AQ23 - 3rd December

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Where is each of these and what have they in common?

1.


2.


3.


4.

[bradshaw]

Queensbury Tunnel, W Yorkshire
Great Musgrave bridge, Eden Valley Railway
Barrowlands Lane Bridge on the Bridport Branch
Dukes Avenue Bridge, Alexandra Palace branch

https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/24-historic-railway-structures-that-face-demolition-or-infilling-by-highways-england-10-05-2021/

All have potential or plans for cycle/walking routes.
All intended to infill, block off or demolish by National Highways who own the BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) Residual Estate

Barrowlands Lane bridge often floods in heavy rain, in part caused by run off from an adjacent field. The path from there to Toller station has recently been give a good surface making it more accessible. From the lane you can walk the branch as far as Loders, via the Marquis of Lorne!

[Mark A]

Barrowlands Lane bridge often floods in heavy rain, in part caused by run off from an adjacent field. The path from there to Toller station has recently been give a good surface making it more accessible. From the lane you can walk the branch as far as Loders, via the Marquis of Lorne!

Has Barrowlands Bridge now been flattened?

Mark

[bradshaw]

Not as far as I know but I have not been that way for a bit. I think it is one the easier actions as the lane is quite quiet and it is a short walk to the Powerstock Nature Reserve where the old line can be taken again.

[Mark A]

For an off-road route, continuity has a value. If the flooding was a product of the sump drain being blocked, hopefully the steel span can stay where it is. If the steel span itself is life-expired, the expensive component of a bridge being the abutments and foundations, a lightweight replacement span might be for the best, which might also involve finding an additional 1.6 metres headroom for the road (or a little more if the road itself needs to be raised to improve drainage).

Mark

[bradshaw]

The plan, as I understand it is to remove the bridge and then raise the level of the road to get it to drain into the river just beyond the bridge.
Part of the problem is run off from near Grays Farm running down the western boundary of the field adjoining the lane. When it reaches the railway embankment it flows down onto the road. The other side of the problem is the steep hill on either side of the river so the rainwater drains right down to the river.
It can catch the unwary driver out if they approach to fast.