Difference between revisions of "Kidderminster Footbridge"
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In 2000 the SVR raised further funds for that project, sufficient to allow SVR(H) to announce at the 2000 AGM that the extension to the footbridge would go ahead. However, the [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2000-2009#2000 | 2000 boiler crisis]] led to these plans being put on hold.<ref>SVR News 133, 134</ref> | In 2000 the SVR raised further funds for that project, sufficient to allow SVR(H) to announce at the 2000 AGM that the extension to the footbridge would go ahead. However, the [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2000-2009#2000 | 2000 boiler crisis]] led to these plans being put on hold.<ref>SVR News 133, 134</ref> | ||
| − | Long-mooted plans by Network Rail to replace the footbridge received financial approval in 2021, with works programmed from December until May 2022. The | + | Long-mooted plans by Network Rail to replace the footbridge received financial approval in 2021, with works originally programmed from December until May 2022. The design is a single-span constructed in ‘weathering steel’ with new abutments at each end. |
The old bridge spans were lifted out and demolition of the central pier were completed in the early morning of Sunday 13 February 2022. Demolition of the west abutment was completed the following day, with the footpath embankment being dug away to allow for the excavation of the pier base. The east abutment was demolished over the weekend of 12-13 March. | The old bridge spans were lifted out and demolition of the central pier were completed in the early morning of Sunday 13 February 2022. Demolition of the west abutment was completed the following day, with the footpath embankment being dug away to allow for the excavation of the pier base. The east abutment was demolished over the weekend of 12-13 March. | ||
| − | New concrete abutments were installed during the spring of 2022. However, it was not until October 2022 that the new single-span footbridge was installed. Initially, it was planned to install the bridge on the evening of Saturday | + | New concrete abutments were installed during the spring of 2022. However, it was not until October 2022 that the new single-span footbridge was installed. Initially, it was planned to install the bridge on the evening of Saturday 8 October, which coincided with national rail strikes. However, problems with the paperwork involving the Police escort of the bridge to the Railway meant that only the eastern steps were installed. Finally, a week later in the early hours of Sunday 16 October 2022, the new bridge and western steps were lifted into place. |
| + | |||
| + | The SVR's aspiration to extend the bridge to give access from the station to the [[Kidderminster Turntable | turntable]] remains an aspiration, due to a lack of funds<ref name=blsep21>[https://www.svrlive.com/blsep21 Branch Lines, September 2021]</ref>. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| − | [[Kidderminster|Kidderminster Station]] | + | *[[Kidderminster|Kidderminster Station]] |
| − | [[List of infrastructure]] | + | *[[List of infrastructure]] |
| − | [[Kidderminster Turntable | Towards Bridgnorth]] | + | *[[Kidderminster Turntable | Towards Bridgnorth]] |
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
Revision as of 17:07, 16 October 2022
Trains approaching Kidderminster station can be seen coming into view beneath Kidderminster Footbridge. A footbridge has existed at this location since it replaced a level crossing in the 19th century. Earlier bridges were of wooden construction, hence the current bridge is still sometimes referred to locally as 'the wooden bridge'.[1] Peter Fursdon, a former footplateman at Kidderminster Shed in the 1950s, recalled it as being called the 'Black Bridge'.[2]
The footbridge carries a public right of way between Hoo Road (near Kidderminster Harriers Football Club) and Chester Road South, crossing over both the SVRSevern Valley Railway lines and the adjacent Kidderminster to Hartlebury main line. There is no direct access between the footbridge and the SVRSevern Valley Railway. The bridge also carries a high voltage power cable.
Kidderminster footbridge in 2015
The 2015 photograph above shows the view approaching the station and looking north, with the bridge's west abutment on the left. From left to right as see, the track next to the west abutment allows pedestrian and vehicle access to the Diesel Depot and Carriage Shed south of the bridge. The two lines to the left lead to the platforms at Kidderminster. To the right is the line leading to the connection to the main line and to the Carriage Repair Works. Beyond the fence is the Network Rail main line from Hartlebury to Kidderminster, originally part of the OW&WOxford Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway. The bridge seen was demolished in early 2022 as part of a replacement project by Network Rail.
Network Rail Bridge Number
The plaque seen above was located on the east abutment, demolished during replacement of the bridge in 2022. The plaque identifies it as Bridge 104, situated at 135 miles 22 chainsAs a unit of measurement, 22 yards or 1/80th of a mile. It is also described by NRNetwork Rail as 'OWWOxford Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway Footbridge 104', OWWOxford Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway being the engineer's line reference and the line's Oxford Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway origin. The footbridge has not been allocated a number in the SVRSevern Valley Railway's List of infrastructure. Similar plaques from the BRBritish Rail or British Railways era can still be seen on Worcester Road Bridge (Bridge 2) and Falling Sands Viaduct (Bridge 3).
Extension and replacement
When the SVRSevern Valley Railway first extended to Kidderminster in July 1984, SVR(H) bought from BRBritish Rail or British Railways the last section of the line to Kidderminster from the old boundary at Stourport Road Bridge, but at that stage had only leased the former Comberton Hill Goods Yard on which the station was built. The footbridge marked the boundary between the areas that the SVRSevern Valley Railway owned and leased.[3]
Following the successful extension of the railway to Kidderminster, an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund was submitted on 30 April 1997, titled the ‘SVRSevern Valley Railway Heritage Project’ for the Kidderminster Carriage Shed and other items. This included a proposed extension to the footbridge to allow better road and pedestrian access to the site. The HLFHeritage Lottery Fund (National Lottery Heritage Fund from 2019) requested a scaled-down application, and although the extension was still included it was ultimately dropped.[4]
In 2000 the SVRSevern Valley Railway raised further funds for that project, sufficient to allow SVRSevern Valley Railway(H) to announce at the 2000 AGM that the extension to the footbridge would go ahead. However, the 2000 boiler crisis led to these plans being put on hold.[5]
Long-mooted plans by Network Rail to replace the footbridge received financial approval in 2021, with works originally programmed from December until May 2022. The design is a single-span constructed in ‘weathering steel’ with new abutments at each end.
The old bridge spans were lifted out and demolition of the central pier were completed in the early morning of Sunday 13 February 2022. Demolition of the west abutment was completed the following day, with the footpath embankment being dug away to allow for the excavation of the pier base. The east abutment was demolished over the weekend of 12-13 March.
New concrete abutments were installed during the spring of 2022. However, it was not until October 2022 that the new single-span footbridge was installed. Initially, it was planned to install the bridge on the evening of Saturday 8 October, which coincided with national rail strikes. However, problems with the paperwork involving the Police escort of the bridge to the Railway meant that only the eastern steps were installed. Finally, a week later in the early hours of Sunday 16 October 2022, the new bridge and western steps were lifted into place.
The SVRSevern Valley Railway's aspiration to extend the bridge to give access from the station to the turntable remains an aspiration, due to a lack of funds[6].
