Media centre

Thursday 4 Apr 2013

Archie opens new Duffield Road railway bridge

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

Ardent railway enthusiast Archie Swell will be bursting with pride today (1.30pm, Thursday, 4 April).

He’s been invited to open the new Duffield Road railway bridge near his grandparent’s home in Reading.

Archie, aged nine, wrote to Network Rail to ask if he could open the new bridge when work on it was completed.

He said: “I am mad about trains. I have been watching the bridge with much interest. Nearly every week, I and my grandma walk down the road to see the bridge being developed. I would be so honoured to be part of this ceremony and be able to open this bridge.”

Archie’s wish has been granted by Network Rail and their contractor, Murphy. Richard Turner, community relations advisor for Network Rail said: “Archie is obviously a very young but keen railway enthusiast and we’re delighted to invite him to re-open this bridge.”

The Duffield Road railway bridge has been replaced as part of a project to ensure that trains can pass under it when the Great Western Main Line is electrified from London Paddington to Bristol and then Cardiff and Swansea by 2018.

The work involved removing the old bridge and installing a new bridge to achieve the height clearance needed for the overhead electric lines to allow the trains to pass safely under it. New safety barriers have also been fitted.

Richard added: “Achieving the necessary structural clearance is a critical part of our Department for Transport remit to electrify the line between Paddington and Cardiff, including Didcot to Oxford and Reading to Newbury, by 2017.”

Work on the new structure started in October 2012. The bridge will be fully re-opened to traffic as of 13:30hrs today (Thursday 4 April).