Railways

[Aitch]

More local, but a bit mixed, railway news.

I had a letter, as did all "Railway Neighbours', concerning the replacement of the Iron Bridge over the High Street, and all the traffic screw-ups that is likely to cause.

I say mixed because, although the current bridge is a bit tatty and in need of serious maintenance work (cosmetic, at least)...

5b - The Iron Bridge by SteveH, on Flickr

...the new one looks a bit flimsy (scanned from the letter - please don't report me for breach of copyright, EPD)...

NewBridge.jpg (184.86 KiB) Viewed 5639 times

..and the old one dates to the 1880s, as far as I can make out. Yet another bit of Victorian Staines about to disappear.

It also looks like they are removing the pavement on one side of the High Street as well, but that could just be an ambiguous drawing. Or my interpretation of it.

[Opti]

Staines has changed sooo much since I were a nipper. That Indian restaurant used to be the Garibaldi (not a nice pub) and just past the bridge on the right was where I used to get sent to get a pint of prawns from the fish stall.

Of course, the alley down the left hand side went right through the middle of the lino factory. That dates me.

[Aitch]

Staines has changed sooo much since I were a nipper. That Indian restaurant used to be the Garibaldi (not a nice pub) and just past the bridge on the right was where I used to get sent to get a pint of prawns from the fish stall.

The Garibaldi became a recruitment(?) office before it became the restaurant and the fish stall became a flower shop and is now a Christian book shop.

[Opti]

...

I grew up in Staines waaay before all the pedestrianisation and stuff. Kennards and Johnson & Clarks opposite each other, a pub every 50 yards, 2 cinemas ...

We go back every now and then to see ddb's (very) elderly mum who lives down the end of Park Avenue, which I guess is fairly near to you.
I grew up in the old cottages down the bottom of Church Street, Lammas end. Backed onto the graveyard.

[Martin_B]

...

I grew up in Staines waaay before all the pedestrianisation and stuff. Kennards and Johnson & Clarks opposite each other, a pub every 50 yards, 2 cinemas ...

We go back every now and then to see ddb's (very) elderly mum who lives down the end of Park Avenue, which I guess is fairly near to you.
I grew up in the old cottages down the bottom of Church Street, Lammas end. Backed onto the graveyard.

My sister lives just off Worple Road, basically the other side of Staines Park. Small world!

[Aitch]

...

I grew up in Staines waaay before all the pedestrianisation and stuff. Kennards and Johnson & Clarks opposite each other, a pub every 50 yards, 2 cinemas ...

We go back every now and then to see ddb's (very) elderly mum who lives down the end of Park Avenue, which I guess is fairly near to you.
I grew up in the old cottages down the bottom of Church Street, Lammas end. Backed onto the graveyard.

My sister lives just off Worple Road, basically the other side of Staines Park. Small world!

Coo, she's probably used the George V postbox just off Worple Rd.

Meanwhile, back at the railways, I wonder if they'll need to replace the railway bridge over the River Colne at some time. That one would cause a lot of to-ing and fro-ing - houses on one side and a shopping mall on the other.

200424xes.jpg (286.18 KiB) Viewed 5538 times

Fortunately, the rest of the railway bridges in Staines, with the exception of the St Thomas Bridge over the Thames, are good solid Victorian brick jobs. Just need a clean now and again.

[El Pollo Diablo]

More local, but a bit mixed, railway news.

I had a letter, as did all "Railway Neighbours', concerning the replacement of the Iron Bridge over the High Street, and all the traffic screw-ups that is likely to cause.

I say mixed because, although the current bridge is a bit tatty and in need of serious maintenance work (cosmetic, at least)...

5b - The Iron Bridge by SteveH, on Flickr

...the new one looks a bit flimsy (scanned from the letter - please don't report me for breach of copyright, EPD)...
NewBridge.jpg
..and the old one dates to the 1880s, as far as I can make out. Yet another bit of Victorian Staines about to disappear.

It also looks like they are removing the pavement on one side of the High Street as well, but that could just be an ambiguous drawing. Or my interpretation of it.

I dunno about flimsy, they're replacing a rusting iron bridge with a new steel bridge. I know which one I'd trust...

[El Pollo Diablo]

Small issue at Tottenham North Curve Tunnel

Tottenham North Curve Tunnel.jpg (230.86 KiB) Viewed 5390 times

[El Pollo Diablo]

And work is going well on East West Rail. These pictures were taken at Winslow, where they're building a new station (the only new station on the line). The first pic looks towards Bicester, the second towards Bletchley.

EWR Winslow 1.jpg (174.44 KiB) Viewed 5386 times

EWR Winslow 2.jpg (230.16 KiB) Viewed 5386 times

[bagpuss]

And work is going well on East West Rail. These pictures were taken at Winslow, where they're building a new station (the only new station on the line). The first pic looks towards Bicester, the second towards Bletchley.

EWR Winslow 1.jpg

EWR Winslow 2.jpg

Oh wow, I hadn't realised they were so far on with it. Shows how much attention I've been paying the last couple of years.

[IvanV]

And work is going well on East West Rail.

Oh wow, I hadn't realised they were so far on with it. Shows how much attention I've been paying the last couple of years.

If you've been up the Bicester eastern by-pass recently (I've long gone that way to get to J10 of the M40, when there's congestion further down) there's a new bridge. It replaces that very basic single track level crossing just south of the Launton roundabout, which in recent years has only been used by domestic waste trains going formerly to Calvert landfill, and now to the new waste recycling plant. Used only some very small number of times per week.

