The swing bridges are designed to carry trains over waterways and swing open to let boats through, but they are over 100 years old, and their internal parts have become unreliable.
At the Reedham (Norfolk) and Somerleyton (Suffolk) swing bridges, engineers have:
- Installed a beam in the building that houses the swing bridge machinery. This will make the building strong enough for a temporary opening to be made in the wall. The opening will allow old and heavy machinery to be moved out and replaced with modern equipment.
- Upgraded and replaced the manual winch system. This allows the bridge to be swung open manually by the bridge operator if there are problems with the machinery, keeping trains and boat users moving.
- Completed a full renewal and upgrade of the electrical system.
As part of the project, survey work was carried out at Oulton Broad swing bridge.
The upgrade of the three swing bridges is expected to help Greater Anglia train passengers and boat users get to their destinations on time, while enabling the historic structures to keep being operated in the modern day.
While the swing bridge work took place over the nine day closure, Network Rail took the opportunity to carry out drainage, track and vegetation management works along the Norwich-Lowestoft line.
Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “These bridges on the Wherry and East Suffolk lines are an important part of our railway heritage and also critical pieces of infrastructure that keep both rail and boat traffic moving. Renewing the components will reduce the risk of mechanical problems and help keep services running safely, smoothly and reliably for our passengers, as well as maintaining access to the ports and marinas.”
Dates for future works will be announced in due course and will include a full replacement of the hydraulic and mechanical systems that the bridges use to open and close.