Reedham, Somerleyton, Mutford Bridges None Operational

[ranworthbreeze]

Dear All

Urgent Boating News - Swing bridges (Reedham, Somerleyton/Mutford) will not be swung between 10:00 hrs – 19:00 hrs today due to the predicted high temperatures.

Kind Regards

Laura Milner

Administrative Officer Operations

Broads Authority

Tel: 01603 756035

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

[Guest]

The Bridge Closing season is starting early this year.

[dnks34]

Its shocking really.  

Its a bit warm out so we are not bothering with the bridges today........

Ive said it before but the railway in my opinion does more harm to Oulton Broad & Lowestoft than it does any good.  

I wish they would just bloody close it.  

Or at the very least network rail ought to be making a large financial contribution to this alleged third crossing for Lowestoft because of the disruption they are responsible for in the town. 

Close the track end the congestion....

 

 

[FairTmiddlin]

All the operaters have taken the day off.  Sunning themselves

[dnks34]

I will take them some sun cream!!

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, dnks34 said:

I will take them some sun cream!!

Might be better to rub some grease in the bridge workings. 

[dnks34]

3 minutes ago, Philosophical said:

Might be better to rub some grease in the bridge workings. 

I was actually thinking that!!

[ranworthbreeze]

Further to this mornings message from Laura.

Dear All 

Urgent Boating News - Reedham swing bridge will be open for periods of time throughout the day. 

Kind regards  

Laura

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, ranworthbreeze said:

Further to this mornings message from Laura.

Dear All 

Urgent Boating News - Reedham swing bridge will be open for periods of time throughout the day. 

Kind regards  

Laura

Yep I can confirm that's the case 

[LondonRascal]

I would not mind if this was a 'one off' unusual case, but it has just slowly become the norm. I could also accept it if Network Rail were caught out by this seasonally unusual warmth, in so far as they had a schedule to put the summer rails on the bridges from mid May let us say.

Alas, no. They don't want to put the summer rails on because that is a lot of effort and clearly cost. They don't want to 'hose down' the hot rails because the run off from the track would take grease and so on into the river systems (yet I ponder what happens when it rains). In many locations over the country rails have been painted white to help with issues at Points where excessive heat has caused seizures to the mechanism's. So have Network Rail attempted as a 'stop gap' to paint the rails over the bridges white to help? Not a bit of it.

The fear is the bridge will get stuck in the open position and thus cause issues for the railway means whenever there is risk of such, an email is sent to the Broads Authority to explain the bridges are not operational. The Broads Authority then issue an urgent boating update and we all roll our eyes. And so it goes on.

Where are the Broads Authority putting pressure on Network Rail to put a stop to this? I can only assume they might raise it in some cross party meeting as a side note to which Network Rail will explain how hard and expensive such is to rectify but they are looking into a long term solution but in the mean time will simply pass on to the Broads Authority when the bridges are not operational.  [Stops at this point to research]

This is a bit tongue in cheek, but shows what seems to be going on behind the scenes.

[Comes back from researching] And the news is not good. In fact I kid you not it is the same as I suspected!

John Packman has stated to the EDP the following in February this year:

Quote

"The bridges at Reedham on the River Yare and Somerleyton on the River Waveney have been swinging open for fixed-mast river craft since 1905. However, both require regular maintenance to keep them in full working order and are coming to the end of their useful life. They had worked with Network Rail for a number of years regarding the bridges."

Well that is nice to hear that they are fully aware of how old the bridges are, that they need regular works to keep them operating but despite this are old and coming to the 'end of their useful life'  which makes one wonder what happens when the end is reached. He has also stated the obvious:

Quote

“They expand on very hot days in the summer to the point that they cannot be opened and this inevitably is a considerable problem for our private owners of larger boats that cannot fit underneath.”

Well no, who would have guessed? The fact however this is only a considerable problem to private owners of large craft unable to passage under tells me all I need to know. I have a solution, more large, tall boats on the Broads are needed it will rack in extra Toll revenue and make such the majority rather than the minority of boat traffic and thus have a greater importance for Network Rail and the Broads Authority to listen to. I will begin the process by increasing the 'Rascal Fleet'  to include a lot more tall and large boats.  He has gone on to say:

Quote

"A third swing bridge at Trowse, although a much newer bridge, had been plagued with technical problems and had limited ability to open because of increased rail traffic. Through the combined actions of one of our navigation committee members, Simon Sparrow, and a letter from our Solicitor, David Harris, we have made Network Rail aware of their statutory responsibilities.”

He said Network Rail had carried out a successful opening of Trowse Bridge in early January which is handy because I guess they need to make sure it can at least open to let the Sea Cadets boat out once that is sold. However in so doing they seem to have caused more issues...:

Quote

“This identified £100,000 worth of improvements needed. These have been given a ‘priority one’ label and will be delivered in 2018/19.”

Priority one label please - duly stuck onto file and put away in back of drawer - worry about it in 2019, may have new management team in by them and problem will be theirs. 

Mr Packman has also said:

Quote

"Network Rail had commissioned strategies for Somerleyton and Reedham swing bridges, which were completed in March 2014 and more recently an analysis of the five options for their replacement or refurbishment. In terms of Somerleyton Bridge, Network Rail has built up a good knowledge of when this bridge suffers problems. They can work out a temperature range and a rough timing in the afternoon that when certain conditions are met the bridge will not open.”

