Are Motorists Set To Be Charged For Using The Rotherhithe Tunnel?
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Highway News.
These are the first two paragraphs of the article.
Despite TfL commissioner Andy Lord insisting there were “no plans” to start charging drivers to use the Rotherhithe tunnel, concerns are mounting that road tolls could be imposed on a third river crossing in east London,
According to the Evening Standard ‘critics’ suspect that many motorists will divert to the 116-year-old tunnel, which lies east of Tower Bridge and links Rotherhithe and Limehouse, when £4 rush-hour tolls are introduced next Spring at the Blackwall and new Silvertown tunnels.
As I understand it, to use the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels, you will have to register with TfL AutoPay system, so tolling will be automatic.
It looks to me, that if journeys were to be charged for the Rotherhithe tunnel, then this would not be the most difficult of propositions.
The article also says this about the maintenance of the Rotherhithe tunnel.
But he suggested this could change if money had to be raised to repay the cost of a long-awaited upgrade. At present, the tunnel is closed every Monday night for maintenance.
I certainly, wouldn’t rule out a London Mayor in the future charging for traffic through the Rotherhithe tunnel.
Some London bridges, like Hammersmith, are also very much in need of repair. So perhaps, temporary tolls could be applied to raise money for the upgrades!
Conclusion
I suspect Spring 2025 will be an interesting time for motorists needing to cross the Thames, to the East of Tower Bridge.
Twenty First And Eighteenth Centuries Meet As HS2 Traverses Grand Union Canal
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on RailUK.
This High Speed Two picture is shown.
There is also this video.
Network Rail To Rebuild Multi-Million-Pound Bridge Across M62 In Rochdale
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on RAILUK.
These four paragraphs describe the work.
Network Rail is investing more than £20 million in rebuilding a major railway bridge that takes trains over the M62 in Castleton, near Rochdale.
Passengers and motorists are urged to check before they travel in September 2024 as rail and road closures are required to replace the 42-metre-long, 2,000 tonne bridge.
The work will ensure safe and reliable journeys for passengers and freight over this vital structure for years to come.
To complete the work, engineers need to dismantle the old bridge and take it away on the M62. The new bridge materials will be delivered by road and built on site.
This Google Map shows the location of the bridge.
Note.
- Running East-West across the map is the M62, which is the TransPennine motorway with the big Junction 20 in the North-East corner.
- Junction 20 connects the M62 to the North-South A 627 (M).
- Meandering its way North-South up the middle of the map is the Rochdale Canal.
- Where the Canal leaves the map at its Northern edge, there is Castleton station on the Calder Valley Line, that is the picturesque route between Manchester in the West and Leeds and Bradford in the East.
- The Calder Valley Line runs North-South across the map to the West of the Rochdale Canal.
- The bridge to be replaced is where the Calder Valley Line passes over the motorway.
This Google Map shows a close up of the bridge.
Note.
- The Rochdale Canal running North-South at the Eastern edge of the map.
- The M62 running East-West across the bottom of the map.
- The Calder Valley Line runs North-South and passes over the motorway.
- To the North of the motorway, there is a large triangular junction, that connects the heritage East Lancashire Railway to the Calder Valley Line.
This Google Map shows a 3D image of the bridge from the East.
Ot looks to be a modern bridge, so when the M62 was built in the 1970s was some of these dodgy concretes used?
The RAILUK article does have these two paragraphs.
The bridge, known as Castleton bridge, carries 6% of the UK’s energy supply across the country, as freight trains carry material to and from Drax power station in Selby.
Olivia Boland, Network Rail sponsor, said: “The replacement of Castleton bridge is essential for the safe running of our railway, and crucial to the country’s economy as 6% of the UK’s energy supply relies on the bridge for transportation.
So is the £20 million being spent to in part make sure Drax keeps running?
Conclusion
This is going to cause traffic chaos.
World’s First Offshore Wind Farm Using 16 MW Turbines Enters Construction In China
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG) has started construction of the second phase of its offshore wind farm Zhangpu Liuao. The project will be both China’s and the world’s first wind farm to comprise 16 MW wind turbines.
I hope the Chinese have done all their calculations, research and testing. The dynamics of large wings are tricky and there are a lot of square law factors involved. I’d always be worried that at a particular wind speed a dangerous vibration will be setup.
How many Chinese engineers have seen videos of Galloping Gertie?
As the video says, no one was injured or killed, when the Tacoma Narrows Bridge fell into the river, but we nearly had a very similar disaster in the UK. I used to work at ICI in Runcorn and at the time, I lived in Liverpool, so every day, I went to work I crossed the Silver Jubilee Bridge twice.
One day, after a party in Cheshire, I even got so drunk, I had to stop the car on the bridge and was sick into the Mersey. It was before C and myself were married and she always claimed she nearly called the marriage off, after the incident.
But have you ever wondered, why that bridge is a through arch bridge rather than a suspension bridge as over the Forth, Hmber and Severn, which were all built around the same time?
Wikipedia has a section, which describes the Planning of the bridge.
The new bridge had to allow the passage of shipping along the Manchester Ship Canal. Many ideas were considered, including a new transporter bridge or a swing bridge. These were considered to be impractical and it was decided that the best solution was a high-level bridge upstream from the railway bridge. This would allow the least obstruction to shipping and would also be at the narrowest crossing point. The first plan for a high-level bridge was a truss bridge with three or five spans, giving an 8 yards (7 m) dual carriageway with a cycle track and footpaths. This was abandoned because it was too expensive, and because one of the piers would be too close to the wall of the ship canal. The next idea was for a suspension bridge with a span of 343 yards (314 m) between the main towers with an 8 yards (7 m) single carriageway and a 2-yard (2 m) footpath. However aerodynamic tests on models of the bridge showed that, while the bridge itself would be stable, the presence of the adjacent railway bridge would cause severe oscillation.
