HS2 Colne Valley Viaduct construction updates

[quantinghome]

This is probably what the locals said about Ribblehead

Locals? At Ribblehead? I didn't realise sheep had aesthetic appreciation

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

Locals? At Ribblehead? I didn't realise sheep had aesthetic appreciation

I listened to the majority of petitions against HS2 in Parliament. During those proceedings, Parliament was assured by lots of (ahem) "expert" locals that just about every species of animal that exists that happened to live alongside the route would run screaming from the railway construction and operation! Including fish - the owner of a fish farm claimed that having a new railway (she was already near two existing ones) a mile away from her fish farm would cause all her fish to die of fright - at least those that were not stolen but the nasty HS2 workmen types who she expecting to pilfering them en masse. On the Chiltern Society web site, I was amused to find some photos of cows stood next to the construction of one of the haul roads. Apparently they aren't as bothered by big yellow plant as we were lead to believe!

Personally I think it's a shame the CVV is going to have to have big slabs of material lashed to the sides to function as noise barriers - I think it looks pretty minimalist presently (though haven't been down there for a while.) But hey ho, can't upset all the anglers at Korda Lake et al can we.

 

[GardenRail]

Horrible, really? I think that when all the construction clutter has gone, it will look very elegant.

It's evident that a lot of effort has been made to reduce the visual impact. It *could* have been just a forest of columns, crossheads and beams, like the M6 in north Birmingham or the M4 through Port Talbot (and that's right outside houses!).

Just not a fan of concrete. When you think of some of the engineering marvels we have from years gone by..... Could have at least made it look like stone. Personal opinion anyway. And I don't have to look at it every day.

 

[J-2739]

This is probably what the locals said about Ribblehead

With respect, whilst I don't mind the look of the Colne Viaduct, I find this a pretty poor argument for building disagreeable structures; that future generations 'might' like it. Just because it was the case for Ribblehead doesn't necessarily mean the same for Colne.

I don't see many people praising Graverlly Hill Junction, for example. Or Euston.

 

[Meerkat]

With respect, whilst I don't mind the look of the Colne Viaduct, I find this a pretty poor argument for building disagreeable structures; that future generations 'might' like it. Just because it was the case for Ribblehead doesn't necessarily mean the same for Colne.

I don't see many people praising Graverlly Hill Junction, for example. Or Euston.

Its not a disagreeable structure. Decent concrete viaducts are wonderfully scenic things.
It is also in no way comparable to Spaghetti Junction.

 

[JamieL]

It's horrific. Future generations will lament our own for having no imagination, attaching no value to architectural beauty and will mock how long it took to build!

 

[GardenRail]

It's horrific. Future generations will lament our own for having no imagination, attaching no value to architectural beauty and will mock how long it took to build!

We clearly learnt nothing from the horrible 60s and 70s.... Meanwhile, even in India they can still build a thing of architectural beauty, with the soon to be completed, worlds highest rail bridge. Chenab Rail Bridge. But thats a topic for another day.....

 

[Meerkat]

It's horrific. Future generations will lament our own for having no imagination, attaching no value to architectural beauty and will mock how long it took to build!

What is horrific about it and what would you propose instead?

We clearly learnt nothing from the horrible 60s and 70s....

So why do modern concrete buildings and viaducts look nothing like the ones from the 60's and 70's?

 

[GardenRail]

What is horrific about it and what would you propose instead?

Maybe something finished off in/or to look like the local stone, for a start. Even if its fake cladding.

 

[InOban]

Fake cladding? spare us.

I suggest you Google Kylesku Bridge 1984 Concrete. Grade A(=1) listed. One of the most famous landmarks in NW Scotland. In a landscape made of rocks up to 3billion years old. Stunning.

 

[Bald Rick]

Three weeks since my last visit, and check on the progress with good weather yesterday and a further 2 spans have been completed. 3 piers to go to where the access road crosses the line of the viaduct, must be approaching around 1/3 complete in distance. Piers in the Korda lake well on their way(to my untrained eye) to receiving Dominique later in the year. I posted some videos around Moorhall Road on my twitter.

Yes I paid it a visit over the weekend too, first time for 6 months. It is very, very impressive.
Personally I think it looks great.

Maybe something finished off in/or to look like the local stone, for a start. Even if its fake cladding.

What local stone would that be? Gravel?

 

[stuu]

I don't see the issue with this structure at all. It's a very elegant design. I would suggest that close-up views make it appear much more overbearing than if it was viewed in the distance.

 

[JamieL]

I suggest you Google Kylesku Bridge 1984 Concrete. Grade A(=1) listed. One of the most famous landmarks in NW Scotland. In a landscape made of rocks up to 3billion years old. StStunning.

