Great Western Coffee Shop

Just a thought...the good people of Workington are having to make a detour of at least 30 miles if they wish to travel from one side of the River Derwent to the other by car; has it escaped the notice of Network Rail / Cumbria County Council / Northern Rail that the railway bridge over said river in Workington is still standing, and would it be beyond their intelligence to organise the provision of a temporary rail halt on the north side of the river?
Or would such a suggestion give the Health & Safety mafia apoplexy!

Rail station for flood-hit town

A flood-hit Cumbrian town split in two by the collapse and closures of its bridges is to be "reconnected" with a temporary railway station.

Residents in Workington have been left with no direct road connection since devastating flooding on Friday. The only way to cross the River Derwent has been from the town's south side station, with northbound trains next stopping in Flimby four miles away.

Network Rail is to start work on a north side station on Tuesday night.

The move comes as people in Cumbria brace themselves for more heavy rain - with up to 100mm (3.9in) predicted to fall on areas of high ground.

Six bridges have already collapsed in Cumbria as a result of the flooding, causing major transport and logistical problems for thousands of people.
 
Cumbria County Council is warning Workington residents that if the closed Calva Bridge collapses 11,000 homes north of the River Derwent would lose their telephone connection.

Pc Bill Barker, 44, was swept to his death when the town's A597 Northside Bridge was destroyed on Friday.

A fortnight's worth of passengers boarded services at the exisiting Workington station on Monday.

Road journeys between the two halves of the town currently involve a more than 30-mile detour.

The new station will be built on wasteland just over half a mile from the existing station.

The two-platform station, linked by a footbridge, will have lighting, a waiting room and a gravel car park, and will be built and ready for its first passengers by the weekend.

Robin Gisby, Network Rail operations and customer services director, said: "We have a wealth of experience and engineering expertise that we felt should be put at the disposal of the Cumbrian authorities. Our people will work round the clock on this project."

A Cumbria County Council spokesman said the authority was "urgently working" on options to reconnect the north and south of Workington by using a temporary road bridge. He said it was likely that a military bridge would not be suitable for local traffic and that the county council's civil engineers were working on possible solutions.
 
A footbridge known as the Old Railway Bridge in the port of Workington is also structurally unstable and the public must not attempt to cross the river by foot here.

The Environment Agency said the downpour on Tuesday could further raise river levels and bring more flooding. However, river levels are not expected to return to those which brought devastation to areas on Friday.

Guilty as charged, m'lud!! I can only say that I am very pleasantly surprised, and encouraged, by Network Rail's response (to both incidents).

Yep I'm  guilty as charged as well , but who knows somebody my have read this board or other postings on the web and thought. 

"This is silly why invite a kicking when we know we can do it/"

Whoever that person was "Well done". Not wishing to support the BNP but it's in the true British Spirit.

Yep I'm  guilty as charged as well , but who knows somebody my have read this board or other postings on the web and thought. 

"This is silly why invite a kicking when we know we can do it/"

Whoever that person was "Well done". Not wishing to support the BNP but it's in the true British Spirit.

This is a crazy idea I know, but they could run an extra service with a hire in from ATW as a unit is not required at the moment because of flooding on the Blaenau Ffestiniong line as a result of flooding. I'm sure arms could be twisted for Arriva to sub-lease the unit to Northern to help out until arriva need it for the re-opened line. May befor no more than a few days but in the short term the help could be needed.

On a lighter note, the flooding on the Blaenau Fgestiniog line has required a diver to inspect the track at Llanwrst  :D

Also Network Rail have made their bridge & structures examiners and civil engineers available the local authorities to assist them.

Two examples of the positive publicity the station is receiving. It's even got proper name plates and a CRS code (WKN)!

