Stunning time-lapse film shows the reconstruction of Harcombe Hill bridge in Winterbourne: Harcombe Hill bridge opening

Thursday 2 Apr 2015

Stunning time-lapse film shows the reconstruction of Harcombe Hill bridge in Winterbourne

Region & Route:

The bridge over the railway on Harcombe Hill in Winterbourne reopened today, Thursday 2 April, after work to prepare it for electrification was completed on time. This stunning time-lapse photography shows the scale of the project and the level of work involved.

The reconstruction of this bridge is an essential part of Network Rail’s electrification programme and will enable a new fleet of longer, faster, quieter and greener electric trains to serve commuters in Gloucestershire travelling on the route from Cardiff to Paddington.

The reconstruction, which started in October 2014, involved raising the height of the bridge to create the additional space needed for the overhead lines which will power the new electric trains to run underneath.

Andrew Haynes, Network Rail’s project director, said: “I would like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding while we carried out the work needed to prepare this bridge for the electrification of the railway.

“Now the bridge is open, people and businesses in the area are a step closer to seeing the benefits that electrification and the new electric trains will bring.”

ENDS

About the Great Western Electrification Programme

Electrification will transform the railway between London and Oxford, Newbury, Bristol and Cardiff to deliver a faster, greener, quieter and more reliable railway for passengers, with extra capacity. Electrifying this part of the Great Western route will enhance 235 miles of one of Britain’s busiest and oldest railways, better connecting major towns and cities across southern England and South Wales. This investment, as well as the introduction of a fleet of new trains, will improve journey times and make services more comfortable, smoother, cleaner and quieter for passengers and people living near the railway.

Contact information

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About Network Rail

We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.

Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.

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