Bridge Strike Potential Solution

[matacaster]

Bridge strikes cost a great deal of time and money, not to mention delays. Many bridges only get the odd strike, but a mall number seem disproportionately prone to being struck.

Would it not be possible in these cases to construct a simple frame of 3 very substantial RSJs (as used on tall buildings), placed say 20 feet before each of these serially offended bridges to ensure that no overheight vehicles got near the bridge. Using RSJ's would mean the installation cost would be low as they are freely available and don't need any fancy design.

I-----------I
I I
I I

If struck, the worst that could happen would be a bent bridge protector and a mangled lorry etc.

That would still leave the problem where arch bridges were only passable at full height near the crown, with lorries advised to go through the middle of the bridge. Here, I suspect some form of enhanced traffic lights might be needed which used a sensor on top of my aforementioned frame to detect any vehicle which would be overheight at either side of the bridge and cause traffic lights cause vehicles to stop.

Obviously there may be some issues with this back of a fag packet solution, but I am hoping that others can not only pass constructive criticism and improve upon the outline idea. After all, the cost of bridge strikes is substantial and the knock on delays far afield help to engender the railways as being unreliable with endemic delays in the public mind.

 

[Bald Rick]

There then becomes the issue of liability, and what to do when the RSJs (in your example) are struck and damaged. Who would own, maintain and repair them? Who would check them each time they are struck? (They would have to be checked). Who arranges the road closure while this happens? Who would be responsible if they fell down after damage and caused further damage, injury or worse to road users? A couple of RSJs, even big ones, would be much easier to damage than a bridge.

What is done, where it is possible, is to have bridge strike protection beams approx 1m in front of the bridge. But this is more to prevent damage to the bridge structure itself than to stop the strike.

The best solution is cameras that enable the bridge to be inspected remotely, as this reduces delays to near zero in 95% of cases. Acknowledging that this is cure rather than prevention.

 

[krus_aragon]

While I can't find a good reference immedately, I'm sure that something similar has been done at some problem bridges already.

To play devil's advocate, with your approach of mounting the protector to the bridge there may stil lbe a need to close the line and get an engineer to check that only the "bridge protector" has been damaged.

 

[swt_passenger]

A "goal post" in advance has also already been done to protect OHLE at a level crossing. I think there was a thread a few months back about an incident (in Scotland IIRC) where a road vehicle hit the advance obstacle, and almost pushed it right over. I'll see if I can find it...

 

[tsr]

Yep, this has been done already (albeit with something a little bit different to a bog standard RSJ) at frequently struck bridges. An example includes the regularly struck bridge at Tulse Hill.

Traffic lights would need to be failsafe to be of any value, and therefore if the traffic lights failed on red because of a detection problem, there would be knock-on delays to other traffic. On the other hand, over-height warning displays of other types, including electronic signs and fluorescent static signage, are regularly ignored by lorry drivers - so it's a difficult one!

An RSJ or similar metallic bar is quite a crude solution for a number of reasons. First and foremost is public safety. If it is struck by a bus rather than a lorry, then if the device is only designed to do a bit of damage, it may also end up poking through windows and potentially mangling passengers. So you are putting one more obstruction for a bus to hit before the bridge itself - a non-destructive means would be far preferable.

There are also problems with members of the public reporting bridge bashes. Unless the location has CCTV or full time staff on site (some do...), if someone reports the bridge as having been struck, it could just be a metal bar in the vicinity. But it may appear to be related to the bridge, the bridge then gets reported as having been damaged in and of itself, and the trains still get stopped or slowed down.

Lastly, because of the road layout at some locations, you may not be able to position over-height vehicle prevention measures until you reach the bridge itself. I can think of some industrial estates which use land right next to the railway, where lorries could take a wrong turn and immediately get stuck under a bridge. But if you place an obstruction in any location significantly before they get there, the drivers taking the correct routes will also end up with mangled lorries, because the correct route and the incorrect one diverge very close to the low bridge.

 

[DarloRich]

The problem is one of ownership, liability and access for maintenance. Is the structure the responsibility of NR or the highways authority. Does NR or the highways authority pick up the bill for cleaning up, what happens if the structure fails and crutches someone? Is such a structure allowed under NR permitted development rights or does it need planning permission. What about lighting and sign posting etc etc.

