Nuneham Viaduct shut - Didcot- Oxford

[Chingy]

I doubt the Oxford Aggregate trains will run for a while now. None of the FL Merehead based drivers sign via the Chiltern’s.

Only a handful of FL Reading drivers sign that way, and it would be one big diversion (ie adding a good few hours to the journey) to send them that way.

 

[12LDA28C]

I presume the aggregate for Oxford Banbury Road Sdgs could go via the Chiltern and the BMW trains from Cowley might be diverted that way (with a reversal at Acton Yard to be the right way round) depending on drivers' route knowledge and/or availability of Chiltern pilots?

Some FL drivers already sign at least some of the Chilterns for RHTT work, and previously conducted FGW drivers when Great Western diverted along the Chilterns a few years ago. I very much doubt Chiltern can spare any drivers for conducting work.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

The ideal solution, in view of discussions in other threads, but taking a few years, would be to build a new 2-track bridge alongside, divert the railway on to it, demolish the old bridge, build a new 2-track bridge in its place, and widen the railway to 4 tracks.

Possibly the Royal Engineers have a selection of Bailey Bridges in stock somewhere ...........(used to be Long Marston back in the day)

 

[Snow1964]

Possibly the Royal Engineers have a selection of Bailey Bridges in stock somewhere ...........(used to be Long Marston back in the day)

Used to be loads in Christchurch adjacent to the railway line, near Stour river bridge. Think it was all moved to either Buckley (near Malmesbury) or Ashchurch about 20 years ago

Would probably need triple side panels, if not double height triple panels to carry heavy rail traffic. But they managed to build bridges of that size in 24 hours during WW2 without cranes (each panel is designed to be moved by 4 people), so could be erected in days if there was a will.

 

[zwk500]

Used to be loads in Christchurch adjacent to the railway line, near Stour river bridge. Think it was all moved to either Buckley (near Malmesbury) or Ashchurch about 20 years ago

Would probably need triple side panels, if not double height triple panels to carry heavy rail traffic. But they managed to build bridges of that size in 24 hours during WW2 without cranes (each panel is designed to be moved by 4 people), so could be erected in days if there was a will.

If the issue is the bridge piers sinking, then switching the deck out (for anything) isn't going to help. Building temporary piers adjacent to the bridge with a short slue to the temporary alignment might be an option, but it probably will have a severe E/TSR and could be banned to freight.

 

[Horizon22]

Someone tells me better access to the M40 at Banbury , rather than fighting your way by coach (assuming you can get one or some , in the City of Dreaming Spires)

Partly true, particularly snarled in the city centre.

Anyway this another event on the Western route regarding infrastructure issues which is becoming a bit of a pattern...

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Didcot-Oxford closed until end of play Tuesday 4th, according to NRE.
All the feasible ticket acceptances are offered, but no train diversions.

Find details of current incidents | National Rail

A portal into UK rail travel, including information on ticket purchase and promotions, train times and delays, and more.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Urgent repairs to a bridge between Didcot Parkway and Oxford are taking place. As a result of this, trains are currently unable to run between these stations.
Disruption between Reading and Oxford is expected until at least the end of the day tomorrow, Tuesday 4 April.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Didcot-Oxford closed until end of play Tuesday 4th, according to NRE.
All the feasible ticket acceptances are offered, but no train diversions.

Find details of current incidents | National Rail

A portal into UK rail travel, including information on ticket purchase and promotions, train times and delays, and more.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Until AT LEAST.

 

[zwk500]

Didcot-Oxford closed until end of play Tuesday 4th, according to NRE.
All the feasible ticket acceptances are offered, but no train diversions.

Find details of current incidents | National Rail

A portal into UK rail travel, including information on ticket purchase and promotions, train times and delays, and more.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Is there a rationale behind the hashtag being #DidcotParkway?

 

[Snow1964]

Didcot-Oxford closed until end of play Tuesday 4th, according to NRE.
All the feasible ticket acceptances are offered, but no train diversions.

