RJS1977 Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Unfortunately next time I go over it, it'll be dark! :-( Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Yes the girders are being assembled on the West side and then it's being pushed across, on a temporary set of steelwork hung off the side of the new supports. Once complete they will need to remove the old girders and then slide the complete new bridge sideways into place. From my shots last week, here's one of the new supports, with the temporary third pile and temporary support (in rusty red) closest to the camera to support the pushed new span. The next set of girders being prepared on the West side, with completed spans supported on the temporary support. Next one after that being craned into position And that temporary 'nose' in place for the push... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Thanks for that. So like this then: the new supports are built partly under the old bridge deck, the new deck gets pushed out from one bank stage by stage on sideways extensions to the new supports, they close the line, take down the old bridge and its supports, then slide the new deck sideways into position? (or else slew the existing approach lines to match the new alignment?) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Thanks for that. So like this then: the new supports are built partly under the old bridge deck, the new deck gets pushed out from one bank stage by stage on sideways extensions to the new supports, they close the line, take down the old bridge and its supports, then slide the new deck sideways into position? (or else slew the existing approach lines to match the new alignment?) It'll be a case of sliding the deck sideways- there's not a lot of space to slew anything. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianwales Posted November 17, 2012 Author Share Posted November 17, 2012 I'm surprised it's that many, Ian- what are they all? . Hi There are usually 2 Oil trains a day = 4, then at the moment there are 4 booked trains to Trostre of which on averege 2 run making 8, the GCG adding another 2, the daily Fishguard boat train which does use the Swansea District line every weekday and the 13th and 14th is the up morning Carmarthen to Manchester and a down Manchester to Milford service making the 14, on Saturdays the Fishguards and the Manchester services travel via Cockett and the Landore avoiding line. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianwales Posted November 17, 2012 Author Share Posted November 17, 2012 Hi all With regard to how they are going to replace the bridge I have a PDF document from Network rail showing the process and I am trying to get permission to post it here, but, basically the way it is intended is once the new bridge is in position with the up and down track on it, the plan is to dismantle half of the old bridge, slide the new one part way into position, connect the present single track to one of the lines on the new bridge, dismantle the rest of the old structure then complete the sideways slide of the new bridge into its correct position and connect the double track up. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Hi There are usually 2 Oil trains a day = 4, then at the moment there are 4 booked trains to Trostre of which on averege 2 run making 8, the GCG adding another 2, the daily Fishguard boat train which does use the Swansea District line every weekday and the 13th and 14th is the up morning Carmarthen to Manchester and a down Manchester to Milford service making the 14, on Saturdays the Fishguards and the Manchester services travel via Cockett and the Landore avoiding line. Ian Thanks, Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianwales Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 Hi The Lougher viaduct rebuild is part of the re-instating of the double line between Dyffryn and Cockett so I thought I would just post a couple of photos of the work giong on at Gowerton to reinstate the old up platform and to build a new footbridge, Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidw Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Thanks for posting Ian - Oh how I remember those platforms well! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon47603 Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Hi Ian Have Network Rail, started to relay the double track yet? As I saw a Freightliner 66 hauling a long train of new track westbound, through Pontyclun on Saturday night about 22:30. Plus a few other infrastructure trains as well. Ta Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Thanks for posting Ian - Oh how I remember those platforms well! Probably showing my age now, but I still remember the track in situ, though not in use, in the yard which used to be on the left beyond the dumper. It had served a colliery, adjacent to the station, then later the aluminium factory, which I think was built during WW2. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianwales Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 Hi Ian Have Network Rail, started to relay the double track yet? As I saw a Freightliner 66 hauling a long train of new track westbound, through Pontyclun on Saturday night about 22:30. Plus a few other infrastructure trains as well. Ta Simon Hi Simon There have been overnight engineering occupations on the line all last week and also this week with 1 and sometimes 2 engineering trains working, from the locations I have got to so far there hasn't been any tracklaying, but, when I took the photos at Gowerton there was CWR in the 4 foot of the single line. Incidentally, the trains have been using a mix of Freightliner and DRS class 66's sometimes top and tailing the same train while last Tuesday produced a class 70 on one of the trains. