Friday 26 Oct 2012
Loughor Viaduct project makes good progress
- Region & Route:
- | Wales & Western: Wales & Borders
- | Wales & Western
Work on a £48m project to replace the Loughor Viaduct and upgrade the rail infrastructure between Swansea and Gowerton, is still on track.
The launch of the first section of new bridge deck is due to take place this week following the creation of a new base which will support the deck in its temporary and permanent arrangement.
The deck has been constructed in Chepstow by Mabey Bridge Ltd and the first 80 metres of decking has now been launched into the estuary on temporary concrete support beams
The Network Rail Loughor Viaduct project is required to facilitate the £28m Welsh Government redoubling of the line between Swansea and Gowerton.
Mark Langman, Network Rail’s route managing director, said: “This vital project is making good progress. Following installation of the support beams, we are now beginning to slot the bridge decking into place and we are still on track for completion next Easter.”
Work to replace the Loughor Viaduct with a more modern structure began in June last year. The work is necessary to support the Gowerton Redoubling scheme, which involves laying a second track across the viaduct.
Two-thirds of the labour force comes from within a 50-mile radius of the Loughor Viaduct, with many living locally.
The project will replace the existing 220m timber trestle viaduct that carries the South Wales Mainline between Swansea and Llanelli.
Residents, boat owners, fishermen and local authorities in Swansea and Carmarthenshire are being kept updated on progress with regular bulletins.
Notes to editors
First built in 1852, the original structure has links to Brunel and in 1998 was awarded Grade II listed status as “an example of a very rare surviving timber viaduct on a working railway.”
Network Rail is proposing to keep the existing natural stone abutments and retain four of the existing trestles in situ and erect a small section of the old Loughor viaduct on the West shore as part of its conservation efforts.
The structure spans the boundary between Carmarthenshire and Swansea Councils, therefore Listed Building Consent was required from both authorities in addition to the approval of CADW, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service, before any works to the structure could begin.
The proposed design was developed to allow the construction of the new viaduct on the same alignment but outside the existing footprint.
The bridge design uses continuous steel and a concrete composite deck supported by piers at 36m spans - three times the span of the existing trestles.
Each pier will consist of two 1.2m diameter concrete piles supporting a reinforced concrete support beam.
A temporary support beam will be installed next to the piers to allow the new deck to be launched alongside the existing structure. The deck will then be slid into its final position during a commissioning blockade of the line.
Loughor / Gowerton redoubling interface
Loughor Viaduct is located within the single line section and is critical for the successful delivery of the £28m Gowerton redoubling scheme.
The redoubling is a Welsh Government-funded scheme to increase the rail service frequency and benefit the businesses and employment in the local area.
The scheme comprises the redoubling of 5.5 miles of the South Wales Mainline between Duffryn West and Cockett West Junctions. The line was singled in 1986 to reduce the maintenance responsibilities and costs.
The current works involve installing 5.5 miles of new track, strengthening or replacement of six structures, alterations to a level crossing, complete re-signalling of the section, the re-commissioning of a second platform and installation of a Disability Discrimination Act-compliant footbridge at Gowerton Station.
The Gowerton project will also be commissioned at Easter 2013.
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