Bridge that Gap: Great Central Railway News

Well as that seems to be breaking news, undoubtedly too early to say. I seem to recall that the "additional costs" were on the basis that they may need to build the bridge without sharing possessions etc. - clearly there will now be some possessions and I daresay they will aim to share them if they can, but I don't know whether they got as far as setting any timescales for the bridge in the light of the 'pause' - all that I saw said that they would look at doing other elements of the 'gap' scheme in a different order, and I guess that they still could do that. Better to maintain momentum than delay the whole scheme, if the bridge itself is better delayed a bit to save costs, I'd have thought. But this is just my opinion of course!

 

The good thing is that based on this you'd expect NR to want to get the bridge works done by about 2020 or 2021 at the very latest so this would bring things back within the general hoped-for timescales for the reunification project.
The bridge works may well be done earlier than this since the main problems with MML electrification seem to be availability of expertise and equipment for the actual electrification works, which doesn't really affect preparations like this.

 

Interesting report from the local council

http://www.charnwood.gov.uk/files/p... January 2015 Item 07 Position Statements.pdf

David R

 

Saw this snippet
"Great Central supporter pays £350K to repair key bridge"

In the news section of the issue description of Issue 207 of "Heritage Railway" magazine.

I don't have a copy or online access to this magazine and can't find any other references to this in the usual places.
Anyone know about this? It sounds like someone might be paying towards (or the whole amount of) the refurbishment of the canal bridge - unless this is nothing to with 'bridge the gap' and is in relation to another bridge somewhere on the existing line.

Link to HR mag issue 207 summary:
http://www.classicmagazines.co.uk/issue/View/issue/HR207/issue-207

 

They have - reported in the latest copy of "Main Line".

 

It's actually the steel span of the south viaduct, which is also the reason for the 10mph TSR at present.

 

I have seen a comment on another forum that a ceremony is to take place at Loughborough in the near future to mark the start of work on the bridge over the MML.

Anyone in the know care to comment?

Nothing posted on the GCR website as such.

 

The local rag is reporting the event, but it's really just a symbolic 'topping out' ceremony rather then any actual work starting.
Still, it's progress and positive news - which can't be a bad thing...
http://www.loughboroughecho.net/news/local-news/ceremony-mark-start-work-gcr-10864250

 

See current Railway Herald issue..

 

Although the deck will be single track, the "Network Rail visualisation of the new bridge" appears to show piers wide enough for two tracks. Is that the intention?

I also note with some surprise that "The project was originally to be managed by Network Rail as part of the electrification of the Midland Main Line.

"However, following the ‘pausing’ and ‘restarting’ of the electrification, the Great Central will now drive the project forward itself, with Network Rail providing support."

 

Now also on the BBC news website today with some photo's, but nothing obviously new is showing on the GCR website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-35534096

The media getting ahead of itself perhaps, but they are quoting Bill Ford and the NRM.

 

I think that is just an optical illusion of the computer generated image. The green lower beam is the 'trough' of the structure, the pier is only for a single line.

 

Real progress and equipment on site
http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify/

 

Sorry if this has been mentioned earlier, but the Great central Station is some considerable distance ( on foot at least) from Loughborough (Network rail).
Either for the purposes of serving incoming Customers (weekends) or as part of an integrated transport service to destinations along the line ( Weekdays) is an intermediate halt planned (Close to the Chord line Junction / A60 bridge perhaps) at all ?

 

I think it has been looked at but is deemed too difficult / expensive. The A60 is very narrow here so even if building a station on an embankment was possible, it remains difficult access unless Brush relocates.

 

Looking at the images on the GC website, the view across the MML appears to show the route totally blocked by the Preci- Spark factory.
Can some kind soul familiar with the location confirm if the GC embankment is immediately to the left of the factory? Not really obvious from the images. Presumably the new over-bridge crosses the MML at an angle? Or not, as the case may be!

46118

 

Yes the bridge is at an angle across the MML and according to pieces I have read there is room, just, to get a line alongside the factory. I am sure that somebody with a much better knowledge of the GCR will be along shortly.

 

I would suggest that were there any issues with reinstatement, other than the bridge across the MML, (and money!), they would have been discussed already

 

Any help. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.7778457,-1.1929758,422m/data=!3m1!1e3