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianwales Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 Hi all In post 15 I alluded to the fact I was working on getting some photos from the south, well, some weeks ago I was taking my son to scouts and got chatting to one of the dads, who turned out to be one of the crew members of the Loughor Lifeboat, so I asked if there was someone who would be willing to take a photo of the seaward side of the viaduct, the totally unexpected reply was that if we could arrange a date they would take me out to take the photos myself!!!! Part 1 Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianwales Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 Part 2 A couple of photos from underneath the viaduct, one of the crew did mention that when divers went down to examine the wooden supports they were astonished to discover that not all the supports were touching the riverbed! And my chariot for the day, the Loughor lifeboat with the coxn Colin along with Mike and John who crewed the boat for me. thanks everyone. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Awesome. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Thanks Ian. The photos from below show well how the bridge is going to be slid onto its permanent (concrete) piers. Also why you really wouldn't want to put a second track back on the old one... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 When it's finished, those concrete pier tops will look like they are floating on the water at high tide... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vin Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 That's a view on most building sites you can't get near, unless you've been inducted. The wooden supports don't look like 1860 vintage but an on going maintenance programme. What is going to happen to the rest of the bridge as it is grade II listed? Excellent historical photos. Vin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 There's not a vast amount of 1860 bridge left I suspect - this potted history is on a panel midway across the road bridge and might help with it - but with two complete rebuilds in it's history the Brunel bits are only visible at low tide: It's a bit like the 'old' broom - it's a Brunel trestle, apart from the piling which was replaced by a new design....and the deck which was replaced by a new design... I think from the description there the last Brunel design bits are the 3 stubs of piles visible at the bottom here (the one in the middle is the most obvious) They are supposed to be preserving a trestle IIRC Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianwales Posted November 21, 2012 Author Share Posted November 21, 2012 They are supposed to be preserving a trestle IIRC Hi There seems to be a bit of confusion as to what is going to happen to the old bridge, first plans were apparently to offer it to the Gwili railway to use to replace a missing bridge and as a viewing gallery at the new Carmarthen station when it gets built, however, I understand that this plan has fallen through and currently there are plans to erect a section of the bridge alongside the cycle path which is runs the Llanelli side of the estuary a short distance from its current location. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon47603 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Hi Simon There have been overnight engineering occupations on the line all last week and also this week with 1 and sometimes 2 engineering trains working, from the locations I have got to so far there hasn't been any tracklaying, but, when I took the photos at Gowerton there was CWR in the 4 foot of the single line. Incidentally, the trains have been using a mix of Freightliner and DRS class 66's sometimes top and tailing the same train while last Tuesday produced a class 70 on one of the trains. Ian Hi Ian Now this is spooky! Whilst having a look on Robert Masterman's YouTube Channel. Mr Masterman has posted 2 new videos of Llandeilo Jct which were taken on Sunday (18/11). One showing, Sunday steel and scrap flows to and from Tata's Trostre works, which also includes 60065 on a Hot Coil train from Margam. The other shows the Freightliner infrastructure train that I saw on Saturday evening!! Hauled by 66508. The Freightliner video also shows ongoing work at Loughor Viaduct and at Gowerton Station. Both are very good, as are all of Mr Masterman's videos. Unfortunately I'm unable to provide a link! So if someone would be kind enough to do the honours! Ta Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Unfortunately I'm unable to provide a link! So if someone would be kind enough to do the honours! Ta Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon47603 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Thank you BG John. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 I can't believe how over-grown Llandeilo Junction Yard has become. The trees on the right of the photo are on the site of the Up yard, which had a small hump; the area to the right where the VGAs stand was the old Down Yard. We used to cycle to the bridge whence the photo was taken, from Stradey, via Felinfoel, as you could cop the occasional 'foreign' loco on a Trostre working. Back in 1971/2, when I was part of the team producing Llanelli Boys' Grammar Schools school newspaper (the BBC's Huw Edwards was a later member), I interviewed a former Great Western driver who had been involved in the clearing-up after the Loughor derailment. He would have been in his 90s at the time. Curiously, he lived a few doors from where Ian used to live in western Llanelli... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Not quite sure what the Gwili would have done with a bridge that long! Yes, there are a couple of bridges to the north of the current limits of operation, but I'd say the viaduct would yield enough spans to do those, replace the bridge over the Towy next to Carmarthen station (though I'm not sure there's enough room to get a line alongside the bypass under the Abergwili Road bridge), and still have enough left over to put some on display next to the cycle path! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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