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Tuesday 17 Jan 2006

NEW STAIRS FOR ECCLES STATION

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Train users in Eccles have an uplifting start to the New Year, as finishing touches are made to new access stairs at the station.   The £202,000 project started in August with the construction of a temporary footbridge linking the two platforms. This enabled the demolition of the old access steps between the platforms and a road-over-rail bridge outside the station.   Work was mainly at weekends to avoid disrupting weekday train services. Having excavated the old footings that supported the steps, liquid concrete was poured into the holes in the platforms before new concrete footings were cast with metal bolts set into them ready to take the steel superstructure to support the steps.   The staircases were manufactured and brought to the site to be lowered into position by crane at night (when no trains were running), and then bolted onto the supporting steelwork.   Ribbed paving was installed at the top and bottom of the steps to indicate to blind people and those with poor eyesight a change in levels as they go up or down the steps.   The platform area around the staircases was finished off with a new tarmac surface.