Bridge that Gap: Great Central Railway News

Here.

Noel

 

Does that mean they’ll have to pile down to that level?

 

Just got a small windfall and bunged them £500 (£625 with gift aid), I hope they make the target soon so they can get stuck in.

Always make sure you use gift aid when donating if you possibly can!

 

June update.....

 

For those who don't "Do" You Tube, the video confirms the ground investigation is all correct and presents no problem. The latest environmental survey has been done again with no significant issues raised. The Factory Flyover and Urban Viaduct detailed specification and drawings are complete and paid for. Over £2.9M is in the bank with fundraising obviously ongoing.
The visit of Tornado and Flying Scotsman to the GCR(N) has gone very well and limited evening running has been approved.
Well done to all involved for what has been lots of hard work.

 

This has appeared on YouTube today.....

 

Well that really is an excellent presentation by all concerned!
And "Yes", as an early member of the MLPG (Main Line Preservation Group, member #10) I am extremely proud of what has been achieved by the efforts of so many people who have given time, money and good will to support the GCR....and continue "Forward".

 

Going out to tender for the next phase of work.......

 

For those of us who have an aversion to watching videos, is this information available in written/printed form anywhere? The GCR Website didn't have it (just the video), and an extensive Web search didn't turn up anything, either.

Noel

 

Summary:
They've got 20k subscribers on YouTube
They're about to go out to tender for the factory flyover/railway terrace section

 

Is that the entire concrete viaduct?

 

No. Just the bit over the factory car-park, and the bridge span over the access road to the tip, from what I can make out.

 

The picture below is from the GCR website, and it would seem to indicate that there is still a section of embankment and viaduct to be built between the canal bridge and railway terrace

 

The GCR is almost a sparing with information as the NYMR; their Web-site is now totally focused on the 'average' GCR customer. (I guess everyone else are 'mushrooms'.) So I couldn't even find the overall images of the proposed structure, which I recall seeing there at one point.

I did find Design Done!, which says "We’ll need to work with Network Rail as we build up to the existing Midland Main Line bridge and the relevant highways team as we cross Railway Terrace." If that (probably written by some marketing PR person) is accurate, the "cross Railway Terrace" is the important part; that implies that this project will be building up to the 'have to be rebuilt' embankment leading to the GCR side of the unified line. And of course the "up to the existing Midland Main Line bridge" means that when this is done, one should be able to lay rails all the way from the MML bridge to the aforesaid embankment.

Speaking of which, I recall that after the other end of that embankment, and after the bridge over the Grand Union canal after that, the GCR had a shed that has to be moved. The most recent thing I could find on that (other than a YouTube video, which I won't watch) was Reinstatement of double track sees Great Central Railway relocate engine shed, but that was from March, 2024. Does anyone have any more recent news of it?

Noel

 

The embankment has to be reinstated, yes, but where is a viaduct needed?

Noel

 

The missing embankment between canal and Railway Terrace will mostly be a viaduct rather than reinstating the embankment. There was a video explaining why some time ago, but I think it largely comes down to (a) some encroachment on the original embankment footprint and (b) the requirements of the environmental bodies who look after the adjacent stream. Plus, of course, it needs to go higher than it originally was as the MML bridge is higher. And on a slightly different alignment.

 

Iirc it will be a precast concrete viaduct similar to some of those on HS2, being cheaper and quicker than more traditional construction. Also replacing part of what was to be embankment, for the same reason and narrower footprint.

 

As I understand it, the section I have circled in red is the viaduct that is going out to tender.

The section in green will presumably be of similar construction but was not specifically mentioned in the video update so I have assumed it will be a later phase of construction.

The embankment after the canal bridge will link the existing GCR to these sections and the Midland mainline bridge.

 

A bit confusing, with there being no label in that diagram as to what that section is! :-(

Noel

 

The missing annotation is Urban Viaduct.