Great Western Coffee Shop

First post (apart from intro) so be gentle ;-)

Having witnessed the recent bridge re-building at Sulhampstead and Aldermaston, which I understand is prep. for electrification, I'm wondering if/when work on more bridges will be happening?

I've read snippets in the local press suggesting that the bridge at Frowds Lane (between Aldermaston and Midgham) is next, and that also the bridge on Brimpton Lane (between Midgham and Thatcham) needs to be done.

Anyone able to confirm or deny, and give details of timescales if the former?

I can neither confirm nor deny, but can say Welcome! Thatcham Crossing to one of the better informed and vibrant forums anywhere. I look forward to seeing better replies to your question.

I was chatting to an FGW employee who lead me to believe the bridges at the racecourse and boundary road may also need adjusting. If they do increase the height of the boundary road bridge it would be great if they also widened it as well , but that may be unlikely.

Isn't Boundary Road also the one with a 3 tonne weight limit?

If so, I drove over it a few days ago and it is in a bit of a state.

That's the one - just opposite and along from the London apprentice pub

Had a flyer from Newbury Racecourse/David Wilson Homes through the letterbox yesterday regarding the upcoming property developments at Newbury Racecourse.

These suggest a new road bridge is also going to be built over the railway towards the western end of the racecourse "by Summer 2015".

If they are doing development on the racecourse I would say the addition of a bridge at the western end is pretty essential (IMHO of course!). Is this anything to do with the roadworks that are currently happing at the hambridge road/lane junction?

Sorry, I meant the eastern end of the racecourse of course, and yes the current works are to do with construction of a new roundabout, which presumably will link to the new bridge.

An overview of the development and where the new bridge is going to be located can be seen in this map http://www.newbury-racecourse.co.uk/getdoc/1a4ba5fa-2e3e-4681-9565-955aa0be4c4a/newbury_development_map_detail_0912.aspx (http://www.newbury-racecourse.co.uk/getdoc/1a4ba5fa-2e3e-4681-9565-955aa0be4c4a/newbury_development_map_detail_0912.aspx)

Thanks for posting that. I wonder if I will have a chance to recover my golf balls from the "water features" before they build on it...

I've noticed over the past few days that Brimpton Road (between Thatcham and Midgham on the A4) has now closed just south of the A4 with diversions signposted.

I haven't been for a closer look yet, but assume this means that bridge replacement work has now also started there?

Re-texturing of the road surface, according to West Berkshire Council (http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&ved=0CFMQFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.westberks.gov.uk%2FCHttpHandler.ashx%3Fid%3D23483%26p%3D0&ei=BdGYULT2EofE0QWqj4C4DA&usg=AFQjCNGCAbSNzOGVDyAfF5Znjp_oA7XmSw&sig2=FktZJt6DmWb3ig5iR4-XPQ).  ;)

Thanks for posting that.

I notice the entry in the spreadsheet says "completed". Having driven past there a few hours ago, it doesn't look like anything has been done at all to the section of road between the railway bridge (which is cordoned off) and the A4.

Not so much a rebuild but anew build, Network Rail have announced they intend to replace Ufton Nurvet  level crossing with a bridge subject land acquisitions highway approvals and more importantly funding http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-20169287 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-20169287)

Thanks for posting, Electric train - but we've already covered this, at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=3265.msg119757#msg119757  ;) :D ;D

I do struggle to keep up at times  ;D

I had a close look at the "re-texturing" of the Brimpton Road bridge at the weekend - basically the profile of the road over the bridge is being "smoothed out", which is good as it needed it. Also looks like there is a few more weeks of work yet to do before this is finished.

Meanwhile, down at Hambridge Lane, the new roundabout that will take the road over a new bridge into the racecourse housing development is taking shape, but there's no sign of a bridge being built yet.