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Title: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: JayMac on September 16, 2011, 16:14:38 From Breaking Travel News (http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/network-rail-work-nears-completion-on-taunton-bridge/)
Quote Network Rail is spending ^300,000 on the project which will see the bridge repainted and installed with anti-pigeon nets to ensure it is clean and well-maintained in the future. Work will now focus on the second half of the bridge after the first phase of improvements was completed over the weekend. The bridge, on Kingston Road, is a gateway into the town and Network Rail is liaising with Project Taunton on the scheme as part of the wider re-generation of the area. Improvements have been carried out on one half of the bridge at a time to minimise disruption. One lane of the road has remained open at all times and pedestrian access has been maintained throughout. This will be mirrored for the second phase of the scheme. Kimberley Wilson, scheme project manager for Network Rail said: ^The bridge is an important part of the town and we are working with Project Taunton on its restoration. We are doing all we can to minimise the impact the work is having on the travelling public whilst ensuring it is completed as quickly and safely as possible. The scaffolding will now be transferred to the other half of the structure and we will continue our work to fully restore the bridge.^ Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on September 16, 2011, 17:15:44 your obsessed with taunton ! ;D
Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: JayMac on September 16, 2011, 19:22:10 You know what, I don't think I've mentioned Taunton on the forum for a fair while. Certainly haven't been there for a couple of months.
Still my favourite place on the FGW network though. ;) Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: bobm on September 16, 2011, 19:25:49 Taunton Rugby Club does a decent Sunday Roast and you can watch the trains go by......
Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on September 16, 2011, 20:24:44 i used to drive threw every day so in that respect i dont miss it, but i have used it for connecting services many a time and have fond memorys as it means escaping from a pacer :-)
Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: Chris from Nailsea on September 17, 2011, 22:59:13 For reasons which will become clear to anyone who does a bit of research on this forum ... I'm not a particular fan of Taunton. ::) :o ;D
Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: JayMac on September 20, 2011, 14:04:11 From the Somerset County Gazette (http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/9259422.Taunton_Railway_Bridge___half_of_revamp_completed/):
Quote Taunton Railway Bridge - half of revamp completed THE first half of a ^300,000 job to scare roosting pigeons away from the bridge at Taunton Station has been completed. One side of the bridge has been spruced up, with netting and spikes added to frighten off pigeons responsible for droppings on the pavement below. (http://www.rail.co/wp-content/uploads/TauntonBridgeNetworkRail.jpg) Workers are now concentrating on the other half and hope to finish the whole job in Kingston Road by November. One lane of the road has been closed during the scheme in an effort to keep disruption to a minimum. Kimberley Wilson, scheme project manager for Network Rail, said: ^The bridge is an important part of the town and we are working with Project Taunton on its restoration. ^We are doing all we can to minimise the impact the work is having on the travelling public whilst ensuring it is completed as quickly and safely as possible. ^The scaffolding has now be transferred to the other half of the structure and we will continue our work to fully restore the bridge.^ Work on the bridge is scheduled to be completed in November. Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: ChrisB on September 20, 2011, 14:07:20 I've got to wealk under there next Saturday....
Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: JayMac on September 20, 2011, 14:21:58 In all my years living in Taunton I was only crapped on once by a pigeon and that was in the town centre. You should be okay walking under that bridge.
