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Public walk over the Royal Albert Bridge


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  • RMweb Gold

Greetings,

 

In conjunction with a local community group in Saltash, a public walk has been arranged over the Royal Albert Bridge, early in the morning of Sunday 12th July 2015.

 

The link for information and bookings etc. is here - http://www.royalalbertbridge.co.uk/bridge-walk-2015.html

 

The walk is essentially an event organised by the local group, supported and facillitated by Network Rail, also supported by FGW and the Devon & Cornwall Community Rail Partnership.

 

The proceeds will go towards charity and also enabling the Saltash Rail Users Group to continue their good work.

 

As the walk will start and finish in Cornwall, I have decided to post details of it here, rather than in the Devon part of the forum.

 

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  • RMweb Premium

Many thanks for posting that. 

 

I see that tickets, particularly for the later walks are already going fast. 

 

I have a ticket, thankfully for one of the last walks, which will mean I won't need to be up quite so early.

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Will they all be prevented from “walking in step” - enquiring minds need to know...

 

Best, Pete.

 

Pertinent question as it applies to bodies of marching men (women are perhaps assumed to not march?) over numerous bridges.  The resonance which would be created is considered to be a potential threat, however small,  to structural integrity.

 

Alas I'm much too far away to enjoy a stroll across the Gateway to Cornwall.  I'll have to wait for something to break down just at the Devon end and be detrained to Saltash station ;)  

 

It's possible to walk over the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Oz as it has footways on the road deck and the well-known bridge-climb business which (for a hefty fee and strictly no photos bar their own) will take you literally over the top.  It carries rail tracks too but I've never heard of a public walk along those.

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Will they all be prevented from “walking in step” - enquiring minds need to know...

 

Best, Pete.

Based on the last two such events that we put on in 2009, it will be more a case of trying to get a flock of sheep to goose-step.... no worries there, then!

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  • RMweb Gold

How about a walk through the Severn  Tunnel. :jester:  :no:

 

Keith.

It's a bl**dy long way, and it's uphill on the later half of the journey  (it's dark down there as well) but it's a good bit more interesting than walking through the Channel Tunnel which is deadly boring in the Service Tunnel.  But at least I haven't had the ill-fortune to have to walk all that far in either (about 1km in the Chunnel and probably no more than 100 yards in t'other one - however both are much nicer than the slime hole of Ledbury Tunnel.

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It's a bl**dy long way, and it's uphill on the later half of the journey  (it's dark down there as well) but it's a good bit more interesting than walking through the Channel Tunnel which is deadly boring in the Service Tunnel.  But at least I haven't had the ill-fortune to have to walk all that far in either (about 1km in the Chunnel and probably no more than 100 yards in t'other one - however both are much nicer than the slime hole of Ledbury Tunnel.

In 1990-something, when I was still with BR, I enjoyed a guided tour of Sudbrook pumping station which included going down to the sumps, seeing the Great Spring and entering the tunnel itself through a side door. Quite fascinating.

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Yes, it's unbelievable, I've just been informed of this by the community group. It's sold out quicker than some rock concerts, apparently...

 

It's probably a quicker way to reach Plymouth by railway than waiting for a stopping train which then observes the speed restriction into England ....... staff_muttley.gif ce73ce53.gif

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I've just received an email advising the road bridge will be closed to pedestrians for 2 (maybe 3) weekends in July including the weekend of the bridge walk.

A shuttle bus will be running for pedestrians.

I believe the plan for the bridge walk was to cross from Saltash to Plymouth on the railway bridge then back over the road bridge.

This closure will obviously affect that plan.

 

Edit: I've contacted the walk organiser; will post any response when I get it

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Is that a case of the ORR not telling itself what it's doing?

 

To close lanes on both main routes into and out of Cornwall at the same time any time of year is highly undesirable.  To do so in the peak summer tourist season is asking for frayed tempers, extensive traffic jams, seriously delayed arrivals and possibly worse.  

 

It's not as if there is a third way.  The A39 is both a narrow and twisting old-style main road for much of its length and with many low village speed limits and is also well out of most people's way when driving into Cornwall.

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Here is a link to the story as told by the Plymouth Herald.

 

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Tamar-Bridge-work-July-absolute-madness-says/story-26768587-detail/story.html

 

I doubt it will make much difference at that time on a Sunday morning.

Not sure the shuttle bus operators will be anticipating 40 passengers every 10 min between 6:00 & 8:30 on a Sunday morning
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Is that a case of the ORR not telling itself what it's doing?

 

To close lanes on both main routes into and out of Cornwall at the same time any time of year is highly undesirable.  To do so in the peak summer tourist season is asking for frayed tempers, extensive traffic jams, seriously delayed arrivals and possibly worse.  

 

It's not as if there is a third way.  The A39 is both a narrow and twisting old-style main road for much of its length and with many low village speed limits and is also well out of most people's way when driving into Cornwall.

I suppose Plymouth - Tavistock - Callington - Saltash would work at a pinch? Years ago when Dad used to drive us to Cornwall for our holidays, we avoided Exeter and Plymouth (and Okehampton) by going through Tiverton and Crediton, across Dartmoor to Tavistock, through Gunnislake and Callington to Liskeard and then on to Charlestown.

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