In theory it is a good idea and while the issues are no insurmountable they do nee dot be carefully considered

 

[jopsuk]

They're not uncommon, as said. At Ely, when the bypass is open and the level crossing is closed the remaining single lane under the bridge (traffic light controlled) will be protected by such portals.

 

[RSimons]

On a blog I saw a reference to a bridge (in Australia?) that was repeatedly struck. When a too high vehicle approached, a dense screen of falling water fell down with the word 'STOP' projected on to it. Sorry - I do not have a link.

 

[36270k]

Check youtube for the 11 foot 8 videos

 

[najaB]

On a blog I saw a reference to a bridge (in Australia?) that was repeatedly struck. When a too high vehicle approached, a dense screen of falling water fell down with the word 'STOP' projected on to it. Sorry - I do not have a link.

It was posted here on the last long-running bridge strike thread.

 

[Marklund]

Check youtube for the 11 foot 8 videos

Just what I was thinking.
Works there.

 

[Spartacus]

Fit the steering wheel to the top of the trailer or top deck of a bus, that might sort it!

 

[DelW]

Just to be pedantic, RSJs have not been "freely available", or indeed available newly rolled at all, since the early 1980s, when the last remaining BS4 sections were discontinued. The currently available sections are UBs (universal beams) or possibly UCs (universal columns).

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The other day I saw a story about one of the most frequently struck bridges (according to the article, which was on the West Yorkshire bit of BBC News) on Denby Dale Road (A636) in Wakefield- where the line between Kirkgate and Horbury junction skirts the bottom of Thornes Park. I was surprised that this bridge is hit often because it's high enough for most double-decker buses, and has electronic warnings triggered by infrared detection.

I guess those bridges might be at a higher risk though, perhaps because drivers see the warnings but then see the bridge and think they can make it anyway, as it looks like it'd be just high enough. Whereas a bridge that is obviously way too low, is less likely to be attempted.

 

[Harpers Tate]

Something like this, you mean:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2...4!1sIzAuJL1H3DvlZCHXwLdghw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

[itsonlyme]

Seen in Siberia about 10 years ago, this type of device but made from old rail constructed to make an A-frame at each side of road and further length of old rail dangling from chain between them

 

[Mag_seven]

A "goal post" in advance has also already been done to protect OHLE at a level crossing. I think there was a thread a few months back about an incident (in Scotland IIRC) where a road vehicle hit the advance obstacle, and almost pushed it right over. I'll see if I can find it...

Logans Road in Motherwell - here is the thread:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...rrier-at-level-crossing-in-motherwell.150207/

 

[Chris 76]

Network Rail say bridge strikes cost £23m per year. Recover that from haulage operators in fines, and make bridge strikes a severe disciplinary offence for drivers, and then the haulage industry may take it seriously. Of course big firms like Stobart and Wincanton say they are taking responsibility, but their trucks don't generally hit bridges. It's the small firms and owner operators that need to step up.

 

[swt_passenger]

Logans Road in Motherwell - here is the thread:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...rrier-at-level-crossing-in-motherwell.150207/

Thanks for finding the earlier thread. I had also found it, but when I tried to edit my earlier post I must have forgotten to send it or something...

 

[nottsnurse]

Network Rail say bridge strikes cost £23m per year. Recover that from haulage operators in fines, and make bridge strikes a severe disciplinary offence for drivers, and then the haulage industry may take it seriously. Of course big firms like Stobart and Wincanton say they are taking responsibility, but their trucks don't generally hit bridges. It's the small firms and owner operators that need to step up.

Spot on.

When haulage firm's bottom lines are being hit by heavy fines and irresponsible drivers are losing their licences (and therefore livelihood) due to their carelessness it might make the industry as a whole start to take bridge strikes more seriously.

 

[Spartacus]

NR do try and claim back, but all too often the driver doesn't stop and report it, or if they do they provide minimal details, or it's left to a member of public who's often seen the incident from a distance and didn't get chance to get the reg before the vehicle drove off. Very often the damage to the lorry isn't catastrophic so no doubt many drivers will blame it on a low branch when they get to their destination and ask about the damage.