Nuneham viaduct problems - Oxford to Didcot line closed

[Wickham Green too]

 I wonder IF they'll get them out again after the works are finished...  🤔

 

Probably best to trim them down to the river bed to give navigation clearance and leave the rest in situ as extra reinforcement.

[Merfyn Jones]

On 11/04/2023 at 23:13, BrushVeteran said:

The current maximum height height of double deck buses able to pass under Oxford Station bridge is 13ft 10ins  (4.25m), despite what the warning signs say. The last new bridge was installed in 1979 and the height adjustment allowed  13ft 8in (4.2m) NBC standard instead of ultra low-height 13ft 3in (4.03m) buses  which City of Oxford had been specifying as new build since 1960, prior to that low bridge buses had a side gangway upstairs with the seating arranged in groups of four on the raised area with a reduced headroom. The warning signs were never altered.

When the new bridge is installed later this year or early next, the height will be raised to allow 14ft 6in (4.46m) maximum height double decker's, of which there are a few around Oxford and the local operators.

Just read this without looking who wrote it. I did think that's somebody who knows about running buses in Oxford.  All the best pal.

 

[The Stationmaster]

On 27/04/2023 at 11:27, Mike_Walker said:

It seems the supporting piles being driven into the river bed are "spare" OLE bases from the abandoned electrification to Oxford.  Amazing what you can find lying around in the lineside undergrowth - modern image modellers take note!

 

I just wonder how they'll get them out again after the works are finished...  🤔

There are (now were?) quite a lot of them lying around between Didcot North Jcn and and Radley where they were simply left to rot when the Oxford electrification was 'deferred' aka cancelled.   However I doubt if they've bothered to dig up any of those that were fully planted along that stretch?  

 

From what I see on various journeys there are probably enough of those tubes lying at the lineside in various places to have completed electrification to Oxford with some left over.

[rodent279]

Any update on the situation? I ask because 7029 is due to haul a tour from Snow Hill to Minehead via Banbury & Swindon on 20th May, and I can't see any way for the tour to serve Banbury, unless it takes a lengthy diversion via High Wycombe and the Greenford loop-assuming the latter is still available?

[2251]

10 minutes ago, rodent279 said:

Any update on the situation? I ask because 7029 is due to haul a tour from Snow Hill to Minehead via Banbury & Swindon on 20th May, and I can't see any way for the tour to serve Banbury, unless it takes a lengthy diversion via High Wycombe and the Greenford loop-assuming the latter is still available?

The NR website is still saying it will be open “not before” 10 June:

 

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/western/nuneham-viaduct-monitoring-and-stabilisation/ 

 

If the desire is to stop at both Banbury and Snow Hill, I can’t see how that can be achieved without a reversal somewhere if it starts from Snow Hill. But would it not be more logical to start at Banbury and route Tyseley – Snow Hill – Stourbridge Jct – and thence to Minehead?
 

[Compound2632]

12 minutes ago, rodent279 said:

Any update on the situation? 

 

Network Rail still say 10 June: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/western/nuneham-viaduct-monitoring-and-stabilisation/.

 

I've not seen any other reports on the progress of the works, but maybe someone on here has their ear to the ground?

 

I would have thought the tour organisers would have issued revised information by now, as reopening before 20 May has been clearly off the cards since mid-April. 

 

EDIT crossed with @2251.

Edited May 11, 2023 by Compound2632

[Nick Gough]

18 hours ago, 2251 said:

 

If the desire is to stop at both Banbury and Snow Hill, I can’t see how that can be achieved without a reversal somewhere if it starts from Snow Hill. But would it not be more logical to start at Banbury and route Tyseley – Snow Hill – Stourbridge Jct – and thence to Minehead?
 

According to Michael Whitehouse, on the National Preservation group, the train will first run from Banbury - Tyseley diesel hauled, for the pickups. Then changes to steam for the run to WSR, via Cheltenham.

