung manually, but Network Rail require seven days notice. Opening time is 02.30, daily.

Back in the day of the BR vacancy list, it was quite common to see jobs advertised with the caveat 'ability to drive, or willing to learn'. A vacancy at Somerleyton was advertised, but some wag in the staff office required the ability to row instead.

 

[LAX54]

Now that would be quite a structure on the Norfolk Broads That picture on wiki doesn't do it justice, it is a remarkable structure.

Looking at the Broads Authority website, Trowse swing bridge can be swung manually, but Network Rail require seven days notice. Opening time is 02.30, daily.

Back in the day of the BR vacancy list, it was quite common to see jobs advertised with the caveat 'ability to drive, or willing to learn'. A vacancy at Somerleyton was advertised, but some wag in the staff office required the ability to row instead.

Reedham Bridge, indeed at one point being 'able to row' was needed, at Christmas, the bridge was left 'off' and the duty Signalman rowed to the other side of the river to go home !
There was also a rowing boat at Somerleyton, when I was there the LNER oar was in the outhouse, and the rremains of the boat sitting on the bottom of the river

At Reedham it then went to the Railway hiring a launch on Christmas Eve to collect the Siggie, can't imagine that lasted long, then they paid a resident who lived almost next door, to be 'on-call' over the 25th, just in case, when he retired, the local duty supervisor used to collect the Signaller in a van after driving over the marshes from Haddiscoe, now I think it is just left closed to the River over Christmas.

When Signalmen were 'passed out' for the box in the 80's, you had to swing it 3 times, you were allowed to 'bang it' once, when swingning back for rail traffic, more than once the D.I would fail you, and come back at later date.

 

[Tio Terry]

Reedham Bridge, indeed at one point being 'able to row' was needed, at Christmas, the bridge was left 'off' and the duty Signalman rowed to the other side of the river to go home !
There was also a rowing boat at Somerleyton, when I was there the LNER oar was in the outhouse, and the rremains of the boat sitting on the bottom of the river

At Reedham it then went to the Railway hiring a launch on Christmas Eve to collect the Siggie, can't imagine that lasted long, then they paid a resident who lived almost next door, to be 'on-call' over the 25th, just in case, when he retired, the local duty supervisor used to collect the Signaller in a van after driving over the marshes from Haddiscoe, now I think it is just left closed to the River over Christmas.

When Signalmen were 'passed out' for the box in the 80's, you had to swing it 3 times, you were allowed to 'bang it' once, when swingning back for rail traffic, more than once the D.I would fail you, and come back at later date.

The "normal" position for Breydon Water was open to river traffic. As the signal box was a turret on the top of the central span this meant the signaller had to be able to row - but it was not only the signaller, the S&T staff also had to be able to use the boat in case they had to get to the bridge in event of some kind of fault.

Many, many years ago, as a young teenager, I was involved with a problem with Reedham Swing Bridge where the cable from the signal box to the top of the swing bridge that controlled the equipment within the bridge fulcrum was coming away from it's metallic bearer and getting close to the top of trains. We decided that we would use a two stage ladder to access the cable and re-tie it to it's supporting cable. As the lightest I was nominated to climb the ladder whilst the others held it. Needless to say the wind took a part and the ladder, being two stage, started to whip and I ended up in the river, the current took me towards Yarmouth. When I got to the bank and clambered out covered in mud I was far from happy!