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Somerleyton Bridge Not Operational


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1 hour ago, Bound2Please said:

First off this is now getting tiresome. Have any of you ever worked hands on, on the railway. Rail expansion is a far bigger problem than most give it credit. mechanical switches (POINTS) had in fact still will have on mechanical signaling, commentators on rodding runs to counter the expansion and contraction problems. There is no safe way to do such with rails. A shorter rail is just laughable. Who pay the wages of a Pway gang to keep changing them dawn n dusk.  Plus most of those staff will be out on heat patrol any way.

 I don't need to be Bill Gates to use windows (although sometimes I think it might help), neither do I need to be a railway engineer to tell me if a bridge has an unplanned failure/closure. What I do know is it used to work reliably, but now doesn't, plus a mass of anecdotal evidence would suggest that the bridge started to have problems when they stopped substituting the shorter rails during the months of higher temperatures.

If someone would confirm beyond doubt that shorter rails, "summer" if some prefer, have never been substituted during the summer months then I will change my position on this issue. Although someone has stated that there are photographs clearly showing the "other rail set".

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10 hours ago, ScrumpyCheddar said:

Weld the bridges shut...... what a load of cobs wallop...  just fit the summer rails simple....Then everyone can enjoy the rivers....  I’m getting abit sick and fed up with certain people on here having a pop at big boat owners.... if they want to have bigger boats fair play to them.... and if they need the bridges open to get through....there in there right to have them opened..... they pay there tolls... a hell of lot more then you moaners in your little boats.....  

They pay tolls in proportion to the size of the boat , they do NOT get special treatment , I take it that you own a boat on the broads ? If so how big is it  gin palace or standard size broads boat and by that I mean air draft , broads boats have sliding canopy's etc an droppable screens for a very good reason .

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there is a possibility that a worn set of rails was discarded alongside the track, which people now associate as an alternative set for summer use, but then the same could be said if they were a shorter set for summer use, they too would be stored at the location needed.

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2 minutes ago, grendel said:

there is a possibility that a worn set of rails was discarded alongside the track, which people now associate as an alternative set for summer use, but then the same could be said if they were a shorter set for summer use, they too would be stored at the location needed.

As said earlier, I am not entrenched here and my opinion and therefore comments have been made with the belief that "summer rails" were used in bygone days. 

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8 minutes ago, Ricardo said:

They pay tolls in proportion to the size of the boat , they do NOT get special treatment

Is it special treatment to expect to be able to navigate a river that has been navigable since before the railway necessitated a crossing. A crossing that was designed to swing to allow navigation.

Large boats pay a lot of toll,  accepting that the cruise area is limited, not to find that free passage being restricted further by Network rails lack of investment or maintenance. 

You may not like big boats but they provide a lot of high value business for local companies.

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there is an interesting article here https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/63bc/a5bb34813f19ea20ce56121eed574624ed7a.pdf

on the expansion of bridges with and without Continuous welded rail, this also allows for the expansion in the rails caused by braking and acceleration of the trains. I an not certain I understand all of it, or how it relates to swing bridges, but it was an interesting read.

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It is my belief that where navigation rights are established they need to be protected, in the same way as established rights of access across open countryside, public footpaths and byways all need to be protected.

I also feel that whilst not as well used as other railways lines the Wherry and Bittern lines are good for the local population as well as an interesting journey for the tourist. This facility also needs protecting but NOT at the expense of the navigation.

I could be wrong, but I don't believe that the current problems with the bridge are long standing historical problems, but are more related to the recent maintenance and refurbishment schedule. Yes the bridge has got old, but they used to be able to manage it and operate it properly a decade or so back. I'm not suggesting that essential safety maintenance is not being done correctly, but who honestly believes that preventative and refurbishment is being carried out?