 

Could be a long day for some?

[Gilbert]

31 minutes ago, Nick Gough said:

According to Michael Whitehouse, on the National Preservation group, the train will first run from Banbury - Tyseley diesel hauled, for the pickups. Then changes to steam for the run to WSR, via Cheltenham.

 

Could be a long day for some?

 

From Railway Herald...

The Whistling Ghost To Minehead (Vintage Trains)

5043 or 7029 Banbury (pu) - Widney manor - Birmingham Moor Street - Birmingham Snow Hill (pu) - Kidderminster - Worcester Shrub Hill - Cheltenham Spa - Bristol Temple Meads - Taunton - Bishops Lydeard

WSR Manor x 2 Bishops Lydeard - Minehead (break) - Bishops Lydeard

5043 and 7029 Bishops Lydeard - Taunton - Bristol Temple Meads - Cheltenham Spa - Worcester Shrub Hill - Kidderminster - Birmingham Snow Hill - Birmingham Moor Street - Widney Manor - Banbury

 

 

 

[rodent279]

1 hour ago, Nick Gough said:

According to Michael Whitehouse, on the National Preservation group, the train will first run from Banbury - Tyseley diesel hauled, for the pickups. Then changes to steam for the run to WSR, via Cheltenham.

 

Could be a long day for some?

Just read that, thanks. It also implies redated to 24.06.

[Mike_Walker]

Brian Daniels pedalled down the towpath to Nuneham earlier this week and took some excellent shots of the work in progress.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brianews/52901168340/in/dateposted/

 

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, Mike_Walker said:

Brian Daniels pedalled down the towpath to Nuneham earlier this week and took some excellent shots of the work in progress.

 

An idyllic scene - or will be, when they've finished. I'd missed the video updates on the Network Rail website:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/western/nuneham-viaduct-monitoring-and-stabilisation/

Most recent is from a week ago, showing the southern span jacked up and the original abutment being demolished, to make way for piling for its replacement. Three weeks to go now...

[The Stationmaster]

5 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

An idyllic scene - or will be, when they've finished. I'd missed the video updates on the Network Rail website:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/western/nuneham-viaduct-monitoring-and-stabilisation/

Most recent is from a week ago, showing the southern span jacked up and the original abutment being demolished, to make way for piling for its replacement. Three weeks to go now...

Nice brick abutment - shame about its 'foundations' (seeming collapse of).    NR do seem to be rather good at this sort of inventive approach to saving disintegrating infrastructure when the chips, and embankment or sea wall, are down.  

Great shame that BR never had the necessary money to take preventative action years ago.

[40F]

On 12/05/2023 at 07:27, Gilbert said:

 

From Railway Herald...

The Whistling Ghost To Minehead (Vintage Trains)

5043 or 7029 Banbury (pu) - Widney manor - Birmingham Moor Street - Birmingham Snow Hill (pu) - Kidderminster - Worcester Shrub Hill - Cheltenham Spa - Bristol Temple Meads - Taunton - Bishops Lydeard

WSR Manor x 2 Bishops Lydeard - Minehead (break) - Bishops Lydeard

5043 and 7029 Bishops Lydeard - Taunton - Bristol Temple Meads - Cheltenham Spa - Worcester Shrub Hill - Kidderminster - Birmingham Snow Hill - Birmingham Moor Street - Widney Manor - Banbury

 

 

 

 

 

Now postponed to Sat 24th June

[Compound2632]

54 minutes ago, 40F said:

Now postponed to Sat 24th June

 

Phew - for a moment there I thought you meant the re-opening of the line!

 

This enforced working at home is saving us £50 per week, though...

 

Lexi's got to go in next Tuesday to take part in a promotional video shoot so I'm using giving her a lift to Oxford as an excuse to go to the Midland Railway Study Centre in Derby for the day.

[Oldddudders]

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65648927

 

[The Stationmaster]

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Phew - for a moment there I thought you meant the re-opening of the line!

 

This enforced working at home is saving us £50 per week, though...

 

Lexi's got to go in next Tuesday to take part in a promotional video shoot so I'm using giving her a lift to Oxford as an excuse to go to the Midland Railway Study Centre in Derby for the day.

Take care which route you use into Oxford and watch the time for your arrival - but you probably know that anyway.  But also check the roadworks as they can make a big difference if you are going via Crowmarsh and the Dorchester bypass (ok this week).   My daughter drives to work in Oxford and her journey times vary considerably according to the time of day and roadworks on that route.

[Compound2632]

5 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

Take care which route you use into Oxford and watch the time for your arrival - but you probably know that anyway.  But also check the roadworks as they can make a big difference if you are going via Crowmarsh and the Dorchester bypass (ok this week).   My daughter drives to work in Oxford and her journey times vary considerably according to the time of day and roadworks on that route.

 

Noted. I usually favour the A4074 route, parking at the Redbridge P&R if going into central Oxford. Going through the centre of Reading gives the biggest time uncertainty. But this time the plan is to go A329(M) - M4 - A404 - M40 - A40 and into Oxford on the Woodstock Road, for an early morning drop-off near the Press, then out on the Banbury Road (left rather than right turn on St Giles!) and back round to the A40 to join the A34 up to the M40 and Brummagem away. 

[locoholic]

The current edition of Rail magazine has a news item about the Nuneham Viaduct. They are trying to pin the blame for the problem on some unspecified aspect of climate change, whilst noting Network Rail's habit of dumping tons and tons of ballast on top of an embankment with known stability issues in order to maintain track alignment. Climate change is a very handy tool for deflecting blame!

[Oldddudders]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-65758660

 

[The Stationmaster]

1 hour ago, Oldddudders said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-65758660

 

'They' ought to get her and those gangs working at H Nuneham in on HS 2 constructuion.  It would be ready for track laying by next Easter with that sort of 'must do' approach!!!

[Compound2632]

1 minute ago, The Stationmaster said:

'They' ought to get her and those gangs working at H Nuneham in on HS 2 constructuion.  It would be ready for track laying by next Easter with that sort of 'must do' approach!!!

 

But that is to misunderstand the current policy objective with HS2, which is to do it as slowly as possible so as to maximise the cost over-run and disruption to communities, to ensure that no large infrastructure project will be politically viable for the foreseeable future. 

[Oldddudders]

51 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

But that is to misunderstand the current policy objective with HS2, which is to do it as slowly as possible so as to maximise the cost over-run and disruption to communities, to ensure that no large infrastructure project will be politically viable for the foreseeable future. 

....said a Treasury insider. 

[Mike_Walker]

Good news!  The south span was lowered onto the new abutment on Saturday and it didn't sink.

 

Track, ballast and signalling currently being reinstated to allow the line to reopen as planned on the 10th, in fact freights might start on Thursday or Friday.  Initially there will be a TSR across the bridge while the new earthworks consolidate and the heaviest stone trains will continue to be diverted for the same period.

 

Excellent work by all involved.

[DY444]

On 31/05/2023 at 12:21, Compound2632 said:

But that is to misunderstand the current policy objective with HS2, which is to do it as slowly as possible so as to maximise the cost over-run and disruption to communities, to ensure that no large infrastructure project will be politically viable for the foreseeable future. 

 

Nah, NR well and truly established the blueprint for that with the GW electrification.  That project had 3 ultimate objectives (electrification to Swansea, Bristol TM and Oxford) and failed to deliver any of them.  As Churchill didn't say "never before has so little been achieved for so long at such great cost".  By comparison HS2 are rank amateurs.

[Mark Dickerson]

It appears there's now a limited shuttle service DID-OXF - I think I saw the first train come in as I got off the replacement bus this morning. A little miffed to miss being on it it, but that's far outweighed by seeing the project finished. Well done to all involved. 👍