Glasgow M8 New Cutty Sark Bridge

[me123]

That will be during the local Glasgow holiday period, when trains are less busy.

But also when the adjacent North Clyde Line is going to be the primary diversionary route for Edinburgh-Glasgow trains. So it's going to be... cosy on the North Clyde services methinks.

 

[ADRboy]

It's gonna be really busy but can't see how they could've staggered them unfortunately and kept to the timetables of both projects.

 

[me123]

True, but I can assure you if I'm going back home I'll be driving. For the first time in over a year.

 

[92002]

But also when the adjacent North Clyde Line is going to be the primary diversionary route for Edinburgh-Glasgow trains. So it's going to be... cosy on the North Clyde services methinks.

The time was chosen for both projects to be the quietest time for train use.

No doubt North Clyde services will attract extra carriages, which would otherwise be in the depot.

 

[NotATrainspott]

Since there would be no Whifflet trains during this period, that would surely free up some of the EMU fleet to strengthen the North Clyde services?

 

[snowball]

Unexciting video (maybe not if you like Bob the Builder ) of the activity on site at the weekend.

I didn't find it at all unexciting (and I've never watched Bob the Builder). Thank you!

Now if you'd said boring, that would have been a technically accurate description (as in the famous Yellow Pages entry, "Boring - see Civil Engineers").

I still find it hard to see how they'll do it on schedule, since there doesn't seem to be any evidence of the bridge being built nearby ready to be moved in.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

I didn't find it at all unexciting (and I've never watched Bob the Builder). Thank you!

Glad someone liked it - my wife thinks I'm nuts.

Now if you'd said boring, that would have been a technically accurate description (as in the famous Yellow Pages entry, "Boring - see Civil Engineers").

Believe it or not, that description didn't occur to me!
It seems to be Bauer who are doing that bit (ho ho) of the job - they bore for Europe, not just for England.

I still find it hard to see how they'll do it on schedule, since there doesn't seem to be any evidence of the bridge being built nearby ready to be moved in.

It's going to happen on the far side of the line I have been told, and I believe the assembly will start after the heavy piling plant is out the way. That would give them over 2 months. A wee birdie (with an orange vest) suggested the work is actually running ahead of schedule so far.

 

[me123]

The time was chosen for both projects to be the quietest time for train use.

No doubt North Clyde services will attract extra carriages, which would otherwise be in the depot.

They've picked the quietest time for train use, but have hit the local area with a double-whammy. Both public transport options between Monklands and Glasgow are going to be affected at the same time, and there's no feasible bus option. Even with extra carriages, it's going to be unpleasant. They'll need 6 carriages on all services throughout the day, but even then it is going to be busy.

Whifflet withdrawal may produce a handful of extra trains, but you'll still need to provide the service between Rutherglen and Dalmuir/Milngavie.

And remember that whilst the overall volume of travel may reduce (particularly the peak traffic), off-peak demand may actually be slightly higher.

 

[onionjoe76]

Thank you for all the information, pictures and videos. Living just a couple of miles away I am fascinated by the whole project, but in particular the Cutty Sark bridge works.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

A picture from yesterday (Sat 18/04/15) from the south west. Not much to see from this angle as the ground is lower than the railway, but piling work is still ongoing on the trackbed itself at the two ends of where the viaduct will be. The main supports for the middle section appeared to be finished last weekend.
It is on this (south) side of the railway that the bridge will be assembled and slid in to place according to the men in orange.

 

[QueensCurve]

These days it is possible to build bridges off-line and move them into place using huge transporters. This was done recently with a bridge for the Nottingham tram across the ring road and service roads, which must total getting on for eight lanes worth of width.

http://www.iotimelapse.co.uk/nottingham_qmc.html

Obviously a bit more tricky if it is an existing railway, as it would need to be closed long enough to dig out enough of the formation to replace it with the bridge. Possibly the structure could be devised so the abutments could be built in advance either side of the railway instead of underneath it.

That technique has been around for a long time. I believe it was used for the underbridge carrying the WCML over the M6 at Clifton south of Penrith (http://goo.gl/maps/1n1CU) which would have been around 1970.

The same approach is being used just outside Crewe for the Crewe Green Link Road South (http://*******.com/oeqz5ym).

I recall a different approach being used for building the A720 near Slateford (http://goo.gl/maps/mgYZq) in the 1980s. The 2 tracks were slewed across onto neighbouring railway land while the bridge was built then the track was put onto the bridge when it was complete.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

I still find it hard to see how they'll do it on schedule, since there doesn't seem to be any evidence of the bridge being built nearby ready to be moved in.

It seems to have appeared now:
http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete.php?id=51252
http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete.php?id=51260

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Update video (sorry only an iPhone) here. Lots happening - I believe it is on schedule for July.

EDIT: v2 with titles and some extra footage now here

 

[onionjoe76]

Driven passed it a few times now and been impressed. But after seeing this video and realising the sheer length of it has left me gobsmacked... I will have to get to the site when they move it in to place. I would love to see it.