But if you're worried then you can avoid the bridge by entering/exiting the station using the slope to/from the south side of the station (platform 2). ;) Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on September 20, 2011, 19:48:26 In all my years living in Taunton I was only crapped on once by a pigeon and that was in the town centre. You should be okay walking under that bridge. But if you're worried then you can avoid the bridge by entering/exiting the station using the slope to/from the south side of the station (platform 2). ;) mate the walls and pavement were covered in it and it looked a mess this works needed and once done will be a long long time before it needs touching again Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: JayMac on October 20, 2011, 16:45:12 From the Somerset County Gazette (http://) (19/10/2011):
Quote Pigeon beats ^300,000 bridge scheme THIS coo-l bird breached a ^300,000 scheme to scare off hundreds of pigeons roosting under the railway bridge over Taunton^s Station Road ^ but it appears his days are numbered. (http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/resources/images/1803510/?type=display) It was spotted sitting pretty all alone after managing to get inside netting recently put up to stop the birds returning. Workers had completed work, which also includes painting and renovation, on one side of the bridge before the pigeon spotted a gap in the netting and flew back to his old haunt. A Network Rail spokeswoman said: ^We suspect the new netting has been broken, quite possibly by a high vehicle that may have missed the sign warning motorists of the height limit of the bridge. ^Unfortunately more work will therefore be carried out to repair the damage and we^re currently exploring opportunities to do so without disrupting the traffic in the area." ;D ;D ;D Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: Wilf19 on November 23, 2011, 10:55:05 This work has finally finished, hurrah!. All the scaffolding had gone and both lanes were open when i went to the Station on Monday afternoon, so that sees an end to the "how much extra time so do I have to allow to get to the station" debate and then ending up being there stupidly early.
I'm not sure when this work was supposed to finish as I can't find a reference to it now but I have a feeling it has overrun, I wait to be corrected. As per the post above, it will be interesting to see how long it is before the pigeons are back in force. Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: Chris from Nailsea on February 05, 2013, 23:32:53 The pigeons are back! :o ::) ;D
From ThisistheWestCountry (http://www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk/news/somerset_news/10206654._/?): Quote Video: Pigeons back under Taunton bridge (http://www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk/resources/images/2322096/?type=articleLandscape) The pigeons are back flapping around under Taunton Railway Bridge, in Station Road. They returned to roost there after some of the netting put up 14 months ago collapsed on Friday. The scheme to frighten them off - along with renovation and maintenance work - cost Network Rail around ^300,000. Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on February 05, 2013, 23:57:48 Statement 'a long time before it needs touching again' ..... Retracted.
Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: thetrout on February 06, 2013, 01:31:11 The amount of times I've been crapped on by those b*gg*rs is unreal. Having said that, last time I was crapped on Senior Trout paid for dinner which is a rarity so I considered this good luck :D ;) ;D
Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: JayMac on February 06, 2013, 03:04:49 Three hundred grand well spent then. ::)
What about an every other day visit from a bird of prey and its handler. Say for a contract of ^25,000 a year? The news will soon trickle down through the pigeon community that the bridge is no longer a safe roosting/nesting place. :P 12 years of pigeon free problems for the same cost as the netting. No need to close half the road either. Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: vacmanfan on February 06, 2013, 21:28:57 Give one of the platform staff a gun? MUCH cheaper!
Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: Chris from Nailsea on February 06, 2013, 21:53:28 That's an interesting idea: one member of staff with a 12 bore could 'kill two birds with one stone', so to speak - getting rid of the pigeons and shot blasting the rusty metalwork at the same time ... ;D
Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: vacmanfan on February 06, 2013, 22:13:39 Inbetween trains, of course!
Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: JayMac on February 06, 2013, 23:01:29 In between cars as well! Most of the shot would ricochet.
Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: vacmanfan on February 07, 2013, 09:12:03 That could be just written off as "collateral damage"...
Gentle persuasion for motorists to take the train instead. Title: Re: Taunton Bridge and the ongoing pigeon problem Post by: Wilf19 on February 08, 2013, 12:31:04 Three hundred grand well spent then. ::) What about an every other day visit from a bird of prey and its handler. Say for a contract of ^25,000 a year? The news will soon trickle down through the pigeon community that the bridge is no longer a safe roosting/nesting place. :P 12 years of pigeon free problems for the same cost as the netting. No need to close half the road either. I'll happily take our cat down there to do a bit of 'bird control' for ^25,000 a year, she's very good at it, too good as far as the household authorities are concerned. It would have the added bonus that she doesn't get to dump the gizzards on the hall floor for me to discover bare foot in the morning. The article on the pigeons in the printed County Gazette this week talks about the netting being replaced with a mesh, so maybe they are considering something stronger to replace the netting? Cue traffics jams again while they sort it out >:( Time to start cycling to the station again. This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |