Footbridge over SW Main line demolished
THE failure of the foundations of a footbridge over the South Western Main Line between Woking and Brookwood over the weekend of December 2/3 has led to its demolition.
The same section of line has been subject to a recent landslip.
Prior to the discovery of the footbridge foundation issue, Network Rail said remote condition monitoring detected movement in a 100 metre slope next to the St John’s Hill Road overbridge, which is close to the footbridge. The footbridge provides pedestrian access to Woking Golf Club and is the next bridge heading west.
Repairs
Emergency repair work on a 45 metre section has begun, with a 20mph speed restriction imposed. A possession of the down slow line was taken as part of the repair process. Initially the plan was to remove the footbridge on December 3, but that plan had a risk of impact on the next day’s services so was revised to
December 6 when strike action meant fewer trains would be running. The cutting repairs involve the installations 170 sheet steel piles, 10 metres long at the base of the slope. Network Rail has identified further sections of the cutting as needing stabilisation and this work will be planned for the future.
Earlier this year network
Rail had to repair a substantial landslip at Hook, some 15 miles away and the main line has suffered other landslips at Wallers Ash, between Winchester and Micheldever and also around the Templecombe area.
Further problems occurred with the SW line to Exeter on December 4 when remote monitoring equipment detected a landslip above the tunnel mouth of Crewkerne tunnel as well as flooding in the tunnel. Passengers were also affected when the line from Yeovil Jct to Salisbury was closed until December 10 for planned engineering works.