Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

[WAO]

Hot dip galvanise the lot.

WAO

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Hot dip galvanise the lot.

WAO

Then have a good maintenance regime after that.

 

[plugwash]

I’m sure you’re right, but what contractor on a £m+ job can’t paint steelwork properly? It’s not as if this is a novel concept. Someone somewhere not doing their job properly…

My guess would be someone failed to take into account that those surfaces are inevitably going to get kicked with all manner of footwear as people misjudge their footing while running up the stairs.

 

[Halish Railway]

My guess would be someone failed to take into account that those surfaces are inevitably going to get kicked with all manner of footwear as people misjudge their footing while running up the stairs.

Or its from the combination of water and grit salt that has made it onto people's shoes that is corroding the metalwork, gradually decreasing as the water and salt comes off of people's shoes. Either way, there are too many examples around the network of fairly new overbridges quickly corroding.

 

[Spartacus]

Or its from the combination of water and grit salt that has made it onto people's shoes that is corroding the metalwork, gradually decreasing as the water and salt comes off of people's shoes. Either way, there are too many examples around the network of fairly new overbridges quickly corroding.

I think that's the trouble. You'd really want to be treating them like a structure stood partially in the sea, like a pier that's exposed when the tide goes out, though judging by the state of the of them perhaps they already are!

Not sure it would be allowed now but previous use of sand, ashes or actual grit, or a mixture of all, in freezing weather would largely I expect mitigate the issue, but they come with their own problems, not least that they probably wouldn't be classed as effective enough.

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

One only has to see the huge volumes of salt that rail staff put down when the weather heads towards zero (but does not necessarily exceed it), to appreciate the scale of the emerging problem with footbridges etc., particularly those that are uncovered. Some older structures are literally corroding before our eyes, even if they have been in place apparently without huge problems, for decades. Some of it maybe poor design/installation, eg. Bromsgrove above. It will take a lot more than galvanisation, one suspects, to address this issue. A requirement to wash it off would help in diesel areas or sweep it off in other areas might help (but resource would have to be found to do it)... but otherwise many of these structures will be unusable in a decade or so... The industry urgently needs to look at its processes for managing cold days: footbridges are not the same as roads! Rant over.

 

[The exile]

My guess would be someone failed to take into account that those surfaces are inevitably going to get kicked with all manner of footwear as people misjudge their footing while running up the stairs.

And failed to build a suitable “aftercare” clause or guarantees into the contract. The constructors should be rectifying these defects at their own expense.

 

[The Snap]

The use of rock salt is actually ‘banned’ on stations for this very reason. Station teams should be using chemical alternatives, not rock salt…whether they are doing is another story!

See this document, specifically pages 11, 12 and 18.

https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/about-us/publications/acop/12634-rdg-ops-gn-027-winter-arrangements-for-stations/file.html

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 May 2023 ==

And failed to build a suitable “aftercare” clause or guarantees into the contract. The constructors should be rectifying these defects at their own expense.

There is a 12 month defect liability period for all contractors after completion of work. If a defect arises in that period, it is fixed by the contractor. If it arises afterwards, it is the responsibility of the asset manager and/or maintainer to fix it.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Over the M60 near Ashton-under-Lyne looks to be fully electrified now.

 

[Spartacus]

The use of rock salt is actually ‘banned’ on stations for this very reason. Station teams should be using chemical alternatives, not rock salt…whether they are doing is another story!

See this document, specifically pages 11, 12 and 18.

https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/about-us/publications/acop/12634-rdg-ops-gn-027-winter-arrangements-for-stations/file.html

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 May 2023 ==

I guess there's likely an issue in being that as rock salt is still the most effective means, and can be authorised when necessary it's easy for that authorisation to remain in place when it's not strictly necessary. From my experience you also need less frequent treatment with it too, likely a big consideration if you're sending someone to multiple locations, same goes for potentially having to treat with multiple substances at one location to do the best job. If time and manpower's tight there must be a temptation to treat everything the same.

 

[swt_passenger]

Poorly specced paint's my likely guess.
I haven't seen a bridge similar to Bromsgrove's elsewhere in the UK, so I think the steelwork subcontractor had no standard NR design to refer to.

It is a standard NR design, there’s quite a few in the south installed as part of the Access for All process, the badly corroded steps are common. Brockenhurst, Fareham, Fratton, Winchester to name a few. Slight variations in lift shaft exterior materials, but they’re clearly the same basic steelwork.

 

[Ploughman]

The use of salt also causes severe damage to the rails through level crossings.
Councils should instruct their drivers to stop gritting near crossings, but how many actually do so?

 

[edwin_m]

The use of salt also causes severe damage to the rails through level crossings.
Councils should instruct their drivers to stop gritting near crossings, but how many actually do so?

Encountering an unexpected patch of black ice on an otherwise gritted road isn't going to be good for crossing safety.

 

[Spartacus]

The use of salt also causes severe damage to the rails through level crossings.
Councils should instruct their drivers to stop gritting near crossings, but how many actually do so?

The bigger immediate issue is that it causes track circuits to fail.

 

[Batley Lad]

Batley - Former Adwalton line at Lady Anne crossing.

Talking of new footbridges, here’s a new one installed in all its green splendour!



I’ll post some more photos later.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 May 2023 ==

Added some more images below.



== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 May 2023 ==

A few shots from Lady Anne crossing



Crane and Loco either side of Soothill road bridge

 

[InOban]

https://twitter.com/theTRUpgrade/status/1657307587006676996?t=AWVKRBnSo9VhpGT3lHSGpg&s=19

There are even official pictures of the bridge lift.

 

[sjpowermac]

Batley - Former Adwalton line at Lady Anne crossing.

Talking of new footbridges, here’s a new one installed in all its green splendour!

View attachment 134950View attachment 134951

I’ll post some more photos later.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 May 2023 ==

Added some more images below.

View attachment 134963View attachment 134964View attachment 134965View attachment 134966View attachment 134967View attachment 134968View attachment 134969View attachment 134970View attachment 134971

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 May 2023 ==

A few shots from Lady Anne crossing

View attachment 134979View attachment 134980View attachment 134981

Crane and Loco either side of Soothill road bridge

View attachment 134982View attachment 134983

A big day! I bet you could hardly believe it when the bridge appeared!

Thank you once again for the terrific coverage with these excellent and detailed images.

The bridge sides do look a bit high for getting photos from, but I guess we will see.

I wonder when it will open? There looks to still be a fair amount of work to put in regarding access.

 

[Batley Lad]

A big day! I bet you could hardly believe it when the bridge appeared!

Thank you once again for the terrific coverage with these excellent and detailed images.

The bridge sides do look a bit high for getting photos from, but I guess we will see.

I wonder when it will open? There looks to still be a fair amount of work to put in regarding access.

I’ve not heard or read an official opening date but it may be after the June blockade (17th to 25th). So, Monday 26th is a possible.

Re Installation: It wasn’t a surprise really as the large Baldwin crane had arrived Thursday afternoon and the bridge sections had been shunted about to give individual access to each section.

I think the height and length of the new footbridge is the surprise as it settles into the landscape. With the final landscaping, rail side fencing and pathway to come, it will take a lot of getting used to.

A big step change from the abandoned Adwalton abutment and walls of line side vegetation

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 May 2023 ==

https://twitter.com/theTRUpgrade/status/1657307587006676996?t=AWVKRBnSo9VhpGT3lHSGpg&s=19

There are even official pictures of the bridge lift.

Thanks. I’d not seen those line side images.

There was quite a gathering to see the installation. A lot of orange army people from all involved parties eagerly watching from every vantage point.

I did see a drone above, so I suspect a video of the operation will be landing either in social media world or on the official TRU website soon.

 

[zwk500]

A big day! I bet you could hardly believe it when the bridge appeared!

Thank you once again for the terrific coverage with these excellent and detailed images.

The bridge sides do look a bit high for getting photos from, but I guess we will see.

I wonder when it will open? There looks to still be a fair amount of work to put in regarding access.

The parapets will presumably be the height required for electrification, which is 1.6 or 1.8m, IIRC.

 

[sjpowermac]

The parapets will presumably be the height required for electrification, which is 1.6 or 1.8m, IIRC.

Many thanks, appreciated.

 

[snowball]

The raising of the standard height for parapets over electrified lines from 1.5m to 1.8m has featured in numerous discussions of the high cost of electrification.

 

[AM9]

The raising of the standard height for parapets over electrified lines from 1.5m to 1.8m has featured in numerous discussions of the high cost of electrification.

Of course, actually raising parapet heights is relatively inexpensive part within the "overall high cost of electrification", - almost down in the noise of sundry items.

 

[Elecman]

Of course, actually raising parapet heights is relatively inexpensive part within the "overall high cost of electrification", - almost down in the noise of sundry items.

Not if the additional weight incurred is in excess of the bridge design parameters therefore entailing a full rebuild

 

[Batley Lad]

Not if the additional weight incurred is in excess of the bridge design parameters therefore entailing a full rebuild

I think in the below photos, the additional height of each side wall was achieved by adding a series of thin panels to each side. I assume to save weight and secondly, to meet new guidelines on safety and/or electrification.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Not if the additional weight incurred is in excess of the bridge design parameters therefore entailing a full rebuild

As in a few layers of engineering bricks and mortar and larger coping stones. That would be quite a bit of extra mass.

 

[matacaster]

That's shocking degradation in such a short space of time.

Have they not heard of galvanising?

 

[zwk500]

Have they not heard of galvanising?

Galvanised pieces aren't light.

 

[AM9]

As in a few layers of engineering bricks and mortar and larger coping stones. That would be quite a bit of extra mass.

That depends on the function of the bridge. When line upgrades are being undertaken and electrical clearances need enhancement, footbridges are often replaced, partly because they are decayed and replacement is of similar cost to repair, but also, modern bridge materials have lower maintenance requirements, and both their OLE clearances and their parapet legal requirements can be incorporated at minimal (if any) additional cost. For road bridges, the additional parapet hardware only needs to be suitable to prevent human access for safety reasons, - the rest of the bridge is built to cope with the worst-case weight of road traffic passing over it, so the weight of a 'human-resistant' parapet extension really does put its time and budget cost down in the noise.

 

[snowball]

Galvanised pieces aren't light.

Here we see a consequence of the board software not doing quotes within quotes. There are two separate discussions going on in the thread. Here @zwk500 was replying to a post in one subthread as if it was in the other.

 

[jonesy3001]

What's left to do on the stalybridge lines, since the guide bridge line is shut today and both lines closed next weekend.