Spot the howler (Copy Pit line)

[snowball]

Spot the howler in this press release:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/network-rail-breathes-new-life-into-west-yorkshire-viaduct/

Work has started to repair and strengthen the Grade II listed Lydgate viaduct in Calderdale so trains can continue to run safely between Todmorden and Burnley.

George Stephenson’s 13 arch viaduct, built around 1908, carries trains between Todmorden and Burnley via Cornholme.

One arch of the structure, also known as Knott Wood viaduct, is being strengthened as part of the Great North Rail Project which is seeing more than £1bn invested in the railway in the north of England.

Marc Vipham, Network Rail’s senior asset engineer, said: “Impressive Victorian structures such as the Lydgate viaduct are not only part of Britain’s landscape but also play a key part in keeping trains moving and villages, towns and cities connected.

“As part of our Railway Upgrade Plan we inspect and maintain all our bridges and viaducts so they are safe and carry out repairs sympathetically so these iconic structures stand tall for decades to come.”

Network Rail started work on the £750k project in May 2017 to strengthen one arch at the Burnley end of the viaduct. Engineers have planned the work so it can be completed without impacting on passengers and train services. Brickwork along the whole of the viaduct is being repaired while the strengthening work is taking place.

All work is planned to be completed in September 2017.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Spot the howler in this press release:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/network-rail-breathes-new-life-into-west-yorkshire-viaduct/

Was old George still around in 1908?

 

[Darandio]

Was old George still around in 1908?

Long gone.

I'd guess that whilst doing a quick bit of 'research' for the press release, they've Googled the viaduct. One of the top results has 'Lydgate Viaduct c. 1908' and they've taken that as the year built, not the fact it's actually when a photo was taken.

 

[snowball]

I seem to have commited my own howler by creating this thread in the Future High Speed Rail subforum when I meant to put it in the parent Infrastructure forum. No idea how that happened.

Edit: thanks to mods for moving it!

 

[Firesprite]

Was old George still around in 1908?

Only in spirit

 

[3141]

If it had been built in 1908 it wouldn't be Victorian. But we can probably exonerate (well, largely) Mark Vipham, the engineer to whom the remark about Victorian structures is atributed. Whenever an organisation puts out a press statement they include a paragraph on the lines of "So-and-so, a senior person, said 'We're all doing marvellous things and you can have complete faith in us.' " They're actually made up by someone in the press department with a GCSE Grade D in History.

 

[lejog]

I can assure you in the private sector where I work, press releases have to be rigorously agreed between the project managers of the supplier and the customer. Releasing them without client approval (by cowboy suppliers of course) has ended up in the courts. Also for public companies there is the possibility of a stock exchange investigation as share price can move up as the result of a "good news" press release - that's one of the major reasons for bothering with them.

Of course, Network Rail aren't subject to such disciplines, so put out stuff like this.

 

[westv]

Ah dear, dear George. A fine fellow and a great colleague. Hated his cigars though.

 

[edwin_m]

Ah dear, dear George. A fine fellow and a great colleague. Hated his cigars though.

Wasn't that Brunel? Or if they both smoked, Brunel's cigars would have been bigger.

 

[L&Y Robert]

It's built of stone - 'Milstone Grit', not brickwork.

I went to school just by there - Robin Wood School.