Highley Station Footbridge

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Highley Station Footbridge

The present Highley Station Footbridge was constructed in 2009. It replaced a longer footbridge on the same site which was deemed beyond economical repair and demolished for scrap in spring 1974.

Design

GWRGreat Western Railway footbridges followed two basic styles. That of the 1880s is reflected in the footbridges at Bridgnorth & Bewdley with cast iron columns. The present footbridge at Highley is intended to mimic the more utilitarian style of the early 1900s.

Original Highley Footbridge

The original Highley Footbridge (David Cooke)
Construction of the first footbridge at Highley, together with an additional siding for horse boxes, was authorised by the GWRGreat Western Railway Traffic Committee on 26 April 1912 at a cost of £845. Further expenditure of £84 on foundations for the footbridge was authorised in July 1914. This bridge consisted of a steel lattice girder structure of two spans. At the west end it connected directly to the footpath leading up the hill to Highley Village, and therefore required steps only at the station platform end.[1]

The bridge continued in use until closure of the line by BRBritish Rail or British Railways in 1963, after which its condition deteriorated. Reluctantly, the SVRSevern Valley Railway deemed the bridge unsafe and demolished it on 11 April 1974, at the same time repairs to the Underbridge on Station Road, Highley, and before reopening services to Highley the following weekend, at Easter.


Present Highley Footbridge

By 17 November 2008 the funding package and design were in place to construct the footbridge which that year’s service, following the opening of the Engine House, had shown was much needed. The European Regional Development Fund and Advantage West Midlands provided funding for this project. Work to install the bridge began then and caused an element of disruption to services, no services stopped at Highley Station through November and December weekends (apart from Boxing Day to 4 January 2009) to allow piling work for the installation of the foundations and bridge support pillars.[2]

Delays in construction

The originally intended installation date was 10 April 2009. This date was missed, with the General Manager reporting in May that it was primarily due to the fabricator underestimating the complicated nature of the construction of the main span. Whilst the main stairwells were complete the main span still needed considerable work to complete. With the main running season underway the decision was taken to delay the installation until September/October giving sufficient time for the main span to be completed to a high standard. The installation could then take place during daylight hours when the line is clear. The bridge opened for public use from 24 October to 1 November 2009 before closing for a few days to enable final detailing work to take place.

Formal opening

It was formally opened by HRH The Duke of Gloucester, the SVRSevern Valley Railway's patron, on the same day as him visiting the newly-opened Engine House on 21 October 2009.

See also

Towards Kidderminster
List of infrastructure
Towards Bridgnorth

References

  1. Marshall (1989) p. 100.
  2. Noticeboard Issue: Highley Footbridge 17 November 2008

Links

Highley Station Wikipedia