Restrictions At Reedham & Somerleyton Bridges

[ranworthbreeze]

Dear All 

Please find attached the Notice to Mariners No. 04 of 2017 which relates to an access restriction at Reedham and Somerleyton Swing Bridges. 

Kind Regards 

Laura Milner

Administrative Officer Operations

Broads Authority

Tel: 01603 756035 

Please note my working days are Tuesday to Friday 

Broads Authority, Yare House, 62-64 Thorpe Road. Norwich NR1 1RY
01603 610734
www.broads-authority.gov.uk

 

 

BROADS AUTHORITY
 

NOTICE TO MARINERS No. 4 of 2017

 

Access Restriction at Reedham and Somerleyton  Swing Bridges

Notice is hereby given that Network Rail are undertaking works  on Reedham and Somerleyton Bridges during the following period:

Friday 24 February 2017 23:59hours until Monday 6 March 2017 07:00hours

During this period the bridges will be unable to swing but vessels which would normally be able to transit under the bridge in the closed position will still be able to do so.

Please approach the area with care and caution.

Angie Leeper

Broads Authority

Yare House

62-64 Thorpe Road

Norwich, NR1 1RY                                                    25 January 2017

[dnks34]

Thanks for the infomation Alan. 

I do accept the need for Network Rail to maintain the swing bridges (with a stick of dynamite each if I had my way) 

But.....both closed at the same time, for almost 10 days.........Staff holidays possibly? Network Rail penny pinching (just speculation but how would anyone know!) 

Any necessary closure should be kept to an absolute minimum. 

I know its quiet at this time of year but some of us might still have had plans.

[ranworthbreeze]

As most of you will know these two bridges work as a pair of bridges due to the short track ditance between them.

If you phone or radio the bridges in normal operation then the staff at both bridges will not open either bridge if a train is scheduled to be on that section of line. We of course now have the displays showing the time delay, I rather miss the signs hung out to the operators window.

Regards

Alan 

[kfurbank]

Having passed under Reedham bridge twice over the weekend I can confirm that there were plenty of Network Rail engineers around and it looked like a fair bit of track laying was taking place and there must have been a rail replacement bus service as there were no passenger trains getting past the line of ballast containers and track laying train.

Whilst I appreciate the two bridges normally operate together, since there were no passenger trains running, surely they could have left Somerleyton in operation? Why is consideration only ever given to the rail passengers, not the river traffic?

On Monday the line was open again to passenger trains, but still plenty of evidence of Network Rail engineers around Reedham.

 

[Hockham Admiral]

Well, at least they're not doing it in the Summer......      

[Bound2Please]

23 hours ago, kfurbank said:

Whilst I appreciate the two bridges normally operate together, since there were no passenger trains running, surely they could have left Somerleyton in operation?

Well there is a simple reason for Somerleyton no being opened when Reedham isnt opened. At an easy guess they would be interlocked together for signaling also. To un-interlock would be a far more job that the track laying, as signals are still used on dead roads for the engineering trains (most of the wagons named after fish).

Charlie

[kfurbank]

Just now, Bound2Please said:

Well there is a simple reason for Somerleyton no being opened when Reedham isnt opened. At an easy guess they would be interlocked together for signaling also. To un-interlock would be a far more job that the track laying, as signals are still used on dead roads for the engineering trains (most of the wagons named after fish).

Charlie

I'm not so sure they are interlocked together. There have been plenty of times when one or other of the bridges have been stuck closed. The other bridge still operates!!! and they still carry on running passenger trains. At the weekend there were no passenger trains, so even if Reedham bridge was being worked on, no reason why Somerleyton couldn't still swing, unless it was also being worked on, in which case that is bad planning as they should separate the maintenance periods. If you moor at St Olaves, Reedham marina, Goodchilds or Burgh Castle there is a good chance you have a tall boat. If both bridges are out of action then your cruising area is severely limited. If one bridge is out of action at least you can still cruise most of the other river.

