£85 million Ordsall Chord ready
CONSTRUCTION of the £85 million Ordsall Chord in Manchester has been completed, with Network Rail confirming that the new link will come into use from December 10.
The 380-metre chord, spanning the River Irwell and Trinity Way in Manchester, directly connects the city’s three main railway stations at Victoria, Oxford Road and Piccadilly for the first time.
Construction has taken just under two years and has been completed on time and on budget. Its completion will allow improved direct services to Manchester Airport from the North, relieving pressure on the congested Piccadilly station.
Completion of the project was celebrated on November 9 when Rail Minister Paul Maynard placed a golden track clip on the new network arch bridge, which features the world’s first asymmetrical arch rail bridge.
Maynard was joined by invited guests Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, Salford Mayor Paul Dennett, Network Rail Chief Executive Mark Carne and NR’s London North Western Route Managing Director Martin Frobisher, along with representatives from Northern, TransPennine Express, Transport for Greater Manchester, Transport for the North and Rail North.
“The new Ordsall Chord is a major milestone for the Great North Rail Project and forms a key part of this Government’s £13 billion investment in transport in the North,” said Maynard.
“The construction of this new iconic bridge has supported 2,000 jobs, including new apprentices and graduates, and will provide new and direct links to Manchester Airport from across the region.
“By 2020, the Great North Rail Project will deliver faster and more comfortable journeys, with new trains, extra carriages and more than 2,000 extra services a week.”
Network Rail Project Director Chris Montgomery told RAIL: “This project has been about future-proofing Manchester and opening up a range of capacity improvements, particularly around Piccadilly. All commissioning work on the new bridge has now been completed, and we are now completing all the necessary paperwork before the first trains start using the link on December 10.
“The teamwork from all the parties involved in its design and construction has been fantastic, and we formed a close-knit alliance. The finished bridge is a real triumph and alongside the restoration of the Grade 1-listed Stephenson Bridge, the old and new structures really complement each other.”
Initially the new link will carry just one train per hour in each direction, although this will be increased over the coming months. ■ For a feature on the history and construction of the Ordsall Chord, see the next issue of RAIL.