GCR Bridge Project

[AndyY1951]

It's a pity that the historical character of the bridge will be lost, but this is a critical bridge and getting it replaced as quickly as possible is vital.

 

[Flying Phil]

I agree about the historic character, but part of it may well be retained as those lattice pilasters may be refurbished and put back on the new bridge....as was done at Quorn. I suspect that the "wasp stripes" will also get painted on!

 

[fgwrich]

I agree about the historic character, but part of it may well be retained as those lattice pilasters may be refurbished and put back on the new bridge....as was done at Quorn. I suspect that the "wasp stripes" will also get painted on!

Hopefully, any replacement bridge will have a sacrificial beam added to prevent and reduce any potential bridge bashing. They may not look particularly pretty, but if it saves the bridge from costly damage then I'm all for it. Fingers crossed a replacement bridge can be purchased soon though - I'm sure the income from the Hotchley Hill Gypsum services will be welcome to the EMRT.

 

[Flying Phil]

There is a diagram of the proposed replacement bridge on an EMRT pamphlet which shows a concrete, precast, "Collision Protection Beam" either side of the bridge. It seems to be a solid lump 1m x 1.4m in cross section!

 

[38Cto15E]

The present bridge has headroom of 4.4m/14' 6", with the new construction can the headroom be increased without substantially adding to the project cost?

 

[AndyY1951]

If the headroom is increased then the road authorities should make a contribution to the costs!

 

[Flying Phil]

The present bridge has headroom of 4.4m/14' 6", with the new construction can the headroom be increased without substantially adding to the project cost?

I'm sure they will be trying to increase the headroom under the bridge by careful design - but the rail level cannot go up much further (Gradient from the MML) ....and the road level cannot go down much further (Flood risk from brook). It will be a few cm here and there to give a fair increase overall.

 

[Mogulb]

I'm sure they will be trying to increase the headroom under the bridge by careful design - but the rail level cannot go up much further (Gradient from the MML) ....and the road level cannot go down much further (Flood risk from brook). It will be a few cm here and there to give a fair increase overall.

As Flying Phil has indicated road or rail levels cannot be changed, potentially however as there is approx 300mm of excess ballast depth , combined with thin depth deck construction it should be possible that the 5.03m that highways would like can be achieved. All subject to survey etc.

 

[Flying Phil]

Just checking back and we do not seem to have a picture of the A60 bridge....so here it is in all its lorry struck glory!

 

[Neen Sollars]

Thanks for the photograph Phil. Any estimates of the refurb costs to the GCRs N&S? Appears a clear need for new style impact beams and CCTV.

 

[Flying Phil]

Hi Neen Sollars
I have not seen a cost estimate yet but I seem to remember that the cost of replacing the Quorn bridge (#341) was around £350,000 so, I suspect, the A60 bridge would be around £550,000? It is longer, but a similar construction and the access is probably slightly easier - they may use the MML bridge works compound for bridge assembly? On the plans published by the EMRT there are concrete "Collision Protection Beams" either side of the bridge decks - Approx 1m x 1.4m in cross section.

 

[Cowley]

Hi Neen Sollars
I have not seen a cost estimate yet but I seem to remember that the cost of replacing the Quorn bridge (#341) was around £350,000 so, I suspect, the A60 bridge would be around £550,000? It is longer, but a similar construction and the access is probably slightly easier - they may use the MML bridge works compound for bridge assembly? On the plans published by the EMRT there are concrete "Collision Protection Beams" either side of the bridge decks - Approx 1m x 1.4m in cross section.

A lot of material costs have gone up in the building trade recently (and will continue to go up by the looks of things). Is this effecting the works do you know Phil?

 

[Flying Phil]

Sorry Cowley I do not know....but I expect it will have an effect and so more money will be needed. Hopefully we will get a bit more information at the GCR AGM on Saturday....Although this seems to have become an EMRT project, with lots of GCR/GCR(N)/DCRT involvement.

 

[Cowley]

Sorry Cowley I do not know....but I expect it will have an effect and so more money will be needed. Hopefully we will get a bit more information at the GCR AGM on Saturday....Although this seems to have become an EMRT project, with lots of GCR/GCR(N)/DCRT involvement.

Ah ok. Thanks for the updates by the way.

 

[Flying Phil]

Attached is a page from the EMRT booklet giving details of the proposed A60 bridge. It is a pdf file which hopefully will open.

At the GCR AGM today it was announced that the GCR is to manage the bridge 326 (A 60) replacement project with EMRT raising the funds and working with other stakeholders. The project is expected to cost approx £1M. There was a general feeling that this needs to be completed in the near future......
I think the cost was higher than I suggested because it is much longer than I realised and also needs those collision beams.
It was very good to be told and to see how closely the various organisations are working together.

 

[Flying Phil]

Confirmation in the latest issue of "Main Line" no 188 that "Fundraising for the Factory Flyover section of Reunification has reached the magic seven figure sum".
I must say that I am surprised that it is such a low key announcement.......£1,000,000+ raised - despite a pandemic, in just over 18 months!!!

