Disruption October - November 2020

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

As part of WRECA's latest road building project, Gipsy Patch Lane bridge is being replaced, with a range of service disruptions for anybody who is still going out.



A larger version is available here.

This does give rise to some opportunities to travel unusual routes for a day out.

[grahame]

Latest from South Gloucestershire Council on Gipsy Patch Lane Bridge works....

"Despite detailed planning and preparation, our contractor, Network Rail has encountered a significant issue moving the new 4,260-tonne Gipsy Patch Lane bridge into place.

The bridge, which is already built, is being moved into position on a number of independent hydraulic transporters. Having successfully moved two thirds of the way into place the bridge transporters are now stuck.

Our focus, alongside Network Rail, is on resolving the issue so that the bridge can be moved into position. This is likely to take a number of days and will delay the re-opening of the mainline.

Rail services are still operating via alternative routes and rail replacement services."

[stuving]

The Delay Attribution Guide doesn't have a standard code for delays and cancellations  "due to the late arrival of a connecting bridge". Yet.

[Western Pathfinder]

It's the return of the Pilning Curse.

[TonyK]

I think this is more likely to be the Curse of MetroBust. The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) reports:

Lorries moving new railway bridge stuck in mud
Published16 hours ago

Specialist lorries carrying the 4,260 tonne bridge got stuck in mud

Lorries used to install a new railway bridge near Bristol have become stuck in mud.

Engineers constructed the replacement bridge near to an existing one on Gipsy Patch Lane in Little Stoke.

It was due to be lifted and moved into place over the weekend, but the BBC understands specialist lorries carrying the 4,260 tonne structure got stuck in mud after a roadway collapsed.

Rail journeys from Bristol to Wales may now be further disrupted.


Contractors are now bringing in extra engineers
The railway line is currently closed and Network Rail said prior to the weekend it was due to reopen next Saturday.

The bridge was originally due to be replaced at Easter but work was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It is being replaced as part of the expansion of Bristol's Metrobus network into South Gloucestershire.


IMAGE COPYRIGHTGOOGLE
The old bridge is due to be replaced to allow a wider roadway underneath

A South Gloucestershire Council spokesman said: "Despite detailed planning and preparation, our contractor, Network Rail, has encountered a significant issue moving the new 4,260-tonne Gipsy Patch Lane bridge into place.

"The bridge, which is already built, is being moved into position on a number of independent hydraulic transporters.

"Having successfully moved two thirds of the way into place the bridge transporters are now stuck.

"Our focus, alongside Network Rail, is on resolving the issue so that the bridge can be moved into position. This is likely to take a number of days and will delay the reopening of the mainline."

Bus replacement services are currently operating between Bristol Parkway and Newport.

I love the spin-doctor quote: "Having successfully moved two thirds of the way..." This is the sort of Comical Ali outfit that, if someone's parachute failed to open, would report "Having safely covered the first 9,999 feet..."

If anyone has any useful ideas on how to sort this one out, I am sure NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s contractor Alun Griffiths would love to hear them.

[stuving]

Hmm... "Contractors are now bringing in extra engineers" - very strong ones? Wouldn't extra wheels and jacks be more use?

And I hope they remember that concrete structures don't tolerate uneven stresses, so have to be supported in their correct shape or else they can crack up.

[TonyK]

Hmm... "Contractors are now bringing in extra engineers" - very strong ones? Wouldn't extra wheels and jacks be more use?

And I hope they remember that concrete structures don't tolerate uneven stresses, so have to be supported in their correct shape or else they can crack up.

I expect that they have a spare on standby.

[stuving]

Hmm... "Contractors are now bringing in extra engineers" - very strong ones? Wouldn't extra wheels and jacks be more use?

And I hope they remember that concrete structures don't tolerate uneven stresses, so have to be supported in their correct shape or else they can crack up.

Rereading that, doesn't what I said about structures apply just as well to engineers?

[TonyK]

Rereading that, doesn't what I said about structures apply just as well to engineers?

First one to crack up gets fired.

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Interesting that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s website is currently stating:

"Live network updates

Good service on most of our network
Most trains across the GWR network are running on time at the moment. Use our Journeycheck tool to check your journey

Last updated: 10:57"

So a bus in and out of Wales may be a bit of a surprise for some Bristol travellers.

[TonyK]

Interesting that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s website is currently stating:

"Live network updates

Good service on most of our network
Most trains across the GWR network are running on time at the moment. Use our Journeycheck tool to check your journey

Last updated: 10:57"

So a bus in and out of Wales may be a bit of a surprise for some Bristol travellers.

The buses have been timetabled for the whole of the possession. There no trains listed in RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) between Temple Meads and South Wales, and services between Newport and Parkway are shown as buses. The same is true for tomorrow. The problem will be from Saturday, if that bridge isn't put into place, the track relaid, wires put back up and generally sorted out. I don't know how that is going - the local press has been somewhat silent on the matter.

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Looks like some progress....

https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2020/11/06/six-wagons-and-a-dozer-free-4250t-bridge-from-the-mud/

[grahame]

From The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

No date has been set for the reopening of a railway near Bristol after transporters moving a new bridge became bogged down in mud.

The 4,260-tonne bridge was due to be moved into place last weekend at Gipsy Patch Lane in Little Stoke, but it is stuck 40m (130 ft) away.

The line was originally due to reopen on Saturday.

Engineers are working to reinforce the roadway as part of the "highly complex engineering project", a council said.
A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council said: "Having encountered a significant issue, Network Rail and its contractor, Alun Griffiths, are continuing to work around the clock to resolve the issue and currently undertaking detailed work on site so that the bridge can be moved into position.

"Until this part of the main line is able to reopen, Network Rail will continue working with train operators to get those passengers who still need to travel by train to where they need to go, either on diverted services, or via the rail replacement buses operating between Bristol and Newport."

With the bridge due to be moved into place last weekend, some six days were allowed to reconnect everything before the re-opening tomorrow.   

From the pictures, and other posts, I understand it's been pulled back away from the railway now to allow the path/road down which it's going to come into place to be strengthened ... and when that's done it can (hopefully) be rolled in. Let's guess Sunday at the earliest, then a double-speed reconnection at 3 rather than 6 days, so perhaps open again midweek at the earliest?   And advances on that guess??

[TonyK]

Let's look at what this all really means.

Engineers are working to reinforce the roadway as part of the "highly complex engineering project", a council said.

We didn't see this coming - S Glos Council

A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council said: "Having encountered a significant issue, Network Rail and its contractor, Alun Griffiths, are continuing to work around the clock to resolve the issue and currently undertaking detailed work on site so that the bridge can be moved into position.

It's not our fault - they should have seen this coming - S Glos Council

"Until this part of the main line is able to reopen, Network Rail will continue working with train operators to get those passengers who still need to travel by train to where they need to go, either on diverted services, or via the rail replacement buses operating between Bristol and Newport."

Can't see what the fuss is about. It's only a railway, and buses are much better.

[grahame]

The buses have been timetabled for the whole of the possession. There no trains listed in RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) between Temple Meads and South Wales, and services between Newport and Parkway are shown as buses. The same is true for tomorrow. The problem will be from Saturday ...

Many regular members take a quick look at the top-of-page graphic when they visit the Coffee Shop to give a quick, geographic overview of what's going on.     Never seen it quite this plastered with red and maroon before:



But, yet, with the lockdown in Wales lasting another couple of days, and the lockdown in England having started a couple of days ago, passenger numbers will be at their lowest and it's probably one of the better times in the calendar to have an overrun.