Motorway shut as rail bridge demolition begins

8 days ago

News image — Demolition of the bridge is underway

Network Rail Yellow excavators taking away the tops part of the concrete bridge. — Demolition of the bridge is underway

Drivers are being diverted as a concrete railway bridge is demolished and a new steel crossing installed.

The M6 between junctions 39 at Shap and 40 near Penrith is closed this weekend and next as part of West Coast Main Line works, which have also seen disruption to train services.

It is to allow for the demolition of the 60-year-old Clifton Bridge, which began earlier.

Project manager William Brandon from Network Rail said it had taken "slightly longer than anticipated", but work would be carried out on time.

"It has taken slightly longer than anticipated due to the complex nature of this bridge," Mr Brandon said.

"When we plan these civil engineering projects we always build in contingency time and we are confident that we will hand back the M6 on time on Monday morning."

The bridge will be replaced by a new 427ft-long (130m), 4,200 tonne structure, which just needs to be moved into place from a holding area nearby.

Yellow cranes and excavators have surrounded the concrete Clifton rail bridge. Dozens of white and orange traffic cones are lined on the structure as the sunset turns the sky behind pink. — A road closure is in place over two weekends while work takes place

James Corker, rail director at Skanska, which is working on the project, said he was "extremely confident" works would run on time.

Mr Corker said: "We've done 4D rehearsals on it, digital rehearsals putting the bridge in and taking the old bridge out.

"So yeah, extremely confident."

A tall yellow crane is operating next to a large steel bridge. The area on the ground underneath the bridge is blocked off with temporary construction fencing. — The new 4,200-tonne steel bridge will span the M6

Steve Mason from National Highways said the £60m bridge was part of a "vital project" on the route between Carlisle and London.

He said Kirkby Stephen would take the brunt of the diverted traffic during the day, and Clifton and Shap would see more impact at night.

"We are trying to spread that burden over those hours over the weekend," Mr Mason said.

Eamont Bridge resident Stewart Hannan, who will see vehicles diverted through his village, said: "The bridge has got to be put in so it's just something we're going to have to put up with."

A large concrete bridge goes over a motorway. The ground underneath the bridge is all dug up and a line of traffic cones are placed along it. The area is cordoned off with tape. — The new bridge will replace the existing Clifton bridge

Planned disruption for West Coast Mainline works includes:

The M6 will be shut between junction 39 at Shap and junction 40 near Penrith from 20:00 GMT on 2 January to 05:00 on 5 January and at the same times the following weekend

Until 5 January: buses will replace trains between Milton Keynes and Northampton/Rugby

Until 5 January: trains will not call at stations between Preston and Carlisle with buses used instead. Buses will also replace trains between Blackpool, Buckshaw Parkway Preston, Lancaster and Wigan

Until 7 January, buses will replace trains between Carlisle and Dumfries/Lockerbie

Until 15 January: buses will run between Oxenholme and Carlisle, with a shuttle rail diversion running on the Settle to Carlisle line between Preston and Carlisle

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