Workington bridge closed? (29/02/2024)

[Lemmy99uk]

I’m seeing some posts on fb claiming that the bridge over the river Derwent at Workington has been closed to traffic as it is structurally unsound.

The only official information I can find is from last nights Twitter feed where Northern stated that there were delays and cancellations between Carlisle and Workington.

Does anyone have any further information as this could potentially be a very long term closure?

 

[mrcheek]

According to National Rail this has now been rectified.

Of course, there are no services today anyway due to a strike (industrial action, bot a bridge strike!)

 

[janb]

Network Rail are inspecting it this morning. Will find out later if its possible to run with a speed restriction or whether it requires closure.

 

[ellie12345]

I’m seeing some posts on fb claiming that the bridge over the river Derwent at Workington has been closed to traffic as it is structurally unsound.

The only official information I can find is from last nights Twitter feed where Northern stated that there were delays and cancellations between Carlisle and Workington.

Does anyone have any further information as this could potentially be a very long term closure?

BBC News - Workington to Carlisle trains cancelled for urgent bridge repairs

Workington to Carlisle trains cancelled for bridge repairs

Services between Workington and Carlisle have been cancelled until Sunday 10 March.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Why can't services shuttle between Carlisle & Maryport?

 

[Lemmy99uk]

Why can't services shuttle between Carlisle & Maryport?

There seem to be two units in platform 2 at Carlisle so it should be feasible. It’s an easy bus link between Maryport and Workington and there should be plenty of crews available.
Let’s see if they take the easy option and cancel everything north of Workington.

 

[chiltern trev]

Stagecoach service 30 runs several times an hour each way between Maryport (within 200m of station ) and Workington (stops outside the station) as does the hourly 300 Carlisle - Workington.

 

[PyrahnaRanger]

Why can't services shuttle between Carlisle & Maryport?

At a guess, it’s because some of the units used are stabled at Workington overnight, so it’ll probably be that units are in the wrong place to do it.

@Lemmy99uk if those posts were from MJ/Marra Tweddle, he’s a DRS driver and posts some good photos in the Cumbria Coast Railways group. He popped a post in the Wigton group yesterday about the closure with information which which was “from internal systems” when questioned.

According to National Rail this has now been rectified.

Of course, there are no services today anyway due to a strike (industrial action, bot a bridge strike!)

Journey Check would disagree - disruption expected until 23:59 09/03.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Why can't services shuttle between Carlisle & Maryport?

At a guess, it’s because some of the units used are stabled at Workington overnight, so it’ll probably be that units are in the wrong place to do it.

Must be some suitable sets stuck on the Carlisle side. How many sets would be required to operate a basic 1tph shuttle service? Two, maybe three? Too difficult?

 

[PyrahnaRanger]

Must be some suitable sets stuck on the Carlisle side. How many sets would be required to operate a basic 1tph shuttle service? Two, maybe three?

You’d possibly be able to get away with two and still be able to stick to the timetable, but I don’t know if there would be spare crew. I know they change at Workington, and cover up to Carlisle and down to Barrow, so it may be they need them to run the southern part of the service.

 

[156421]

Why can't services shuttle between Carlisle & Maryport?

Is Flimby north of the closure? With it having 2 platforms it might be more appropriate as a temporary terminus than Maryport? Flimby is also served by the 30 and 300 bus routes. There are going to be some very busy 300s this afternoon assuming Carlisle vs. Reading beats the weather...

 

[CHAPS2034]

Disruption to at least 2359 Saturday 9/3

From National Rail Enquiries this morning

Urgent repairs to a bridge between Harrington and Carlisle mean that all lines are closed.

Trains running between Barrow-in-Furness and Carlisle will be cancelled, or revised to terminate at / start back from Workington.

All stations between Workington and Carlisle will not be served.

We anticipate disruption will continue until the end of the day on Saturday 9 March.

Network Rail are in the process of examining the damaged bridge and will provide a further update once more information is known.

Effect on service:

Train services are unable to run between Workington and Carlisle. This will impact the following routes:

Lancaster - Carlisle via Barrow-in-Furness services will terminate at Workington.

Barrow-in-Furness - Carlisle services will terminate at Workington.

Whitehaven - Carlisle services will terminate at Workington.

Carlisle - Lancaster via Barrow-in-Furness services will start at Workington.

Carlisle - Barrow-in-Furness services will start at Workington.

Carlisle - Whitehaven services will start at Workington.

Manchester Airport - Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster - Barrow-in-Furness services are not impacted by this incident and are scheduled to operate as per the timetable tomorrow.

So looks like the closure could be extended depending upon the results of the NR inspection

 

[AMD]

Internally the word is a 4 week closure to fix.

 

[PyrahnaRanger]

Internally the word is a 4 week closure to fix.

I’ve seen the same (well, April 1st) quoted today, although admittedly only on Facebook from a poster whose veracity I can’t vouch for, but nothing on Northern/Journeycheck beyond 9th March. Workington Travelling Heritage are certainly booked until 9th March at the moment.

 

[deltic08]

Is Flimby north of the closure? With it having 2 platforms it might be more appropriate as a temporary terminus than Maryport? Flimby is also served by the 30 and 300 bus routes. There are going to be some very busy 300s this afternoon assuming Carlisle vs. Reading beats the weather...

