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Friday 13 Feb 2015

Kingsferry Bridge to return to full operation in one week

Region & Route:

| Southern

Kingsferry Bridge, which links the railway of the Isle of Sheppey to the Kentish mainland, will return to normal operation by next weekend (February 21).

It follows serious damage to a crucial electric motor that powers the lifting operation of the bridge. The removal of the motor for repair means that auxiliary lifting equipment has had to be used, taking up to an hour for a lifting cycle to be completed and requiring trains to be cancelled.

Network Rail’s area director for Kent, Ellie Burrows, said: "We realise the disruption the problem with the bridge is bringing to the island and I'm very sorry we have not been able to get this fixed sooner.

"While the bridge lifts are still taking up to an hour, we are working with Southeastern and the Port of Sheerness to minimise disruption to passengers and road users.

"Longer term, we have a plan in place to replace the equipment on the bridge and improve its reliability."

Bridge lifts are needed to allow large ships to pass up the Swale estuary, coinciding with high tides.

Operator Southeastern has been calling in buses at short notice to keep passengers moving while the bridge is being lifted.

The 1950s design of the motor means wire has had to be specially made to fit and in some cases parts have had to be reverse-manufactured from the originals.

Installed in 1960, when the bridge was constructed, the motor is the main power source for the lifting operation. Either a diesel generator and the railway’s own traction power supply has had to be used while it is out of action.

A full refurbishment of the bridge and its equipment is currently being planned and costed.