The Kylesku is not a good comparison. It is a bridge, not a viaduct, and is minimalist in design. The Colne Valley viaduct is not minimalist in design - it is dirty concrete slabs on moulded concrete supports propped up on concrete legs. It will look worse when noise reduction panels are in place. Alas neither train user or local walker are going to get a good view!

 

[J-2739]

Its not a disagreeable structure. Decent concrete viaducts are wonderfully scenic things.
It is also in no way comparable to Spaghetti Junction.

That's obviously a matter of opinion. Like I said, I don't mind it, but I'm not going to pretend that it's not a controversial design.

 

[Bald Rick]

it is dirty concrete slabs on moulded concrete supports propped up on concrete legs.

That’s pretty much every concrete bridge / viaduct, ever.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

New drone shots of the Colne Valley Viaduct

The enabling works across the lakes must have cost a small fortune wonder what they will do with all the steelwork and roadway material used to construct the roadway that put to shame most roads in the UK.

 

[swt_passenger]

The enabling works across the lakes must have cost a small fortune wonder what they will do with all the steelwork and roadway material used to construct the roadway that put to shame most roads in the UK.

Put it in store for the later construction phases… But then I suddenly woke up!

 

[Meerkat]

Fake cladding? spare us.

I suggest you Google Kylesku Bridge 1984 Concrete. Grade A(=1) listed. One of the most famous landmarks in NW Scotland. In a landscape made of rocks up to 3billion years old. Stunning.

That one bridge was my main reason reason to drive right round the top of Scotland!
Beautiful bridge in a beautiful setting. Also pretty weird as it’s on a stretch of magnificently and extravagantly engineered road improvements seemingly at the very end of the world (think it was related to getting fish to Europe from the furthest north landing point)

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Is the (much larger) concrete Skye bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh/Kyleakin generally admired?

 

[Meerkat]

Is the (much larger) concrete Skye bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh/Kyleakin generally admired?

Well I don't really remember it despite driving over it twice.......

 

[BrianW]

Yes I paid it a visit over the weekend too, first time for 6 months. It is very, very impressive.
Personally I think it looks great.



What local stone would that be? Gravel?

Beauty's in the eye of the beholder indeed.
I imagine people objected when those Dutch-looking windmills came in; and St Paul's Cathedral- a hideous Italianate dome- a carbuncle.
And we'd all be so much better off without those electricity pylons- who needs electricity anyway ...

Let's get shot of Concrete Bob's Glenfinnan Viaduct too while we're about it.

 

[vic-rijrode]

We've been going downhill in this country for nearly 300 years IMO. Those turnpike roads disfiguring the verdant countryside with all their monstrously ugly toll houses...

Come to think of it, the Normans have a lot to answer for - stone castles perched on mounds obliterating the views across the meadows.

And what about those dead straight Roman Roads, surely winding paths are far more bucolic.

A pox on all of it, I say.

BTW the arguments raised in the HS2 debate (post #62) sound ridiculously like those put forward when the bills for the first railways were being pushed through Parliament in the 19th century. I am waiting for someone to raise the idea that travelling at more than 180mph will suffocate the passengers (Dionysius Lardner anyone?).

 

[InOban]

Where's that like button!

 

[cuemaster]

A few pics on election day .... at pier 1..



Pier number 2 with temporary access roads along side and underneath...




Several segments lined up in order...waiting to be transported down to Dominique when required.


#

 

[Andrew1395]

How long before it’s covered in Graffiti?

 

[cuemaster]

Just a couple more pics at the other end..as the viaduct reaches the access road

The process of building up either side of the pier is not happening here..the few segments here being supported from below it looks like..

 

[stuu]

Great photos, thanks

Is that the start of the main spans across the lake?

 

[cuemaster]

Great photos, thanks

Is that the start of the main spans across the lake?

After the access road there's 3 more piers up to river colne and crossing that several more(in water) to reach the first of the large lakes - korda lake which has the v- shaped piers.

It's impressive how smooth the operation looks...It will be 2 years to completion they told me!

 

[30120]

Is this a pre stressed bridge, will there be tensioned steel cables to keep the segments tight together ?

 

[swt_passenger]

Is this a pre stressed bridge, will there be tensioned steel cables to keep the segments tight together ?

Yes, it’s explained in the text of HS2’s web page about the viaduct. But I think this is called post-stressed construction? No pictures or videos show the cables though.

56 piers each weighing around 370 tonnes are being constructed along the Colne Valley ahead of the girder, with the girder moving from one pier to the next, installing the deck segments as it goes. One segment is put in place each side of the central pier, using a cantilever approach to balance the structure, as two half-arches either side of each pier are constructed simultaneously. Steel tensioning cables will be threaded through the segments to strengthen the bridge.

Colne Valley Viaduct

Find out about the new 3.4km viaduct being built in the Colne Valley for HS2

www.hs2.org.uk