So having undertaking a report on how best to deal with the issues at Somerleyton and Reedham, and despite such being concluded in 2014 (having had 4 more years since) they have now got a good knowledge of when the bridges will suffer problems [e.g. when BBC Look East Weather forecasts hot days ahead] and that is important because armed with this information and and knowing a rough idea of when it may reach its peak (low and behold mid-afternoon when the sun is at its most intense) then they can issue a warning.

He concludes saying:

Quote

Members of the Broads Authority navigation committee yesterday supported a suggestion that Network Rail provide the authority with detailed information that can be shared with boaters.

Well there you go - so Network Rail took lots of time, worked out strategies and reports and concluded that on a hot day in the afternoon it is likely that the rails and bridges since are made of Steel with expand and issues will be encountered with their being able to open and close. Having shared such groundbreaking research with the Broads Authority, they had a committee meeting and it was voted upon that they suggest to Network Rail when such conditions are expected to cause issues to the operation of the bridges, could they pass on this information to the Broads Authority?

And that is where we are today... The bridges will open for boats at times (before midday and after when less hot likely) and in between we are told via the Broads Authority when the bridges are not operational. Don't expect to plan trips to sea mind you if it is summertime - there is a good chance your be stuck the wrong side of the salty stuff.

 

[Baitrunner]

It's amazing.  50 yrs ago(ish) we could put a man on the moon. Build a passenger plane that flew at twice the speed of sound and build the harrier jump jet. 

Yet 2018 and we still can't afford to build a bridge that can open on a hot day!!! Or can't be bothered to  

heres hoping for a cold summer. 

[dnks34]

Whatever happens the few people using the train must not be inconvenienced. 

Inconveniencing boaters and 100s if not 1000s of motorists  in Lowestoft is absolutely fine though. 

[grendel]

anyone got a commercial coaster to take up river, surely if they cannot operate for a commercial vessel they must pay compensation for trade losses incurred by any delay.

[LondonRascal]

9 minutes ago, dnks34 said:

Inconveniencing boaters and 100s if not 1000s of motorists  in Lowestoft is absolutely fine though.

If you make reference to the Town Bridge in Lowestoft then that is different to my mind, because that is a commercial port with operations going on through the day and is an integral part of the local economy. Much as Yarmouth is n a smaller scale (and without a bridge being in the way of most of the shipping).

The bridge lifts in Lowestoft  are timed - though more frequent than Yarmouth would ever be - so you can at least have a good idea ahead of when the traffic will be backing up.

There would be a lot less likelihood of Mutfrod Lock being used and the bridges there being open if one needed to cross the water, a detour up there and back down into town again might be a viable option during known bridge lifts in the town.

 

[LondonRascal]

3 minutes ago, grendel said:

anyone got a commercial coaster to take up river, surely if they cannot operate for a commercial vessel they must pay compensation for trade losses incurred by any delay.

I guess 'commercial traffic' need not be that big or often but what if you had a fixed mast boat that made  deliveries of local produce to Reedham Quay for the pubs? You could surly then argue that the bridge has to work because the river is being used as a delivery artery for local businesses - even if the 'produce' happened to be a single keg of beer. It is more a moral point than anything.

[grendel]

my thoughts exactly, maybe beer deliveries down to the Berney Arms from Reedham (though imagine the oncost to the beer for fuel for those deliveries in Independence)

[dnks34]

Im refering to the the level crossing at Oulton Broad North Station.

If there was 1 reliable route across Lowestoft we would not suffer as much traffic congestion as was demonstrated recently when the railway was closed and the crossing not operational.  The difference was clear to see and should have had the bean counters questioning paying for a third crossing. 

The Bascule bridge I give you but there are still instances where the barriers on that have stayed down for long after the bridge has closed causing further unecessary delays.  

I do also wonder why the outer harbour isnt made more use of given its size. 

[Springsong]

Back in the day Norwich Brewery delivered to the Berney Arms by boat, or lighter to be more exact; as did Steward and Paterson, or who ever the brewery was that delivered to the Pub pre the lovely Norwich Brewery.

 

[Bound2Please]

3 hours ago, Baitrunner said:

Yet 2018 and we still can't afford to build a bridge that can open on a hot day!!! Or can't be bothered to  

heres hoping for a cold summer. 

Well tell the railway (Network rail) to change all rails for a few miles either side of the bridges back from LWR to 60ft lengths problem solved. But the cost would far out weigh any fines that could be imposed .   Would you really like to go back to the 1950's?

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, Bound2Please said:

Well tell the railway (Network rail) to change all rails for a few miles either side of the bridges back from LWR to 60ft lengths problem solved. But the cost would far out weigh any fines that could be imposed .   Would you really like to go back to the 1950's?

Would you really like to go back to the 1950's?

A bit like asking "what did the Romans ever do.......?"

Well at least the bridges worked. 

[Bound2Please]

4 minutes ago, Philosophical said:

Well at least the bridges worked. 

As they did before the days of LWR

[dnks34]

Would doing so something as simple as shortening the bridge rails by a few mm either end provide an expansion gap?

Im no Brunel but surely someone would have thought of this? 

 

[BrundallNavy]

It’s not just bridges that suffer since the introduction of continuous welded rail, it’s not uncommon to have speed restrictions imposed on normal stretches due the the rail not being able to expand.

Its the passengers fault for complaining about the click clack of the old rails. 

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, dnks34 said:

Would doing so something as simple as shortening the bridge rails by a few mm either end provide an expansion gap?

Im no Brunel but surely someone would have thought of this? 

 

Or fit an expansion joint?

[dnks34]

That would do it!