The finally accepted design was for a steel through arch bridge with a 10-yard (9 m) single carriageway. The design of the bridge is similar to that of Sydney Harbour Bridge but differs from it in that the side spans are continuous with the main span rather than being separate from them. This design feature was necessary to avoid the problem of oscillation due to the railway bridge. The main span measures 361 yards (330 m) and each side span is 83 yards (76 m).
But that misses out part of the story that I learned about at ICI.
I developed a very simple piece of electronics for ICI Runcorn’s noise and vibration expert. The equipment allowed the signals from two noise meters to be subtracted. This meant that if they were pointed in different directions, the noise generated by an object or piece of equipment could be determined.
The noise and vibration expert had tremendous respect from his fellow engineers, but his involvement in the design of the Runcorn bridge had elevated him to a legend.
The designers of the suspension bridge, that is detailed in the Wikipedia extract, presented their design to the ICI (Merseyside) Scientific Society.
The noise and vibration expert was at the meeting and questioned the design and said it would collapse due to oscillations caused by the presence of the railway bridge. He advised aerodynamic tests should be done on the bridge.
His back of the fag packet calculations were shown by tests to be correct and the bridge was built as a through arch bridge.
These pictures show the bridge.
They were taken from a train on the railway bridge.
Painting Blackfriars Bridge
It looks like Blackfriars Bridge is being repainted.
It certainly looks like it needs a repaint.
A New Garden Bridge Proposed For London
This article on Ian Visits is entitled Plans Open A Disused Railway Bridge To Pedestrians.
This is the introductory paragraph.
A section of the Thames with few bridges could become a lot easier for pedestrians and cyclists to cross if plans to convert a disused railway bridge for pedestrian use go ahead.
The disused railway bridge to be used is the original 1849 Barnes Railway Bridge, which was closed to trains, when a new stronger bridge was built alongside in 1890.
This Google Map shows the two bridges.
Note.
- The railway tracks in the centre on the 1890 three-arch bridge.
- The Thames flows from South-West to North-East under the bridge.
- A walkway on the North-Eastern side of the is still in use.
- The original 1849 bridge is on the South-Western side of the bridge.
The pedestrian garden bridge will be built on the 1849 bridge, which will be refurbished.
This second Google Map shows the bridge and Barnes Bridge station.
Note.
- Barnes Bridge in the North-West corner of the map.
- Barnes Bridge station in the South-East corner of the map.
Part of the plan envisages connecting the South-Western platform to the pedestrian garden bridge.
It looks a plan with a lot of good possibilities.
The Project
It appears that Network Rail, the London Boroughs of Richmond and Hounslow are all supportive and Moxon Architects have been appointed to the project.
The project now appears to be called The View at Barnes Bridge and it has an impressive web site, with lots of information and pictures.
I have a few thoughts.
I Am Not Surprised That Network Rail Are Supportive
Network Rail must be pleased to be getting a Grade II Listed structure off their hands.
Could Barnes Bridge Station Be Made Step-Free?
I suspect that Moxon will produce designs for this and it will probably be a question of money, if they are implemented.
But as the garden bridge will attract more visitors, this will surely increase the need for full step-free access at Barnes Bridge station.
Could A Refurbished Bridge Carry Utilities?
I suspect that this will be looked at, as it could be a nice little earner.
Could This Project Be An Example Of a Levelling-Up Project?
In my travels around the UK and Europe, I’ve seen several disused railway bridges that could be reused as footbridges to provide walking and cycling.
Many are being converted, but this high-profile bridge could inspire architects to create other worthwhile bridges.
Oxted Viaduct
I’d never heard of the Octed Viaduct, until I saw this article on Rail Technology News, which is entitled 140-Year-Old Iconic Viaduct Receives £10.5m Infrastructure Upgrades.
So I went to have a look this morning and took these pictures.
This page on the Network Rail web site, describes the work that has been done.
It also includes a video and this excellent drawing of the viaduct.
I’m glad to see that Network Rail still have the traditional skills.
Berwick’s Landmark Bridge Set For Major Repairs
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article on the BBC.
This Google Map shows the Royal Border Bridge.
This extract from the article describes the works on the bridge.
During the work, which will last until November, engineers will repair all 28 arches of the Grade I-listed structure.
The East Coast Main Line will stay open and an online event for people to find out more is being held on 27 January.
I suspect that finding anybody to restore historic stone buildings will be difficult in the area, during 2022.
The Completed Bridge At Feltham Station
I took these pictures of the completed bridge at Feltham station.
Note.
- The platforms at Feltham station have been lengthened.
- The level crossing at the station has been removed.
- The new bridge allows pedestrians to cross the railway.
- 4. The new bridge has already been vandalised.
In addition to the bridge, there is also a bridge with lifts in the station.
Tees Newport Bridge – 16th December 2021
My train from Middlesbrough To Huddersfield passed the Tees Newport Bridge.
Notice that it is a different colour in this picture from 2010.
The Newport Lifting Bridge
In The Tees Bridges and Barrage, I wrote about Middlesbrough’s bridges.
The Anonymous Widower 