PaxVobiscum if you get wind of a move date can you perhaps post it here or pm me please. Thank you.

 

[ADRboy]

Looks like it's due to go in near the end of the Winchburgh works, after the school holidays start.

 

[snowball]

Thanks. I think that link needs to be edited. When I click on it it tries to go to an invalid address beginning "ttps" that works if I change it to "https".

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Thanks. I think that link needs to be edited. When I click on it it tries to go to an invalid address beginning "ttps" that works if I change it to "https".

Sorry about that - now fixed.



--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I almost feel I ought to apologise for repeatedly posting amateurish videos but here's another. This one is a slo-mo "drive-by" taken at 120 fps from a Whifflet train yesterday. At one point recently there was a handy-for-photographers TSR on the line past the construction site, but not at the moment as the 318 fairly horsed it past the works, so on the way back I did the slo-mo. I can see a lot more detail from this cr*ppy video than I could from the train I can tell you, so I am unrepentant for sharing this.

 

[snowball]

I almost feel I ought to apologise

Don't!

 

[onionjoe76]

Excellent video.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Thanks, snowball and onionjoe 76.

There's now a re-edited and slightly longer version of the first video which has titles and extra footage. That'll teach you to encourage me.

 

[dysonsphere]

nice vid and 120fps is a gread idea were you shooting in HD as the pauses are good frames

 

[PaxVobiscum]

nice vid and 120fps is a gread idea were you shooting in HD as the pauses are good frames

Yes, the 120fps is handy. The phone wants to start off playing it back at normal speed at first then does a slo-mo section in the middle before speeding up at the end. The iMovie app can play and save the whole file in slo-mo at different frame rates.

I was curious myself to see what kind of file an iPhone 5S/iMovie iOS setup outputs so I had a look at the edited file in QuickTime Pro - here's the useful stuff (to me anyway):

Format:

H.264, 1280 x 720, Millions, AAC, Stereo (L R), 44.100 kHz​

FPS:

30​

Data rate:

10.50 mbits/s​

Duration:

0:00:02:25.70​

Normal size:

1280 x 720 pixels​

which is HD, just, at 720p. It has an option for 1080p but that might just be upscaled. The iPhone 5S supports 1080p video but I yet yet to be convinced it records it.

The original 120 fps file comes up as:

Format: (the same)

H.264, 1280 x 720, Millions, AAC, Stereo (L R), 44.100 kHz​

FPS:

120.16​

Data rate: (the same)

10.50 mbits/s​

Duration:

0:00:00:34​

Normal size: (the same)

1280 x 720 pixels​

so no 1080p there either. Still, it's OK for a phone.

EDIT: Just looked at some of 30 fps files - they are coming up as 1920 x 1080 right enough. OK, I am now duly convinced.

 

[onionjoe76]

Thanks for the update video. Always happy to watch them so keep them coming

 

[Scotrail88]

Works are taking place during July and are on the scotrail website - anybody know what the works takin place between rutherglen and cambuslang are on the first weekend??

 

[PaxVobiscum]

I saw something about a bridge replacement on the Railscot website. Didn't say exactly when but that might be it.

 

[Scotrail88]

That's the fortnight closure of whifflet line

Strange the works at rutherglen but suppose joined up planning. Just wandering what it is

 

[ADRboy]

Is it possibly the other side of the bridge being replaced at Newton, new deck is in place over the Newton station side of the tracks, WCML side needing done?

 

[QueensCurve]

With work already started on the upgrading/new build of the M8 between Baillieston and Newhouse I was wondering how this will affect services on the Glasgow - Whifflet Line.

The plans are to build a new, 2nd "Cutty Sark" bridge crossing 6 lanes of newly built M8 motorway almost immediately west beyond the original bridge crossing the current 4 lane A8.

I've been racking my brains as to how to can do this without closing the Whifflet line for a prolonged period of time. They would be adding a new massive bridge to an already existing regularly used passenger and freight line.

Would they essentially build a tunnel for the new M8 and on completion of that section of road, build a bridge over the tunnel section over the course of a weekend then dismantle the tunnel underneath. The plans show a rail over-bridge and not a motorway tunnel.

The answer is probably obvious, but I just can`t think what it would be. Anyone got any ideas.

At Crewe they closed the Kidsgrove line for a weekend a few weeks ago to roll into place the [rail over road] bridge previously constructed alongside the railway. I think they are proposing the same ting at Bargeddie?

 

[onionjoe76]

At Crewe they closed the Kidsgrove line for a weekend a few weeks ago to roll into place the [rail over road] bridge previously constructed alongside the railway. I think they are proposing the same ting at Bargeddie?

Yes, they are building the bridge right next to the line. It is due to be moved in to place soon I believe. I assume once in place they will dig out the earth below it to provide space to run the new M8 through.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Another tedious update video from today. Didn't realise that they had started moving the bridge already.

Apologies that it's done on an iPhone again but I really can't be a***d carrying a real camera and all the gear across miles of fields; (and sorry about the wind noise too, Stuart, if you are reading this )