I don't think there is a cross over at Siddick junction anymore. There certainly isn't one at Flimby so the only way Flimby could be used is if worked "one engine in steam" shuttling from Maryport.

 

[OhNoAPacer]

I don't think there is a cross over at Siddick junction anymore. There certainly isn't one at Flimby so the only way Flimby could be used is if worked "one engine in steam" shuttling from Maryport.

In any case Flimby is north of the closure.

 

[156421]

I don't think there is a cross over at Siddick junction anymore. There certainly isn't one at Flimby so the only way Flimby could be used is if worked "one engine in steam" shuttling from Maryport.

In everyday usage, trains using both platforms at Flimby are able to use the single platform at Maryport. Surely then, both Flimby platforms could be used even if one of them was needed for the storage of a 156 rather than passenger use. Unless there are available storage sidings at Maryport in which case this is all irrelevant.

 

[QueensCurve]

I don't think there is a cross over at Siddick junction anymore. There certainly isn't one at Flimby so the only way Flimby could be used is if worked "one engine in steam" shuttling from Maryport.

I am farely sure that there is no Xover at Siddick Junction. My late father was once (before my time) Station Master at Flimby with responsibity for Siddick Junction.

 

[Pinus contorta]

Looks like the northern website has now been updated to suggest the bridge will be closed till 31 March

 

[StoneRoad]

Anyone able to say exactly to which bridge this closure refers ?

I ask because searches of various "news websites" give Harrington, Flimby and Workington !

I was planning a trip from Carlisle to Whitehaven tomorrow, and a couple of similar trips in March, but it seems if I do go, it will be by car ...

 

[OhNoAPacer]

My understanding is that it is the bridge over the Derwent just north of Workington Station.

 

[Skymonster]

Bother - seems like I might not being doing the Cumbria coast on my way back from Glasgow / Carlisle on Thursday! I guess it’ll be RRB or ticket acceptance on Avanti / TPE direct Lancaster.

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Does anyone know the actual reason the RRB is Workington to Carlisle and vice versa and not just Workington to Maryport?
The latter wouldn't extend the travel time by very much, the former extends it considerably.

 

[deltic08]

In any case Flimby is north of the closure.

Yes I know thank you. I was explaining to 156421 that it isn't feasible to use Flimby.

In everyday usage, trains using both platforms at Flimby are able to use the single platform at Maryport. Surely then, both Flimby platforms could be used even if one of them was needed for the storage of a 156 rather than passenger use. Unless there are available storage sidings at Maryport in which case this is all irrelevant.

There are storage sidings at Maryport.

I am farely sure that there is no Xover at Siddick Junction. My late father was once (before my time) Station Master at Flimby with responsibity for Siddick Junction.

I used to live in Flimby in the early 1950s but I can't remember it being staffed. It must have been before my time too.

My understanding is that it is the bridge over the Derwent just north of Workington Station.

Yes it is.

 

[D6130]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that all services between Workington and Carlisle are worked by Workington crews. They certainly were when I retired in 2012. If that's still the case then Carlisle-based Northern crews won't sign the road to Maryport. Howvever, I would have thought that Workington crews could be taxied via the rebuilt road bridge to either Maryport or Carlisle.

 

[godfreycomplex]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that all services between Workington and Carlisle are worked by Workington crews. They certainly were when I retired in 2012. If that's still the case then Carlisle-based Northern crews won't sign the road to Maryport. Howvever, I would have thought that Workington crews could be taxied via the rebuilt road bridge to either Maryport or Carlisle.

Barrow (ex-Northern ) crews also sign it but yes that’s still the case and if it’s prolonged it may well go that way

 

[Skymonster]

Splendid - train from Carlisle to Workington normally takes about 50 minutes while the RRB is an hour and a half. Looks like I’ve got a shoe in for a Northern delay replay claim and free ticket next week if I do the RRB!!

 

[156421]

Even if a third 156 was needed as part of the "Carlisle to Maryport shuttle" suggested up-thread, it's not exactly a physical impossibility to get one which is "trapped" at Workington down to Carnforth or somewhere like that of a daytime, and to tow it overnight to Carlisle. But, again, that would involve Northern planners having to do something slightly off normal, so is unthinkable.

 

[Ken H]

Sorry this post is a little messy. Facebook init.
I understand that there will be a Maryport - Carlisle rail service soon

Ian Birchall - Amor
Why have they closed the whole line !! Why not terminate at Flimby and bus to Workington for to catch the train to all stations south ?


Workington Transport Heritage Trust
Ian Birchall - Amor they're going to use Maryport as there's better facilities to park a few buses up and shuttles to Workington once they've got everything in place

Workington Transport Heritage trust are providing 2 vintage buses as RRB

After a long day yesterday, our 2 rail replacement buses are ready for a 2nd day covering on our local line.

They both covered 18hr shifts yesterday, travelling a total of 350 miles each without a hitch.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Splendid - train from Carlisle to Workington normally takes about 50 minutes while the RRB is an hour and a half. Looks like I’ve got a shoe in for a Northern delay replay claim and free ticket next week if I do the RRB!!

Unfortunately not, as the RRB is the Published Timetable of the Day.