Damage to bridge on Barnstaple line - January 2024

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Damage has been reported to an overbridge on the Barnstaple line at Copplestone.   The line is set to be shut until at least Tuesday (23rd Jan).

Services to Crediton from Exeter being maintained by Okehampton services, although they are terminating there this evening as there are several weather related problems beyond there to Okehampton.

Edit to add:  Okehampton services now suspended too, so no service to Crediton.

[TaplowGreen]

Seen the pictures of the damage, looks pretty dramatic!

[plymothian]

A 2m section of this bridge has come away from the structure, which itself is bulging.

[JayMac]

[AMLAG]

Looks very like lots of roots hanging down, from likely vegetation/bushes / buddleia etc being allowed to grow in the bridge structure that eventually fell off through likely water ingress/ frost / wind action etc bringing rubble and stone out with it.

[infoman]

Don't know the area very well,but is it the small bridge over the railway line?

If so,put in a speed limit and could a watch person not just observe the bridge when a train is getting near.

The stone work is only going to fall on the roof of the train>

[Witham Bobby]

To judge from the vegetation growing from many a masonry railway structure, this incident is one that is going to be repeated elsewhere

[LiskeardRich]

Don't know the area very well,but is it the small bridge over the railway line?

If so,put in a speed limit and could a watch person not just observe the bridge when a train is getting near.

The stone work is only going to fall on the roof of the train>

It’s a bridge connecting farm land either side of the track. Private use by the farmer. He’s clearly allowed it to overgrow from the roots. I’d say demolish and tough luck farmer you should have looked after it

[bradshaw]

Reopened this evening with speed limit, along with overnight working to restore damage.

[AMLAG]

This accommodation bridge has allegedly been out of use for sometime, but in any case would still be expected to be subject to regular inspection and maintenance by in this case Network Rail and/or its appointed Contractor.

[Witham Bobby]

It’s a bridge connecting farm land either side of the track. Private use by the farmer. He’s clearly allowed it to overgrow from the roots. I’d say demolish and tough luck farmer you should have looked after it

I believe that for all accommodation bridges, underpasses, level crossings, it is the railway's responsibility to maintain the infrastructure.  The duty will usually extend back to the original Act of Parliament under which the line was built.

It would be a good idea for NR^» (Network Rail - home page) to buy-out the rights of landowners who no longer use bridges such as this, and demolish the structures, so that they no longer need maintenance. 

[Mark A]

From Google Earth, that particular bridge is in use by the farmer. (Also, on old OS^▸ (Ordnance Survey) maps, it is named "Black Bridge") It doesn't look to be a location that would subject it to extraordinary loads, mind.

Mark

[CyclingSid]

I believe that for all accommodation bridges, underpasses, level crossings, it is the railway's responsibility to maintain the infrastructure.  The duty will usually extend back to the original Act of Parliament under which the line was built.

It would be a good idea for NR^» (Network Rail - home page) to buy-out the rights of landowners who no longer use bridges such as this, and demolish the structures, so that they no longer need maintenance. 

I think this concept has not had an entirely positive reception in relation to historic railways assets. Demolition (or filling with concrete on unused routes) hasn't always found favour in the courts.