28. Easter engineering works-30.03.24

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2024 > 28. Easter engineering works-30.03.24

With the extended Easter weekend came the usual closure of large areas of the network for engineering works. When is Network Rail going to recognise that this outdated method of work must change with leisure travel now being of equal if not more significance than weekday commuter traffic? One casualty of this plan was the closure of the slow lines north from Hanslope Junction through to Northampton in order to finally (?) connect up the new rail-connected Sergo Logistics Park.
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Closure sign, Bridge 204, Ashton Road Bridge 204 crosses the WCML between the Northamptonshire villages of Roade and Ashton. The bridge was constructed in the 1960s when the line was electrified replacing the original structure that could not offer the required clearance for the wiring. Unfortunately, like many structures dating from this era that adopted the new building techniques of the time they have not fared well and this bridge is no exception. Being what is, essentially, a slab of concrete with brick-built parapets placed on top it has shifted and the parapets are now teetering requiring reconstruction. The eastern end was worked on a couple of years ago with the repaired portion seen to the extreme right in the image but the parapet at the western end is now requiring urgent attention necessitating another lengthy road closure as seen here from the road sign. Keywords: Closure sign Bridge 204 Ashton Road
Structural movement, Bridge 204, Ashton Road This photograph does not really show the angle that the parapet wall of Bridge 204 is at directly above the down fast line of the WCML just south of Roade. It would only need a strike from a passing vehicle and I think that it would be down on the track below; quite a worry. The eastern end of the bridge was repaired fairly recently but another six-week road closure is now required to complete this repair that will involve the complete removal of this parapet wall and its rebuilding in the vertical! All this will be taking place directly above the fully operational up and down fast running lines! Keywords: Structural movement Bridge 204, Ashton Road
390050, VT 09.52 Milton Keynes Central-Birmingham New Street (9G55, 3L) & 66766, engineering train, Ashton Road bridge Deliberately using a slow shutter speed (1:100/sec) to emphasise that 390050 working the 09.52 Milton Keynes to Birmingham New Steet is at line speed as it passes Roade but that the engineering train was stationary. 66766 'Gail Richardson' is at the rear of a short rake of JNA-Y box wagons a couple of Plasser & Theurer TJC60 self-propelled heavy-duty twin jib cranes (DRP 78215 and DRP 78219). The engineering train was only to make the short journey to its worksite at the nearby Sergo Logistics Park which would hopefully be fully rail-connected by the end of the Easter weekend; we'll see! Keywords: 390050 09.52 Milton Keynes Central-Birmingham New Street 9G55 66766, engineering train Ashton Road bridge Avanti west coast Pendolino Gail Richardson GBRF
66754, engineering train in possession, site of Roade station Working outside at home a short distance from the line in Roade I had been aware of the sound of an idling Class 66 for some time. I ventured out on my bike with my camera over my shoulder to investigate. Having taken the rear of the train (previous image) I nipped to the site of Roade's former station to see the front end. I timed it just right as the train started to move off as I got off my bike. 66754 'Northampton Saints' is seen creeping along leading an engineering train heading for its worksite at the nearby Sergo Logistics Park that is to be rail connected at both the north and south ends. Keywords: 66754 engineering train in possession, site of Roade station Northampton Saints
66766, engineering train in possession, site of Roade station GBRf's 66766 'Gail Richardson' creeps along at the rear of an engineering train heading for the Sergo Logistics Park a short distance from this location in Roade. There was a full engineering possession over the long Easter weekend in order to complete the connection of the new logistics facility to the Northampton loop. This work has been going on for over a year now and I really am not too sure why the installation of two sets of facing points and the northern and southern end of the new lines has taken so long. This drawing out of jobs by Network Rail and its contractors seems to be the norm now.....comments welcome. Keywords: 66766, engineering train in possession, site of Roade station GBRf Gail Richardson

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