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Cumbria-Floods-Workington-Split-In-Two-By-Collapsed-Bridges-Reunited-By-Temporary-Rail-Station/Article/200911415479383?lpos=UK_News_First_Home_Article_Teaser_Region_2&lid=ARTICLE_15479383_Cumbria_Floods%3A_Workington%2C_Split_In_Two_By_Collapsed_Bridges%2C_Reunited_By_Temporary_Rail_Station (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Cumbria-Floods-Workington-Split-In-Two-By-Collapsed-Bridges-Reunited-By-Temporary-Rail-Station/Article/200911415479383?lpos=UK_News_First_Home_Article_Teaser_Region_2&lid=ARTICLE_15479383_Cumbria_Floods%3A_Workington%2C_Split_In_Two_By_Collapsed_Bridges%2C_Reunited_By_Temporary_Rail_Station)

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/new_workington_rail_station_open_after_six_day_build_1_644195?referrerPath=home (http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/new_workington_rail_station_open_after_six_day_build_1_644195?referrerPath=home)

However its not in Live Departures!

Looks as if the shuttle service is operating with DRS 47s and mark 3s... if it really is then I predict an influx of bashers to the Cumbrian coast...

And the shuttle between Workington and Workington North is free!

Seems a sensible way to avoid updating the ticketing and fares system

Looks as if the shuttle service is operating with DRS 47s and mark 3s... if it really is then I predict an influx of bashers to the Cumbrian coast...

Whilst Workington is definitely a great effort by all involved, it is after all a lash-up made out of scaffolding and the odd portacabin; perfectly adequate for its intended temporary status but it's probably a bit of a stretch to say all new stations could be built in the same way!

The Southern Railway used to able to knock out prefabricated concrete platforms fairly quickly look at the Chessington South Branch stations. All made at Exmouth junction. However as far as I know the staion building e.g entrance and booking office were still built on site.

You could even have kit footbridges.

Bus service timed to connect with Workington's new rail station

A special bus service is running from Seaton and Northside to the new railway station, Workington North.

Journeys are timed to connect with trains and buses will wait if trains are late.

The first bus from Seaton is 5.40am and the last from Workington North at 10.35pm.

The rail timetable has been beefed up with extra trains between Maryport and Workington calling at Flimby and Workington North.

Travel is free until the end of the month.

Elsewhere, Stagecoach is operating emergency bus timetables on several routes.

The 300 Whitehaven-Carlisle runs in two sections, Whitehaven-Workington and Northside-Carlisle. Journeys to Northside serve the estate.

The 30/31 Thornhill/Frizington-Maryport runs normally to Workington where buses now call at the railway station as well as the bus station.

A link from Workington to Maryport is provided by a special service via the A66, Papcastle Bridge and A594.

There are at least two buses an hour in both directions between 7am and 7pm.

Tesco also provides a free hourly bus service from Maryport, Seaton, Broughton Moor and Cockermouth Sheep and Wool Centre to its supermarket in Workington.

Departures from Maryport and Workington are at half-past each hour.

Buses to Cockermouth can now serve the town centre.

There is a temporary stop outside the school in Gallbarrow.

But all journeys on the X4 Workington-Keswick-Penrith via Castle Inn still follow the X5 route on the west side of Bassenthwaite because Ouse Bridge remains closed.

TEMPORARY STATION EXPANDS TO MEET DEMAND

Network Rail has extended the length of the platforms at the temporary Workington North railway station to meet passenger demand and the longer trains now calling there.

Jo Kaye, Network Rail^s route director, said: ^When I originally conceived the idea of building Workington North, most of the trains had only one or two carriages, so we built the platforms long enough to accommodate them.

^The huge demand from passengers wanting to travel means that additional three-carriage trains have been introduced on a shuttle service between Workington and Maryport. We have responded by extending the temporary platforms by a further 23 metres.^

The shuttle trains call at Workington North and Flimby en route, and travel between the four stations is free, courtesy of train operator Northern Rail.

Matt Beeton, area director, Northern Rail added: "Services between Maryport and Workington continue to be very popular and the platform extensions will make it easier for passengers to get on and off trains."

Not only have the platforms been lengthened, but the car park has also been enlarged. Not knowing what the demand would be to park at the station, Network Rail originally used 240 tonnes of stone for the car park surface, but that proved to be not enough. Roads near the station were becoming clogged with cars belonging to passengers who could not park at the station

1,000 tonnes of stone have now been used, virtually trebling the size of the car park and providing in the region of 200 spaces.

