Media centre

Friday 30 Apr 2004

NETWORK RAIL VERSUS “BRIDGE BASHERS”

Region & Route:

Network Rail is installing a specialist anti ‘bridge bash’ system at Barrowby Road, Grantham to reduce delays to trains and improve the safety of the railway in the event of a motor vehicle crashing into the bridge. Barrowby Road bridge, which has been ‘bashed’ some seven times in the last year, is struck by drivers who do not adhere to the signs and road markings, causing delay and inconvenience to rail and road users alike.  The new system will prove a more efficient way of dealing with these incidents, reducing disruption to train services.  At present, every time a bridge is hit, trains are stopped until the structure has been inspected for damage.  If initial inspections show no major structural damage, then trains are allowed to cross, but only at 5mph, until a qualified bridge engineer has carried out a detailed inspection to determine if it is safe to lift the speed restriction.  With the new system in place, when the bridge is struck, the stress vibrations in the steel are monitored.  The system calculates the vibrations, which determines the amount of damage to the bridge structure.  This means that should there be little or no damage, the bridge will remain open without any delays to road or train traffic.  The Bridge Guard System has been designed for steel constructed bridges.  - more -                                                                              Bridge - 2 Between April 2003 and March 2004 100 bridge bashes caused 16,068 minutes delay to train services in the Great Northern area (which covers the East Coast Main Line from King’s Cross to Doncaster, South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire). Success of this trail blazing system could see it rolled out at other bridges which are known ‘hotspots’ for bridge bashes. Graham Botham, General Manager Great Northern, Network Rail said: “This system will prove a much more efficient way of dealing with these incidents in the future.  Money and time will be saved for both train operators and Network Rail, most importantly disruptions to train services can now be kept to a minimum”.