 

[Gostav]

Confirmation in the latest issue of "Main Line" no 188 that "Fundraising for the Factory Flyover section of Reunification has reached the magic seven figure sum".
I must say that I am surprised that it is such a low key announcement.......£1,000,000+ raised - despite a pandemic, in just over 18 months!!!

So when did the engineering work begin?

 

[Flying Phil]

Hi Gostav
They are busy fundraising and getting all the planning/design work done. The actual construction work will start in 2022/23 If the funding is largely in place. I suspect/hope that they will be doing some work to the North of the engine shed and on the canal bridge before that.
However a lot of time, work, energy and funding will be going into the A 60 bridge to get that problem sorted.

 

[Flying Phil]

There is a new YT video on the GCR Official You tube channel but it still doesn't appear on the official GCR website though - which is a surprise. What I liked about the video was the graphic showing how the funding relates to the Factory Flyover construction....nearly halfway across!
There must be a lot of background work going into the A60 bridge project with the GCR/EMRT/NHR/British Gypsum/County Council/Highways England etc all being involved. If that gets rebuilt, in parallel to the factory flyover, then it is "Only" the embankments that will need to be built.....and tracks laid!

 

[Flying Phil]

Recent information from the "Friends of the GCML" says that...."The money continues to come in - we’re climbing above one million at a good pace. There has been no discernible slow down." Which is good news.

 

[38Cto15E]

The main thing is that costs of the project do not increase faster than donations.

 

[Up Main]

According to a report on Rail Advent, there seems to be some movement in the A60 bridge repairs at loughborough with involvement from GCR plc to help out Nottingham Heritage Railway, (formerly GCR Nottingham).

This is the first positive news in writing that has appeared. Hopefully more good news to come and will hopefully also help boost the EMRT 'Forward Fund Appeal' for this critical urgent work.

GCR and Nottingham Heritage Railway in advanced talks over repair work to reopen line

The Great Central Railway has told RailAdvent that they are in advanced discussions with the East Midlands Railway Trust and the Nottingham Heritage Railway regarding the return of trains to the line between Midland Mainline and Ruddington.

www.railadvent.co.uk

The Great Central Railway has told RailAdvent that they are in advanced discussions with the East Midlands Railway Trust and the Nottingham Heritage Railway regarding the return of trains to the line between Midland Mainline and Ruddington.


Despite a lot of reports regarding friction between some of the parties, it is likely that a deal will be struck where the GCR PLC will assist in repairs to structures and major infrastructure work to encourage freight trains to return to the line at the earliest possible date, and later on in the future, other passenger services.

 

[Flying Phil]

Excellent news! As we hoped, the relative public silence has resulted in positive progress between the parties.

 

[etr221]

Yesterday I was looking at the Great Central Railway website (all about the Loughborough-Leicester line) - which has much about the Reunification project - but reunify with what? All it says is a 'line from Ruddington to Loughborough' and 'another heritage operation'... with - in an obscure part of their website - a broken link to the "Great Central Railway (Nottingham)".
A quick web search did lead me to their website - which told me they were now called the Nottingham Heritage Railway; seemed to be having a dispute with 'EMRT' (whoever they are); but did not give me the impression of being a thriving organisastion (in any sense: maybe a bit unfair, but that was the impression I had).

Coming here - and reading the last couple of pages - gave some explanation of what's going on - and with pointer to the Railadvent piece, gave a glimmer of hope. But overall, I am reminded of the expression 'piss up in a brewery' and what was going on a few decades ago north west of Porthmadog. Hopefully there will be a similar happy outcome...

 

[Flying Phil]

I can understand your concerns etr221. There is in fact a lot of history involved in the present situation but, to give a brief overview, with apologies for simplifications!
BR closed the former GCR line to London in 1966, but kept the Rugby to Nottingham section open until 1969.
The Main Line Preservation Group set up in 1969 to preserve, as a main line, the Leicester to Nottingham section.
In 1973 the Loughborough to Rothley section was opened as a preserved line (GCR). Only as a single track - all that could be afforded.
The section North of Loughborough retained by BR to serve the Ruddington MoD site.
The route severed at Loughborough with a Chord Line for the North, built to join the Midland Main Line.
The GCR section progressed with running to Leicester North, Double track, Swithland Sidings and Mountsorrel Branch. Backed by a charity, the David Clarke Railway Trust (DCRT)
The MoD left Ruddington and the Heritage centre opened with running steadily increased down towards Loughborough, shared at the South end with commercial freight traffic to the British Gypsum site at East Leake. The Track bed owned by East Midland Railway Trust (EMRT), operated by Great Central (Nottingham)Ltd GCR(N).
Various studies looked at re-instating the "Missing " section to fulfil that original aim of a preserved main line between Nottingham and Leicester.
With the "Midland Main Line Electrification" due (again!) in the mid 2010s it was now or never and the new MML bridge was the first of a 7 stage Reunification project.
The GCR(N) had a very critical ORR report and commercially there was confusion with the GCR so the GCR(N) name was changed to NHR and new directors came to try and pull the North operation round...with a degree of acrimony unfortunately.
The bridge over the A60 road was declared "too corroded and weak" and closed to rail traffic in 2020 This was Stage 7 of the reunification project and due for refurbishment.
Throw into this Covid, Leicester Museum project, Heritage Lottery funding, various councils etc etc the difficulties become understandable!!