The platform extensions will be in use by the weekend (12 December)

Commons inquiry into flood damage

An inquiry is to be held into the impact of devastating flooding on Cumbria's transport infrastructure.

During last month's storms six bridges collapsed, one leading to the death of a police officer, and others were damaged.

A railway station and footbridge had to be built to reconnect Workington after collapsed bridges left it split in two.

The Commons Transport Committee will look into the causes and whether roads and railways were adequately protected.

Members of the committee will investigate whether structural flaws, the age of the bridges or maintenance of them led to their collapse.

They will also examine the likelihood of similar incidents being repeated in other parts of the country in the event of floods.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has pledged that the government will fund any road and bridge repairs in the county.

On Monday, a temporary Army-built footbridge opened in Workington, to help reunite the community split by the River Derwent.

It is named Barker Crossing, after Pc Bill Barker who was swept away when the town's Northside Bridge collapsed, and is 300m (980ft) upstream of the unusable Calva Bridge, which is currently being assessed for repair or demolition.

Free Workington train link extended

A vital train service which connects both sides of Workington will continue into the new year, after the government pledged more funds to keep it running.

The shuttle service runs hourly between Workington, Flimby, Northside and Maryport and has been invaluable to the community after the floods washed away the town^s bridges.

The initial contract - which has seen Northern Rail provide the service for free ^ expires on December 31, and there had been concern in the town that this would spell the end of the lifeline service.

But now the government has stepped in, pledging to keep the service going for another six months.

[
The famous Exmouth Junction prefabricated stuff is all rotting from the inside now though. 

They are apparently using standardised prefabricated steel footbridges for the 'access for all' works - Fratton, Fareham, Haslemere, Forest Hills, that I've seen recently, all have the same basic steelwork, with slight variations for the staircases - but they are clearly from the same catalogue.

Paul

Hopes to extend free train link in Cumbria

A free train service set up to help communities in flood-hit Cumbria could be extended until the end of May.
The service, which runs from Workington to Maryport, is said to cost ^10,000 a day - and is believed to have already cost the government ^1m.
In November flood waters devastated the area, destroying all the town's bridges, leaving residents cut off.
Workington MP Tony Cunningham said he had appealed to the government directly for the extension.
The service was originally scheduled to run until the end of 2009, but was granted an extension until 2 May 2010.
Workington MP Tony Cunningham said he had asked for the service extension until the end of May because he had concerns the new road bridge would not be ready, despite being told the bridge was a month ahead of schedule.
He said: "When the bridge is open there may be teething problems. It's a new bridge with a new road. What we don't want is to suddenly have the end of the free train and a situation forcing a lot of people on to the road at a time when the new bridge is there, with issues surrounding that."
He said transport minister Sadiq Khan had said he would extend the service until the end of May.
The free service, operated by Northern Rail trains, is funded by the Department of Transport.
Mr Cunningham said the service cost ^10,000 a day and had already run up a bill of ^1m.
Northern Rail said it was still in discussions with the Department of Transport and Cumbria County Council regarding the extension.

Transport plea after Workington bridge opens

Workington residents are being urged not to jump back into their cars, even though the town's temporary road bridge has opened.
The county council has begun a campaign to encourage people to continue to use public transport, car share or walk.
Motorists no longer face a 18 mile (29km) detour to get across the town, but some congestion is expected.
As part of the Keep Workington Moving scheme, postcards have been distributed to more than 14,000 properties.
Posters are also being displayed at bus and train stations around west Cumbria.
Andrew Moss, Cumbria County Council's head of highways and transportation, said while it was good news the bridge was open, it would not answer all the town's transport needs.
"Even though our traffic management team have put in place measures to ease any congestion we recognise that life won't be completely back to normal," he said. "So I would ask people to consider their options before they travel and use buses, trains, foot or pedal power if they can instead of relying on the car. This is particularly so for people making a regular trip such as the daily commute."

FINAL WEEK FOR FREE TRAIN SERVICE

Train services in West Cumbria will revert to pre-flood schedules from the end of this month with free travel and shuttle services coming to an end.

