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The beginning


TomE

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A few years ago I spent some time on the Norfolk Broads. Not somewhere you might immediately associate with any modeling potential but one particular stretch of the River Waveny offered up a surprise in the form of Somerleyton & Reedham Swing bridges on the Norwich - Lowestoft line. Somerleyton in particular always stuck with me as a project and I've now decided to do something about it. So, this blog will track my attempts to model this unusual feature of the network in N gauge.

 

Here is what we are talking about:

 

The bridge looking North:

OVERVIEW2.jpg

 

The bridge looking South:

OVERVIEW3.jpg

 

The whole bridge will fit onto the 4ft 6" board being constructed without being condensed, although the two signals which control the approach will need to be brought slightly closer to the bridge ends.

 

Despite appearing to be a fairly simple project, I think there will be some interesting challenges ahead, but hopefully the end result will be worth it!

 

So, on wards & upwards....

 

Tom.

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Excellent... looking closely at the bridge, there seems to be a collection of red objects on poles. Do these indicate the position of the bridge, could make an interesting feature?

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  • RMweb Gold

Excellent... looking closely at the bridge, there seems to be a collection of red objects on poles. Do these indicate the position of the bridge, could make an interesting feature?

 

Hi Will

 

The red flags indicate the operational status of the bridge. 2 red flags mean the bridge will not open, 1 flag means it is in operation and will open. Most broads holiday boats will fit under it without it needing to be opened, although as I found out, it can be a bit tight if the tide is in :huh:

 

CIMG0541.jpg

 

The flag indicated the maximum hight of the boat btw..

 

Cheers,

 

Tom.

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Are you going to weld the tracks at the bridge, so the bridge won't open, thereby Ilegally blocking the river borne right to navigation, as network rail like to do?

 

Seriously a good project I wish I could justify some thing like it on my future layout..

 

The Q

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  • RMweb Gold

Are you going to weld the tracks at the bridge, so the bridge won't open, thereby Ilegally blocking the river borne right to navigation, as network rail like to do?

 

Seriously a good project I wish I could justify some thing like it on my future layout..

 

The Q

 

I'm undecided at the moment whether to allow for swinging or not. I believe the prototype not only swings but is lifted by means of hydraulic jacks!

 

Cheers,

 

Tom.

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I love swing and lifting railway bridges- There's one on the River trent I'd love to make, (and I'm getting to my point here slowly..) after pricing up the lengths of I-angle brass needed to build the whole structure I found my total was in three-figures! Put the kibosh on that plan!

 

I like you prototype- with all those plate girders it should prove quite easy to build. I wonder whether the drawings for the bridge survive at the National Railway Museum- might be worth a check?

 

Will

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