Great central railway station bridges

[K Hatton]

Hi all,

 

I have recently purchased the Bachmann GCR station buildings and tunnels with the intention of modelling a GCR station similar to Ruddington (Nottingham).

 

According to photos on the disused stations website the square bridges were present in November 1984 however the next image from 2008 shows a pair of (relatively new looking) brick arches?

 

My question is why would the original road bridges have been replaced with the brick arches present today almost 40 odd years after the station was closed (final closure on 1/5/1967)?

 

November 1984:

June 2008:

[woodenhead]

Because the steel/iron girders were no longer suitable - that could either be corrosion, additional weight of traffic or the bridge has been widened (though it looks fairly standard in the image).

 

They could have simply infilled as happened at Charwelton, so BR may still have been claiming right of way for the under the bridge hence two train size gaps.

 

It's a bit different now though

Edited April 22, 2021 by woodenhead

[Wheatley]

Good question. There are NCC minutes from 2012 on line agreeing to the disposal of the 80m directly under the bridge as at that time GCR owned the bits either side.  The new brickwork predates that though. Presumably it's hiding replacement steel or concrete girders but whilst I could understand a heritage railway wanting a cosmetic brick screen it seems a bit extravagant for a local authority, they're usually just concerned that it doesn't fall down or cost a fortune. 

 

If they are planning to reopen that far it that could by interesting, NCC were supposed to starting work on a cycle path across the site in 2019, including demolishing the part of the platform nearest the bridge. I can't find any reports of it actually opening though. 

 

Anyone from GCR actually know ? 

Edited April 22, 2021 by Wheatley

[K Hatton]

2 minutes ago, Wheatley said:

GCR apparently own the track bed, presumably they wanted something a bit more 'heritage' to hide the replacement reinforced concrete or welded steel girders. There are NCC minutes on line agreeing to the disposal of the 80m directly under the bridge as GCR owned the bits either side.  

 

If they are planning to reopen that far it that could by interesting, NCC were supposed to starting work on a cycle path across the site in 2019, including demolishing the part of the platform nearest the bridge. I can't find any reports of it actually opening though. 

 

Anyone from GCR actually know ? 

The cycle path has been built (see image of bridges taken from said path). Sadly I think this will have put an end to the chances of the GCR(N) reopening Ruddington as a station.

Edited April 22, 2021 by K Hatton
Typo

[Wheatley]

Thanks K. Corrected my original text slightly as i'd got my dates cross-hobbled.

[K Hatton]

1 hour ago, woodenhead said:

Because the steel/iron girders were no longer suitable - that could either be corrosion, additional weight of traffic or the bridge has been widened (though it looks fairly standard in the image).

 

They could have simply infilled as happened at Charwelton, so BR may still have been claiming right of way for the under the bridge hence two train size gaps.

 

It's a bit different now though

Possibly true r.e widening of the road.

 

B.R mothballed the lines until 2000 and would have had no need to operate any further north than the gypsum works at rushcliffe halt as the GCR(N) heritage centre have owned the ordinance depot site since some point in the 1990s.

Edited April 22, 2021 by K Hatton
Typo

[woodenhead]

5 minutes ago, K Hatton said:

The cycle path has been built (see image of bridges taken from said path). Sadly I think this will have put an end to the chances of the GCR(N) reopening Ruddington as a station.

 

It could actually be an asset - there is no issue crossing the tracks at track level on a preserved railway, and a lot of the stations have such features on the GCR.

 

Just means someone has to guard the crossing and make allowance for it on any rebuild of the station - which would be from the ground up anyway.

[Wheatley]

It goes through the middle of the platform though.

[K Hatton]

True point. Plus it also reduces the chances of the area being "redeveloped" as housing.

 

It just seems odd that if the GCR(N) had put the effort in to build the arches with a plan to reopen the station then why have they let the site get to the state it is in now.

 

Not knocking them by any means, purely wondering if the station will ever see trains again.

[woodenhead]

Playing a long game - a path can be sorted, a bridge would be a very complex thing to rebuild it had been allowed to be infilled or with greatly reduced clearance.

 

Once GCR South get the gap filled then they will turn to properly creating a suitable end to the line which given the location of the engine facilities near Ruddington, that would seem a logical place to aim at.

 

Course how old we will all be when that happens, who knows.

[K Hatton]

I believe long term there is/was a plan to build a museum similar to Ruddington at the Leicester end(?) although it would make sense to have Ruddington as the main storage/repair centre in my mind.

[woodenhead]

1 hour ago, Wheatley said:

It goes through the middle of the platform though.

it could always be diverted down the side of the line till it reaches the end of the platform where it can cross the line and join any foot crossing the GCR put in for passengers wanting to reach other facilities.

 

There are always solutions to matters on the ground, but a big road bridge would be a massive cost obstacle to overcome that appears resolved.

[K Hatton]

Very true.

 

I wonder if the station at Ruddington was planned as a project before the 2 groups decided to 'bridge the gap'?

 

Either way it works for me (can make a 'what if' of Ruddington using the Bachmann kits and a bit of artistic licence for track plan)