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Water Spraying Trial Somerleyton


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Well I hope it works.  I's hardly a new idea though is it?  The next excuse will be that the water spraying has caused the mechanism to go rusty and seized up.  On the up side, the spraying may rinse off some of the rust and flaking paint, but that will pollute the river

Griff

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5 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

Well I hope it works.  I's hardly a new idea though is it?  The next excuse will be that the water spraying has caused the mechanism to go rusty and seized up.  On the up side, the spraying may rinse off some of the rust and flaking paint, but that will pollute the river

Griff

No, the next excuse will be they have had complaints from owners of boats designed for The Broads and designed to go under those bridges about the rusty water dripping on them as they pass underneath. :default_rofl:Or they'll be complaining that they are being asked to swing the bridge for all boats so they don't get covered in rusty water :facepalm:Or they'll be telling us that the EA have banned the practise unless they have a catchment system in place to strain, filter and cleanse the water before it enters the river :default_icon_redface:

Whatever, I hope it works. Interesting to hear that Reedham bridge has had the rails painted White. Don't think that's broken down at all this week? Are they trying different things with each bridge to see which is most successful?

 

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Dear all,

Officers of the Broads Authority and Network Rail have been meeting regularly over a long period to discuss the significant problems that arise for boat owners when the two swing bridges at Reedham and Somerleyton are unable to open in very hot weather as a result of the thermal expansion of the rails.

One of the potential short term measures considered was to cool the rails by spraying water on them. There is no fresh water at Somerleyton and the engineers have concerns about the impact of using semi-saline water on the bridge structure.

However, given the current very high temperatures, the company is going to pump water out of the river onto the Somerleyton Bridge for the next two weekends as a trial in an effort to keep it operational. Boat owners should therefore be aware that water drawn from the river will be cascading off the bridge back into the river.

Network Rail is doing its best to obtain the necessary equipment so that water spraying can commence this weekend (30 June - 01 July).

For any further updates please visit the Urgent Boating Information webpage.

Kind regards,
Tom

Tom Waterfall

Digital Communications Officer

Tel: +44 (0) 1603 756034

Mob: +44 (0) 7769 696117

Twitter: @BroadsAuth

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

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27 minutes ago, ranworthbreeze said:

Dear all,

Officers of the Broads Authority and Network Rail have been meeting regularly over a long period to discuss the significant problems that arise for boat owners when the two swing bridges at Reedham and Somerleyton are unable to open in very hot weather as a result of the thermal expansion of the rails.

One of the potential short term measures considered was to cool the rails by spraying water on them. There is no fresh water at Somerleyton and the engineers have concerns about the impact of using semi-saline water on the bridge structure.

However, given the current very high temperatures, the company is going to pump water out of the river onto the Somerleyton Bridge for the next two weekends as a trial in an effort to keep it operational. Boat owners should therefore be aware that water drawn from the river will be cascading off the bridge back into the river.

Network Rail is doing its best to obtain the necessary equipment so that water spraying can commence this weekend (30 June - 01 July).

For any further updates please visit the Urgent Boating Information webpage.

Kind regards,
Tom

Tom Waterfall

Digital Communications Officer

Tel: +44 (0) 1603 756034

Mob: +44 (0) 7769 696117

Twitter: @BroadsAuth

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

Better late than never, Alan!!

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4 minutes ago, jeffbroadslover said:

It sounds like the weather is only going to be hot at the weekends . They are only going to pump water on to the rails on the weekends ??????

Jeff

It was incredibly quiet on the Waveney today, apart from when the MTB went past, she has some grunt in the engine room by the sound of it!

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It sounds like the weather is only going to be hot at the weekends . They are only going to pump water on to the rails on the weekends ??????
Jeff
The imminent hosepipe ban could knock that on the head, though.

Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

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BA posted on Faceache:

 

"Urgent boating news. Network Rail has informed us that Somerleyton Bridge is currently unable to open due to the heat."

 

This was between 2 and 3pm Sunday 1st July.

 

Does this mean the trial didn't work or hadn't they started it yet?

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Its reassuring that network rail is at last trying to do something in the hope of alleviating the problem at Somerleyton I just hope using water doesnt eventually cause the bridge other issues, still its a start. 

If they could just find a way of teleporting trains over the level crossing at OB North I would be a proper happy camper. 

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