We have to be very careful in what we ask for, or settle for!!! There is no doubt that the railway serves certain sections of the community very well, and that removing it would involve some very long journeys by road. But, if we stood by, or worse suggest that the rails should be welded and accept that parts of The Broads now become the preserve of those who have "suitable boats designed for The Broads" (what exactly is that by the way? separate discussion I think) then what stops someone from pointing out the obvious that The Yare would benefit from a proper river crossing somewhere around the area where The Reedham Ferry is. How high would such a crossing need to be if the navigation is already restricted by welded rail bridges? What newer and lower restrictions might be applied by a new road bridge. I'm sure the people around that area that use the ferry appreciate it's benefit, but would welcome a faster and free alternative. The inconvenience in that area is as great for some as removing the railway would be for others. Allow any form of blockage or restriction to the navigation and others are bound to follow.  

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What I find tiresome is this subject of debate continually coming back to how big your boat is.  Its as if anyone lucky enough to be able to have such a nice big vessel has commited some sort of cardinal sin by using it on the broads! Or is it the old familiar green eyed monster at work. 

Im with psychicsurveyor, its nowt to do with the size of your boat its Network rail choosing when and if to open the bloody bridge, especially when hot incase it wont shut again......the latter not actually being the Toll Payers problem!

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22 minutes ago, Ricardo said:

They pay tolls in proportion to the size of the boat , they do NOT get special treatment , I take it that you own a boat on the broads ? If so how big is it  gin palace or standard size broads boat and by that I mean air draft , broads boats have sliding canopy's etc an droppable screens for a very good reason .

Firstly Ricardo..... You have a very big chip on your shoulder with anyone with a Gin palace or big boat....

No I don’t own a Gin palace at the moment....

But when I do your be first to know.... 

At the moment I hire a semi Gin Palace from Brooms.... you know those boats what others moan about....

This is a great advert for the broads.... moan and groan....

As I’ve said before each to there own... if someone wants a little boat buy a little boat.......if someone wants to buy a big boat buy a big boat... 

And as this subject originally started off about a bridge... yes a Bridge not opening......

Yet you and others  started digging at people with big boats saying there the problem because they cannot fit under shouldn’t of bought a big boat.... we could go around and around in circles on this one.....

But it still doesn’t get the bridge open on hot days does it...???? ......NO.... 

As I’ve said each to there own.... 

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28 minutes ago, ScrumpyCheddar said:

Firstly Ricardo..... You have a very big chip on your shoulder with anyone with a Gin palace or big boat....

No I don’t own a Gin palace at the moment....

But when I do your be first to know.... 

At the moment I hire a semi Gin Palace from Brooms.... you know those boats what others moan about....

This is a great advert for the broads.... moan and groan....

As I’ve said before each to there own... if someone wants a little boat buy a little boat.......if someone wants to buy a big boat buy a big boat... 

And as this subject originally started off about a bridge... yes a Bridge not opening......

Yet you and others  started digging at people with big boats saying there the problem because they cannot fit under shouldn’t of bought a big boat.... we could go around and around in circles on this one.....

But it still doesn’t get the bridge open on hot days does it...???? ......NO.... 

As I’ve said each to there own.... 

The inevitable result of the "Gin Palaces" and other large bling boats should not be on the broads lobby is to strengthen the case for Network rail against the BA to indeed weld the bridges shut..... and believe me once they are welded shut they are shut forever.

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11 minutes ago, Philosophical said:

The inevitable result of the "Gin Palaces" and other large bling boats should not be on the broads lobby is to strengthen the case for Network rail against the BA to indeed weld the bridges shut..... and believe me once they are welded shut they are shut forever.

Maybe the owners and directors at Broom Boats have a very good crystal ball and decided there is no future in building large boats that can't be tested locally or delivered by sea. Station Road is quite difficult even for "modest GP's"

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13 minutes ago, Philosophical said:

The inevitable result of the "Gin Palaces" and other large bling boats should not be on the broads lobby is to strengthen the case for Network rail against the BA to indeed weld the bridges shut..... and believe me once they are welded shut they are shut forever.

You say that but its not just GPs, there are still boats around built for use on the broads that wont go under Somerleyton at high water.  Some of which even with rose tinted glasses couldnt really be referred to as Gin Palaces! 

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16 minutes ago, dnks34 said:

You say that but its not just GPs, there are still boats around built for use on the broads that wont go under Somerleyton at high water.  Some of which even with rose tinted glasses couldnt really be referred to as Gin Palaces! 