[bagpuss]

And work is going well on East West Rail.

Oh wow, I hadn't realised they were so far on with it. Shows how much attention I've been paying the last couple of years.

If you've been up the Bicester eastern by-pass recently (I've long gone that way to get to J10 of the M40, when there's congestion further down) there's a new bridge. It replaces that very basic single track level crossing just south of the Launton roundabout, which in recent years has only been used by domestic waste trains going formerly to Calvert landfill, and now to the new waste recycling plant. Used only some very small number of times per week.

We go via Thame to the M40 when we're going north - there's not a lot in it but it's usually slightly quicker that way from here and avoids the vagaries of Aylesbury traffic, and it's rare that there are problems on that bit of the M40 at times we travel. And on the few occasions when we've needed to travel to somewhere near J10, we've gone west to Middleton Stoney and then up because there's little difference and we know that way better for reasons of old. I think the only times we've ever been round the Eastern bypass are when going to classic car events at Bicester Heritage and it's been at least 3 years since we've done that.

[TimW]

Small issue at Tottenham North Curve Tunnel

Just needs a bit of filler.

[veravista]

After Mrs V and I looked at rail tickets to go from Derby to Edinburgh next week it appears we may be paying for most of the above works on our own. Both got senior railcards, £170 return each (includes a change on the way up). Started by looking at first class but that was £400 each.....

[TimW]

... Derby to Edinburgh ...

Maybe you should go up the East Coast instead. Newark's only 30 miles, must be easy to get to ;-)

[veravista]

Probably, only 45 minutes from here, may £24 parking and it's still £95 return each. But compare that to a 2 hour longer journey and £60 worth of diesel, door to door? Pre-lock down it was worth doing the train, we could do 1st class for £60 each..

[dyqik]

... Derby to Edinburgh ...

Maybe you should go up the East Coast instead. Newark's only 30 miles, must be easy to get to

Any mention of going via Newark strikes fear into the heart of a US-based traveller.

[veravista]

I know what you mean

[tom p]

More local, but a bit mixed, railway news.

I had a letter, as did all "Railway Neighbours', concerning the replacement of the Iron Bridge over the High Street, and all the traffic screw-ups that is likely to cause.

I say mixed because, although the current bridge is a bit tatty and in need of serious maintenance work (cosmetic, at least)...

5b - The Iron Bridge by SteveH, on Flickr

...the new one looks a bit flimsy (scanned from the letter - please don't report me for breach of copyright, EPD)...
NewBridge.jpg
..and the old one dates to the 1880s, as far as I can make out. Yet another bit of Victorian Staines about to disappear.

It also looks like they are removing the pavement on one side of the High Street as well, but that could just be an ambiguous drawing. Or my interpretation of it.

I don't think it's even ambiguous mate.
Just reckon you've missed a bit & misinterpreted.

staines new bridge.jpg (90.92 KiB) Viewed 5161 times

The bit I've ringed in red says "existing handrail & the bit I've ringed in blue seems to be the pavement between the pillars and the handrail

[Gfamily]

More local, but a bit mixed, railway news.

I had a letter, as did all "Railway Neighbours', concerning the replacement of the Iron Bridge over the High Street, and all the traffic screw-ups that is likely to cause.

I say mixed because, although the current bridge is a bit tatty and in need of serious maintenance work (cosmetic, at least)...

5b - The Iron Bridge by SteveH, on Flickr

...the new one looks a bit flimsy (scanned from the letter - please don't report me for breach of copyright, EPD)...
NewBridge.jpg
..and the old one dates to the 1880s, as far as I can make out. Yet another bit of Victorian Staines about to disappear.

It also looks like they are removing the pavement on one side of the High Street as well, but that could just be an ambiguous drawing. Or my interpretation of it.

I don't think it's even ambiguous mate.
Just reckon you've missed a bit & misinterpreted.
staines new bridge.jpg
The bit I've ringed in red says "existing handrail & the bit I've ringed in blue seems to be the pavement between the pillars and the handrail

The 'as is' photo shows a pavement on both sides of the road, so I would say "yes, they are looking at removing a pavement on one side".

[Sciolus]

Looks to me like they've rotated the view for part of the drawing, so the bit underneath the left hand end of the yellow stripes, labelled "new cell beam" and "existing concrete springing stone" (?), is as viewed from underneath the bridge rather than approaching it. You can see the kerb drop matching the other side.

[tom p]

I thought it was so skinny it wouldn't really count as pavement, if you know what i mean. Those kind of bits which are technically pavement, but really aren't, a bit like those cycle lanes that are utterly unusable that Ivan posted a link to the other day.

[Aitch]

Looks to me like they've rotated the view for part of the drawing, so the bit underneath the left hand end of the yellow stripes, labelled "new cell beam" and "existing concrete springing stone" (?), is as viewed from underneath the bridge rather than approaching it. You can see the kerb drop matching the other side.

Yes, that makes sense, in an odd sort of way.

[Sciolus]

If my interpretation is correct, they're leaving the pavements on both sides untouched. Weird drawing though.

[veravista]

Pavement still on both sides, one with hand rail and one without. The bit sticking out is the abutment past the bridge so looks like it covers the pavement on the left but doesn't.