Refurbishing the GWR’s steel bridges
article by: Ian Crowder
The article was first published in 2005 and further updated in
August 2007.
Bridges: pretty much taken for granted but they are, to say the
least, a vital part of a railway's infrastructure. The GWR has a
rich variety of them - ranging from the spectacular Stanway viaduct
and Greet Tunnel right down to foot bridges and culverts. In fact,
there are 88 structures* that cross or are crossed by our railway
between Cheltenham and Broadway.
When our railway was being built over a century ago, a favoured
form of bridge construction - particularly rail-over bridges - was
to use riveted steel girders. Most of our steel bridges have
survived well over the past one hundred years, and are described by
our bridge engineer John Balderstone as in "fair to average
condition for their age" but most are now in need of
refurbishment.
The two worst on the current running line were at Gretton and
Gotherington, both of which have a fairly wide span over roads that
pass diagonally beneath the line. The Gotherington bridge girders
are particularly long and it is known by volunteer staff as the
'skew bridge' for fairly obvious reasons. On the northern
extension towards Broadway, the worst affected bridge is that which
carries the B4632 over the line between Stanton and Laverton -
this, again, is a 'skew' bridge.
The Gretton and Gotherington bridges were refurbished in 2004
and 2005, the work carried out by a local steel fabricating firm.
This involved cleaning and repair, including the attractive steel
lattice work parapets which, certainly in the case of Gotherington
bridge, had succumbed badly to the elements. Finally these bridges
were finished in chocolate and cream, replacing the original dour
'battleship grey'.
"I don't think the bridges were ever chocolate & cream,"
says John. "In fact, I don't think they have been painted since
they were built and grey was pretty much standard throughout the
country." *
On the northern extension, the bridge carrying the unclassified
Stanton road has similarly been refurbished and painted. The
railway has put aside a budget for the ongoing refurbishment of the
railway's bridges. Major work on the B4632 skew bridge was expected
to be completed towards the end of August 2007, the bridge having
deteriorated to the extent that it became necessary to support the
span with a propping tower.
Just north of Laverton there is a missing rail-over
bridge. This was removed with the permission of the GWR by
Transco, in order to allow access for heavy plant in connection
with a gas pipeline project. National Grid, successor to Transco,
has agreed to fund replacement of this bridge and design work for a
completely new span has been completed. Construction of this new
bridge is likely to begin in 2008.
The next steel bridge to receive treatment on the running line
is likely to be at Prescott. But a lot of remedial work has also
been carried out on several of the railway's brick bridges over the
years, including the viaduct at Stanway.
For the record, this is the tally for the whole of the line
owned by Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway Plc from
Cheltenham to Broadway:
- 16 Steel line-over bridges (such as Gotherington and
Gretton)
- 5 Steel line-under bridges
- 12 Brick or concrete line over bridges
- 5 Brick or concrete line under bridges
- 39 Culverts
- 3 Siphons
- 1 Aqueduct (combined with a footbridge, near
Stanway)
- 4 Footbridges (2 station, 2 alongside road bridges)
- 2 Tunnels (Hunting Butts and Greet)
- 1 Viaduct (15 arches, 50ft high)
Total: 88
* The trackbed through Cheltenham town centre is owned by the
Borough Council who refurbished their steel bridges and painted
them green.