Find details of current incidents | National Rail

A portal into UK rail travel, including information on ticket purchase and promotions, train times and delays, and more.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Newport-Hereford seems a big detour, as a tickets will be accepted route, but does give those from Southampton and south coast option of travelling via Westbury to the western Midlands and North West (not that GWR has ensured all Portsmouth-Cardiff trains are back to 5 coaches to take diverted customers)

Replacement road transport is in operation between Didcot Parkway and Banbury via Oxford.

Advice for Great Western Railway customers:

Appleford, Culham and Radley stations will not be served.

Limited Rail Replacement Transport is in operation between Didcot Parkway and Oxford.

To assist with your journey, you may use your ticket on the following at no extra cost:

• Avanti West Coast via any reasonable route
• Chiltern Railways between London Marylebone and Oxford
• CrossCountry between Worcestershire Parkway, Cheltenham Spa and Bristol Parkway
• London Underground via any reasonable route
• Stagecoach Buses route S3 between Charlbury and Oxford, route S6 between Swindon and Oxford, and route S7 between Hanborough and Oxford
• Thames Travel route X2 and X32 between Didcot Parkway and Oxford
• Transport for Wales between Newport and Hereford
• West Midlands Railway via any reasonable route

Advice for CrossCountry customers:
To assist with your journey, you may use your ticket on the following at no extra cost:

• Avanti West Coast via any reasonable route
• Chiltern Railways via any reasonable route
• Great Western Railway via any reasonable route
• London Underground via any reasonable route
• London Northwestern Railway via any reasonable route
• South Western Railway between Bournemouth and London Waterloo

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Newport-Hereford seems a big detour, as a tickets will be accepted route, but does give those from Southampton and south coast option of travelling via Westbury to the western Midlands and North West (not that GWR has ensured all Portsmouth-Cardiff trains are back to 5 coaches to take diverted customers)

Not at all a big detour if you have a ticket between Hereford and Paddington and were expecting to take a direct train.

 

[Snow1964]

BBC is now reporting the story

It is strangely quiet here this evening - no work is taking place, but we can see the right-hand side of the viaduct appears lower than the left.

We know there was movement of the bridge structure, which was being monitored for several weeks.

Network Rail won't tell us what has broken or how serious it is - others are suggesting it will be shut for two weeks or more.

Oxfordshire: Rail disruption over viaduct stability fears

A main line has been closed until Tuesday at the earliest while engineers inspect a river bridge.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Used to be loads in Christchurch adjacent to the railway line, near Stour river bridge. Think it was all moved to either Buckley (near Malmesbury) or Ashchurch about 20 years ago

Would probably need triple side panels, if not double height triple panels to carry heavy rail traffic. But they managed to build bridges of that size in 24 hours during WW2 without cranes (each panel is designed to be moved by 4 people), so could be erected in days if there was a will.

5 or 10 mph over an emergency bridge is far better than "no railway" - maybe someone ought to "make the call" - one suspects (thinking of the Petteril Junction bridge issue - this could be a long one.

 

[zwk500]

Not at all a big detour if you have a ticket between Hereford and Paddington and were expecting to take a direct train.

Are GWR planning to divert any Pad-Worcester/Hereford trains via Cheltenham do we know?

 

[The Planner]

Didcot-Oxford closed until end of play Tuesday 4th, according to NRE.
All the feasible ticket acceptances are offered, but no train diversions.

Find details of current incidents | National Rail

A portal into UK rail travel, including information on ticket purchase and promotions, train times and delays, and more.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

A restriction of use was put in earlier today until the 23rd, so unless it was an initial over reaction it aint opening soon.

 

[Verulamius]

I think that Cross County has 3 4 car and 3 5 car units south of the viaduct.

 

[zwk500]

5 or 10 mph over an emergency bridge is far better than "no railway" - maybe someone ought to "make the call" - one suspects (thinking of the Petteril Junction bridge issue - this could be a long one.

