Bridge 326 to be replaced in October for more than £1m
THE Great Central Railway plc’s board has given the go-ahead for the £1 million-plus replacement of Bridge 326, which spans the A60 next to the former Brush Works in Loughborough.
The replacement of the life-expired bridge is essential not only if the GCR is to connect to its northern counterpart, the Nottingham Heritage Railway (previously known as the GCR Nottingham), but also to gain main line access and develop as a major starting point and destination for main line charters.
In September 2020, the Office of Road and Rail ordered the GCR(N) to stop running trains over Bridge 326 because of its poor state of repair.
As reported in issue 290 of Heritage Railway, the Friends of the Great Central Main Line subsequently launched an £110,000 appeal to top up funds towards the repairs to the bridge.
A purchase order has now been placed with VolkerLaser, the preferred main contractor for the bridge replacement.
Fabrication of the two new steel and concrete U decks will commence as soon as the final design work is completed by HBPW Consulting of Retford and the steel (which has already been design-specified) arrives at the fabricator, Carver Steel in Harworth, Doncaster.
“Volker will be ready to demolish the old bridge deck and install the new twin decks from October 1, as well as making good the existing bridge abutments,” said a GCR statement, adding that the project is due for completion at the end of that month.
“This will enable both the track to the Midland Main Line chord and the future line from GCR south to pass over the newly constructed bridge.
“Two tracks over the bridge are essential to secure a future connection with the main line.”
The bridge replacement will be funded by supporters and the GCR’s charitable trust and will therefore be cost-neutral to the plc.
GCR managing director Michael Gough said: “This project represents another major step in the drive for reunification of the two GCR sections and in the return of the currently disused northern section of line back to traffic. This is a 120-yearold structure which is certainly life-expired and cannot be repaired, and we are pleased once again to be able to work with the team at Volker which has proven to be a trusted partner on two previous bridge projects for the railway.”
With only 4.3 metres from the underside of the deck to the road, Bridge 326 has frequently experienced bridge strikes from high-sided vehicles trying to pass underneath. Its replacement has been designed to achieve maximum additional headroom, as well as building collision protection measures into it.
To realise the overall aim of linking the two heritage lines, much more money needs to be raised. Donations are welcome at www.gcrailway.co.uk/ unify using a credit/debit card, or Text UNIFY to 70970 to give £5 or to 70191 to give £10.