[Bound2Please]

Having never worked the area I can't comment whether they are interlocked or not for definite. But lets look at it like level crossings in close proximity. These would be interlocked, for passenger, staff and the general public's safety. The railway unless the regulations have been changed, operate crossings of railway tracks as a courtesy that's all, it goes back to the formation of the railways. Railways have the right of way not roads and not rivers.

Maintenance has to be done its B O T regulation, and yes trains can be run at caution with a hand signalman and pilot if signals are in a failure state (they should always fail failsafe) that in its self is a major operation, and the chance that a boat or two may or may not wish to navigate bridges is neither here or there. Hence the BA are notified that the bridges will be out of opperation, not asked but told.

Charlie

[ranworthbreeze]

Both bridges operate as a pair of bridges because the distance in train miles is somewhat short. I have spoken to one of the operators in the past. 

Admittedly if a bridge is stuck in the closed position then it is up to the other bridge when it can open.

For the majority it is only the Somerleyton Bridge that causes the most grief. At low water we can still get under the bridge with our air draft of 9 ft  8 inches (with everything down).

Regards

Alan

 

[Baitrunner]

The bridges still swing independently. Surely There is no reason to swing both bridges if no boats need to pass?

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Mark,

They do swing the bridges interdependently, but operate as a pair with regards to trains being run within their vicinity. 

Regards

Alan

[kfurbank]

2 hours ago, Bound2Please said:

Having never worked the area I can't comment whether they are interlocked or not for definite. But lets look at it like level crossings in close proximity. These would be interlocked, for passenger, staff and the general public's safety. The railway unless the regulations have been changed, operate crossings of railway tracks as a courtesy that's all, it goes back to the formation of the railways. Railways have the right of way not roads and not rivers.

Maintenance has to be done its B O T regulation, and yes trains can be run at caution with a hand signalman and pilot if signals are in a failure state (they should always fail failsafe) that in its self is a major operation, and the chance that a boat or two may or may not wish to navigate bridges is neither here or there. Hence the BA are notified that the bridges will be out of opperation, not asked but told.

Charlie

Charlie, with regards to navigable waters with a public right to navigate the railways came along later and HAVE to allow access to the navigation. It is not a courtesy, but a RIGHT that goes back to the Magna Carta. Norwich is also technically a port. That is why Network Rail still have to open Trowse Bridge if demanded.

Alan, Since there are signals along the line between the two bridges there is no reason why they cannot hold trains at signals, which I have seen happen along the New Cut in the past. It may be convenient to operate the bridges as a pair to ensure smooth running of the railway and to meet the time tables, but not essential, especially during engineering works.

 

[Vaughan]

Both these bridges have a manned signal box - proper name "block post" - and I believe they still have semaphore signals, as they do at Acle and Brundall. This would suggest that both bridges have their own "block section" of line and can offer trains forward to each other in the traditional way.

What I don't know, is whether modern signalling equipment means that the whole thing is done electrically from Norwich.

[Bound2Please]

6 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

Both these bridges have a manned signal box - proper name "block post" - and I believe they still have semaphore signals, as they do at Acle and Brundall. This would suggest that both bridges have their own "block section" of line and can offer trains forward to each other in the traditional way.

What I don't know, is whether modern signalling equipment means that the whole thing is done electrically from Norwich.

Going by the electric signs on both bridges I would say they are controlled by a POWER BOX whether that is Norwich or even Colchester I'm not sure these days. Semaphore signals can indeed be operated electrically this could be done even in the 80's. As for bridges from the nearest Power Box I'm not 100% sure

Charlie

[JanetAnne]

Not sure this is relevant but various kit and equipment was only just being unloaded and taken to Somerleyton bridge yesterday (along the north river bank from the marina) so they may have not done the job yet! 

According to one of the drivers it's for bearing maintenance. They were unloading what he described as cradles to lift the bridge onto.

[ranworthbreeze]

I hope the cradles are at least a couple of foot high 

Regards

Alan