Very difficult call this one though - do we know what has shifted, and whether there are enough bridge parts to build a temporary bridge? This is a long span to bridge with temporary materials, and there will be a big problem making it clear enough of the old bridge that they can do the necessary work without hinderance.

I think that Cross County has 3 4 car and 3 5 car units south of the viaduct.

Which they can send to Birmingham via Cheltenham if they need to, unless you are suggesting stacking them on top of each other in the Thames as a temporary bridge?

 

[Snow1964]

Appears to be third railway bridge on this line, and built in 1929.
There is some history of the river crossing and 2 previous bridges here

Nuneham Railway Bridge - WHERE THAMES SMOOTH WATERS GLIDE

Nuneham Railway Bridge over River Thames south of Oxford,UK

thames.me.uk

This is a google street view from towpath, note the two arches have been bricked up, and some buttresses added. The centre pier still has open arches. This suggests this pier has given trouble before but from style of bricks the strengthening was probably done 70+ years ago, maybe not long after 1929 rebuild

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.co.uk

 

[Clarence Yard]

GWR are working on the proposed service plan as I speak, as well as sorting out the mess that todays block has caused to the service/stock disposition.

But it’s probably going to take weeks/months to fix this - according to the reports I’ve seen, the brick pillars have moved significantly.

 

[fgwrich]

Ah, this explains why there were a few doubled up Voyagers passing Basingstoke this afternoon working ECS Reading to Eastleigh Depot then! As unfortunate as this is, if the bridge repairs end up taking some time (eg rebuild or repair), could NR combine it with some of the Oxford station works?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Cheltenham/Bromsgrove appears to only be W8 from a brief glance at NESA. So would need very careful loading or well wagons.

See this Map (a little bit old now but gets the substantive point across): https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-co...ap-intermodal-sector-with-gauge-clearance.pdf

Thanks. Downloaded. Very useful.

 

[zwk500]

Thanks. Downloaded. Very useful.

Indeed, having the gauge comparison on Page 2 is especially helpful.

 

[ModernRailways]

Friend at NR sent me this from last week
Image shows damage to bridge, large crack where parts of bridge have separated.

 

[nw1]

In the days of loco-hauled on XC, I never saw any trains diverted that way with the usual diversionary route being Reading - Acton - Canal Wharf - Willesden - WCML. I guess some drivers might still sign that way or at least just need a refresher.

I distinctly remember travelling on a diverted XC HST up the WCML in (I think) late 1997.

The other frequent diversionary route was Oxford-Worcester-Birmingham but obviously that's no good in this instance.

WCML would be too busy I'm sure these days so Swindon-Cheltenham seems the most obvious if it were possible.

 

[bspahh]

But it’s probably going to take weeks/months to fix this - according to the reports I’ve seen, the brick pillars have moved significantly.

I doubt they moved as much as the bridge in this video (although it was stolen)

https://twitter.com/lokfuehrer_tim/status/1631000584445722636

39°54'01.0"N 3°53'54.0"W · Vega de Toledo, Toledo, Spain

Vega de Toledo, Toledo, Spain

www.google.co.uk

 

[A0wen]

Anyone want to take bets on which reopenings now get touted in the Speculative Ideas thread on the basis it would provide a diversionary route for this closure ?

 

[PTR 444]

Anyone want to take bets on which reopenings now get touted in the Speculative Ideas thread on the basis it would provide a diversionary route for this closure ?

Bourne End to High Wycombe is probably the most obvious one methinks.

 

[Class15]

They’ll be lucky if it’s reopened on Wednesday!

 

[Amlag]

Here's an interesting article on this bridge..
https://culhamticketoffice.co.uk/bits/hidden-pages/nuneham-bridge.html

 

[swt_passenger]

Anyone want to take bets on which reopenings now get touted in the Speculative Ideas thread on the basis it would provide a diversionary route for this closure ?

Post #24 in this thread earlier would probably be a start…