Bridging the gap at last..!
‘BIG DAY’ IN £350M OVERHAUL OF METRO SERVICES
A MAMMOTH 370-ton bridge was installed yesterday in one of the biggest projects in Metro history.
Nexus bosses said the placement of the Killingworth Road crossing marked a ‘big day’ as part of the company’s £350m modernisation project.
Crews removed the old Victorian bridge earlier this month.
Work at the site, between the South Gosforth and Longbenton Metro stops on Tyneside, means the line has been closed from July 31 through to September 2.
The A189 Killingworth Road, which is also being widened, will not reopen until next year.
Nexus director of rail and infrastructure Raymond Johnstone said it was “one of the biggest engineering projects in Metro’s history”.
He said: “It’s the first time we have had to replace an entire railway bridge on the network.
“A huge amount of planning and work has gone into making this project a success.
“It has been delivered brilliantly in an extremely tight timeframe to ensure the minimum amount of disruption. “The new bridge will serve Tyne and Wear Metro customers for many years into the future.” A remote-controlled rig was used to carefully lift the bridge span into place. The 25m-long steel deck will eventually see 500 Metro train crossings every day. Story Contracting are carrying out the work on behalf of Nexus. Project manager Dan Jones said: “It is a big milestone today, we’ve driven in the bridge all-assembled. “Next we will have some backfill to complete. Then we will bring in a crane in to land the ballast retention units which need to go either side of the bridge span.
“Finally we have the overhead line to run back in to complete our works.”
The upgrade programme also includes replacing 6.3km of track and strengthening of embankments between South Gosforth and Northumberland Park.
The Metro closure between South Gosforth and Shiremoor is expected to reopen in time for the Great North Run and the new school year.
Diversions remain in place on Killingworth Road until spring 2018.
It’s the first time we have had to replace an entire railway bridge on the network Raymond Johnstone