Public Transport Experience: Bank Holiday Variety

(Re)Building Bridges

Remember the £7.8 million being spent to rebuuild the station footbridge at Harlington (Beds) but without lifts? Seems utterly daft!

But there are occasions when Notwotk Rail does do things sensibly, and probably for large amounts of gold bullion or its equivalent in specie.

We go to Crawshaw Woods for the headline.

It is claimed that this is the oldest cast iron bridge anywhere on the current UK rail network. It needs some re-fettling, and whilst this work is being implemented, the bridge will be raised to give clearance for possible electrification of the line.

So where is Crawshaw Woods?

Above, we are due east of Leeds city centre between Cross Gates and Garforth stations. There is the BLUE M1 curving round to junct with the A1 and the GREEN road is part of a sort-of outer rung road, numbered A6120. It is RED on the map below

Follow the green dots on the enlarged map above from near Barrowby Hall, over the M1 on a footbridge (FB) and over the railway on an unacknowledged bridge. Although the "woods" are seemingly sparse, that is th Crawshaw Woods bridge in question.

Basically, it carries a farm track cum "bridle" road. It looks very ordinary from the road, but from the embankment you can see its architectural qualities.

The solid tin fence extends the original cast railungs to give the extra height required by today's regulations.

So the bridge has to be raised by about 1.5 metres, therefore the abutments have to be raised as well. Big job!

The site plan shows two access roads and two work areas.

fbb is amused that the compilers of the above have seen fit to add a road sign to the bridge - even though it is not a "hump backed" crossing!

Anyway, work is scheduled to start "soon" but various web sites have been able to give us a picture of the finished job.

The above shows overhead wiring in place, which is not part of the project; but it also shows the raised abutments built in a similar style to those existing. The next picture is not labelled as an "artist's impression".

But it is!

It shows the raised bridge itself and new creamy raised abutments but it has no overhead wiring. There is, however, one solitary gantry with nothing attached. Google maps shows no such gantry.

Astounding Invention has clearly been used.

Along the same lines (GROAN) here is a picture of a new footbridge ...

This magnificent pile will be located at Barrowby Lane, a liitle nearer to Garforth. Currently, there is an "at grade" foot crossing.

Of course, a foot crossing is "accessible"! But you do wonder why very rural and little used Barrowby Lane gets slopes and Harlington (Beds) doesn't get lifts.

Exciting Tank Wagon (?)

fbb has previously commented on the trend to produce model railway wagons that advertise something - and often these have no equivalent in the real world. These two date from the current Hornby oeuvre.

The brewery in question exists but the wagons have never existed and never will!

fbb does not know the history of the Pepsi wagon in detail, but the model reprsents the last in a long line of "shortie" tankers made by Triang from th mid fifties right through and well into the Hornby era. Indeed there is a wagon of the same contruction still on sale but branded CocaCola.

The Pepsi wagon is about the same shape and size as the original Triang wagon ...

...which had a crude metal chassis and a simplified plastic body. The wheels where plastic running on metal axles which poked out through the axle boxes. The brake shoes were nowhere near the wheel treads that they should have been pressing upon slow and stop the train!

The Pepsi version has a black plastic chassis with near correctly orientated brake shoes ...

... and a good attempt at underframe detail.

The wheels and axles are all metal with plastic bushes to ensure insulation one from the other. The only other metal is the coupling hook.

The diagonal strapping which, in a real wagon, holds the tank on to its "saddle", is made of flexible red plastic with a distinctive translucent look. That strapping is a weakness in tthe design. It breaks easily ...

... and is well-nigh impossible to replace. fbb was thrilled that all his strapping appeared to be complete, but, sadly, it wasn't.

There is a tiny break to the right of the filler cap on one side. fbb has made one attempt at glueing it, but failed. The nylon type of plastic is impervious to polystyreme cement.

Other glues will be tried in due course but the old man may have to be satisfied with the slight fault. It is better than some and you can only see one side at a time.

All in all, it is a nice but inaccurate model.

Surprising News - NOT!

Remember Arriva Click?

Above we see the launch of the Watford scheme over five years ago. It didn't last long. Indeed none of the schemes had much longevity especially after the Government (local or national) grant-aid ran out.

The news is that the very last Arriva Click has ended.

This was a very limited one bus service in Speke, Liverpool.

In a splendid "back to the future" move the Arriva Click minibus has been replaced by bus route 211 ...

... which had previously been replaced by ...

... Arriva Click!

Well, ot seemed a good idea at the time!

Good New For IoW - Maybe Not

After what seems years and years, the Island Line train service is now fully operational between Shanklin and Ryde Pier Head. In fact the section from Esplanade o Pier Head opened early!

Wowsers!

Actually, when correspendent Alan was there, trains were running but repairs were still in progress.

This picture of the first train up the pier since whenever was published locally.

Now Islanders will have the benefit of the full service.

Did fbb say "benefit".

Remember that, for countless generations, Island residents have had an hourly service between Ventnor, Shanklin, Ryde, Portsmouth and London, seven days a week with extra services in the summer season. Everything connected.

Now, after millions of pounds of expenditure, long periods of closure and the commissioning of new trains (ex Londin Undergound commuter stock!), what do we have now?

Tada.