Maybe the owners and directors at Broom Boats have a very good crystal ball and decided there is no future in building large boats that can't be tested locally or delivered by sea. Station Road is quite difficult even for "modest GP's"

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1 minute ago, Philosophical said:

Maybe the owners and directors at Broom Boats have a very good crystal ball and decided there is no future in building large boats that can't be tested locally or delivered by sea. Station Road is quite difficult even for "modest GP's"

Dropping GP's onto the level crossing was never a good idea!

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1 minute ago, JennyMorgan said:

Dropping GP's onto the level crossing was never a good idea!

Waiting for a spring tide to get them off doesn't work either.

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It strikes me that forum members have forgotten that the sugar factory at Cantley still relies on being able to deliver new equipment to their factory by sea / river, most of these deliveries will exceed any air draft under the bridges, so at the very least Haven Bridge and Reedham will have to be kept operational, lets not get hung up on shutting the bridges for navigation, to my mind this is not an option, shipping may at present no longer trade up to Norwich and Beccles, but with the new green legislations being brought in - shipping by small coaster may well become a viable option again in the future.

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From a "positioning" perspective, us river users (of large and small boats) discussing how we can manage/ tolerate/get by/even accept the current problems with the bridges actually entangles us in the issue, to the point where we become part of the problem also.

It needs a clear message to the BA, that they need to bring pressure on Railtrack to fulfill their statutory obligations without compromise and without delay.   

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9 minutes ago, Philosophical said:

From a "positioning" perspective, us river users (of large and small boats) discussing how we can manage/ tolerate/get by/even accept the current problems with the bridges actually entangles us in the issue, to the point where we become part of the problem also.

It needs a clear message to the BA, that they need to bring pressure on Railtrack to fulfill their statutory obligations without compromise and without delay.   

Everyone who owns a vessel that requires swing bridges to actually function reliably should just stop paying their Toll till the BA do something about it....

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2 hours ago, ScrumpyCheddar said:

Firstly Ricardo..... You have a very big chip on your shoulder with anyone with a Gin palace or big boat....

No I don’t own a Gin palace at the moment....

But when I do your be first to know.... 

At the moment I hire a semi Gin Palace from Brooms.... you know those boats what others moan about....

This is a great advert for the broads.... moan and groan....

As I’ve said before each to there own... if someone wants a little boat buy a little boat.......if someone wants to buy a big boat buy a big boat... 

And as this subject originally started off about a bridge... yes a Bridge not opening......

Yet you and others  started digging at people with big boats saying there the problem because they cannot fit under shouldn’t of bought a big boat.... we could go around and around in circles on this one.....

But it still doesn’t get the bridge open on hot days does it...???? ......NO.... 

As I’ve said each to there own.... 

Be serious I and others only stated that those that had larger craft had to accept that they placed their boat on an in appropriate river system as it requires various infrastructure complying with their movement's , as for a chip on my shoulder n this assumption based on no knowledge of who I'm etc well that's up to you who cares I certainly don't n incidentally I don't .

I find it quite amusing that those with yachts who also require bridge's to open don't complain as they work round it , seriously if yiu really think those that can pas under the said bridge's including me are complaining you need to give your head a shake all that's been pointed out n should have been blinding obvious to them putting a boat that big on the broads is occasionally things breakdown , personally it makes no difference to me at all but I'm dammed of I'm going to pay more for their benefit after all they would do it for me that I do know ! 

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4 minutes ago, dnks34 said:

Everyone who owns a vessel that requires swing bridges to actually function reliably should just stop paying their Toll till the BA do something about it....

Whilst in principle I agree with you, that just puts you into the "rebel/trouble maker" category whereby your credibility is lost and your grievance dismissed. A class action law suit or whatever the UK equivalent has far more impact.

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8 minutes ago, dnks34 said:

Everyone who owns a vessel that requires swing bridges to actually function reliably should just stop paying their Toll till the BA do something about it....

Fine they won't be taking me to court so why should i care , of others wish to make a statement then do be it it will not affect me but it will including court costs etc affect them ! 

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