 

[etr221]

I can understand your concerns etr221. There is in fact a lot of history involved in the present situation but, to give a brief overview, with apologies for simplifications!
BR closed the former GCR line to London in 1966, but kept the Rugby to Nottingham section open until 1969.
The Main Line Preservation Group set up in 1969 to preserve, as a main line, the Leicester to Nottingham section.
In 1973 the Loughborough to Rothley section was opened as a preserved line (GCR). Only as a single track - all that could be afforded.
The section North of Loughborough retained by BR to serve the Ruddington MoD site.
The route severed at Loughborough with a Chord Line for the North, built to join the Midland Main Line.
The GCR section progressed with running to Leicester North, Double track, Swithland Sidings and Mountsorrel Branch. Backed by a charity, the David Clarke Railway Trust (DCRT)
The MoD left Ruddington and the Heritage centre opened with running steadily increased down towards Loughborough, shared at the South end with commercial freight traffic to the British Gypsum site at East Leake. The Track bed owned by East Midland Railway Trust (EMRT), operated by Great Central (Nottingham)Ltd GCR(N).
Various studies looked at re-instating the "Missing " section to fulfil that original aim of a preserved main line between Nottingham and Leicester.
With the "Midland Main Line Electrification" due (again!) in the mid 2010s it was now or never and the new MML bridge was the first of a 7 stage Reunification project.
The GCR(N) had a very critical ORR report and commercially there was confusion with the GCR so the GCR(N) name was changed to NHR and new directors came to try and pull the North operation round...with a degree of acrimony unfortunately.
The bridge over the A60 road was declared "too corroded and weak" and closed to rail traffic in 2020 This was Stage 7 of the reunification project and due for refurbishment.
Throw into this Covid, Leicester Museum project, Heritage Lottery funding, various councils etc etc the difficulties become understandable!!

Thanks for providing the historical summary - which goes a long way to explain where we are.

But I'm not sure it makes up for the impression I gained yesterday - from the gcrailway and gcrn websites - that the GC Railway's Reunification Project is raising and spending millions linking to nothing in particular (which leads me to ask if it's worth it).

Hopefully the optimism expressed in the Railadvent piece will lead to progress - which might perhaps start with some co-ordinated web site updates, linking those of the two existing operations (GCR and NHR) and the two big projects (GCR Project Unify and EMRT Forward Fund) to join them - and indicating the impressive operation which will come out of it!

 

[Flying Phil]

Hi etr 221.
I think the reunification videos connected to the website do explain in more detail the various benefits of the project - both to the GCR and to the NHR as well as the East Midlands as a whole. Essentially though, reunification gives direct access for the GCR to the main line for possible charters, testing contracts and locomotive servicing. It creates an 18 mile Main Line Heritage railway which is unique. It provides two destinations from Loughborough GC. It gives a range of destinations from Ruddington. The sum is greater than the parts.....and it fulfils that driving ambition of many thousands of people to have a preserved Main Line between two major cities - Leicester and Nottingham. It must also be remembered that we are very fortunate to still have so much steam on the main line....but it sometimes hangs from a thread...

 

[fgwrich]

Hi etr 221.
I think the reunification videos connected to the website do explain in more detail the various benefits of the project - both to the GCR and to the NHR as well as the East Midlands as a whole. Essentially though, reunification gives direct access for the GCR to the main line for possible charters, testing contracts and locomotive servicing. It creates an 18 mile Main Line Heritage railway which is unique. It provides two destinations from Loughborough GC. It gives a range of destinations from Ruddington. The sum is greater than the parts.....and it fulfils that driving ambition of many thousands of people to have a preserved Main Line between two major cities - Leicester and Nottingham. It must also be remembered that we are very fortunate to still have so much steam on the main line....but it sometimes hangs from a thread...

One I'm certainly looking forward to seeing! Though, I do hope the NHR & EMRT can work out their differences soon enough. The situation at Ruddington and how they are going to get around it is still going to be an interesting one - Do they look to build a west (Loughborough) facing chord and ultimately divert the mainline into Ruddington Fields, do they stick to the present situation and reverse into Ruddington, or do they look to run through the original Ruddington station (I cant see that being popular given how built up the area is now) and build something close to the Tram stop.

Ps, good to see progress with the A60 bridge situation at last. The sooner that can be fixed, the sooner the EMRT / NHR can start earning an income again from the GBRF / British Gypsum traffic.

 

[Up Main]

An interesting insight into one of the prospects for a reunified Greater Great Central, from the latest (EMRT) East Midlands Railway Trust 'Forward Fund' Appeal.

See

 

[Flying Phil]

Hi fgwrich
According to the EMRT website, the intention is to build a chord line to connect the Ruddington station to the line South, so getting rid of the present reversal.