Six months after the floods and a month after Workington^s temporary road bridge opened, Northern Rail has confirmed that the shuttles will cease next Friday and fares will be reintroduced next Saturday, with a day return between Workington and Maryport costing ^2.

The temporary Workington North station will remain open for the foreseeable future, however, and its usage will be monitored by Northern Rail, Network Rail and the Department for Transport before a decision is made about its future.

The changes are expected to force many commuters who have travelled to work by train since November back into their cars, as the first train south from Maryport will leave at 6am and the next will not be until 8.21am.

In the evenings return trains will leave Workington at 4.29pm, 6.16pm and 7.12pm.

Northbound trains will depart from Workington at 6.48am, 7.43am and 8.29am and return services will leave Maryport at 5.08pm, 6.04pm and 6.50pm.

A spokeswoman for Northern Rail said the shuttle, funded by the Department for Transport, had been introduced in ^exceptional circumstances^ and since the road bridge opened passenger numbers had fallen.

She acknowledged that the pre-existing timetable had not encouraged commuters but said trying to change that in normal circumstances would take time. It was something that would be looked at if there was enough demand, she added.

Maryport^s retiring mayor, Peter Cross, has used the shuttle daily for work and said the train had been a godsend. ^I will have to go back to my car because there will not be a train that will get me to work in time,^ he said.

Detailed timetable and fare information is available on posters at stations, from the Workington ticket office, at www.northernrail.org or from Northern Rail on 0845 0000 125.

with a day return between Workington and Maryport costing ^2.

The changes are expected to force many commuters who have travelled to work by train since November back into their cars, as the first train south from Maryport will leave at 6am and the next will not be until 8.21am.

She acknowledged that the pre-existing timetable had not encouraged commuters but said trying to change that in normal circumstances would take time. It was something that would be looked at if there was enough demand, she added.

Maryport^s retiring mayor, Peter Cross, has used the shuttle daily for work and said the train had been a godsend. ^I will have to go back to my car because there will not be a train that will get me to work in time,^ he said.

Award for Workington flood bridge built by Army

A bridge built by the Army in a week after flooding cut a Cumbrian town in two has been chosen for a top prize.
Workington's Barker Crossing was built after the town's Northside Bridge was washed away during last November's floods.
The 170ft (52 metre) bridge across the River Derwent was built the Corp of Royal Engineers.
It was named the outstanding development of the year at the annual Variety Club Property Awards in London.
When it opened to the public in December, it was the first time since the floods that people in Workington were able to cross the river, other than by rail.
The bridge was named Barker's Crossing after Pc Bill Barker who died when Northside Bridge was washed away.
As well as the Army winning praise, Cumbria County Council and Allerdale Borough Council were given credit for their part in making the construction of the bridge possible.
Tony Markley, Cumbria County Council's cabinet member for highways and economic development, said: "Barker Crossing has been vitally important to the people of Workington. The Army were fantastic in getting the bridge built so quickly after the floods and fully deserve this award for their efforts in helping Workington back on its feet."
Previous winners of the award include Heathrow's Terminal Five, the Welsh Assembly building and the Birmingham Bullring.

End of line for Workington's temporary station

A temporary railway station built for a flood-hit Cumbrian community is being closed after 10 months use.

Network Rail constructed the Workington North station when floods in November 2009 damaged or destroyed several road bridges in the area.

The service allowed people to travel across the River Derwent and avoid lengthy road detours.

But as road routes reopened, passenger numbers have fallen from a high of 2,200 per day to an average of two.

The station was built in six days and features two platforms, a portable waiting room, a gravel car park and a footbridge.

Hourly services ran as far north as Maryport, a few miles along the coast.

A spokesman for Northern Rail, which operated services from the station, said: "When the station first opened we were experiencing probably about 2,200 people using it per day. But that has unfortunately dwindled down to just one or two. Like any station that needs a lot of investment it is all going to depend on the business case and unfortunately with just one or two people using the train out of the station there is not a business case for keeping it open."

The company has promised a ^500,000 upgrade of Workington's main station, which will include refurbishment of platform canopies, additional lighting and improvements to waiting facilities.

The final train will stop at the station on Friday evening.