Bridge Strike :: Knighton - Llandrindod (Heart of Wales line)

[whole diary]

[DaveHarries]

The National Rail Enquiries site advised on Thursday evening that the HoW^▸ (Heart of Wessex line (Weymouth - Yeovil - Frome - Westbury) or Heart of Wales line (Swansea - Llanelli - Llandrindod - Craven Arms - Shrewsbury), depending on context) line is closed between Knighton and Llandrindod following a bridge strike involving a JCB / tractor and trailer. The NRE^▸ (National Rail Enquiries) website said that "due to the nature of this incident, serious damage has been sustained to the bridge. Extensive damage has been sustained by the JCB, trailer and tractor. This means that the bridge cannot be properly examined until removal of the road vehicles. Examination is expected to commence after 23:00. More information regarding train services for Friday 27 April will be made available by 05:00 on 27 April". The A44 was closed until the digger, tractor and trailer were recovered late on Thursday but has now reopened.

I looked at the bridge on Google Earth: height signs attached to the bridge say 4.4m. The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) News website has photos: I am guessing that there may be some suspiscion of careless driving as a result of this? Caused a fair amount of damage to the bridge as well as the load.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-43916300

Dave

[ellendune]

When an excavator is on a lorry or a trailer the bucket should be chained down as sometimes the arm can drift up. I suspect that is what has happened here.

[SandTEngineer]

Crikey, thats some bridge strike.  Hopefully it looks as though it hasn't hit the girders but just the retaining wall.  Don't care a bit about the JCB/TRACTOR/TRAILER but do hope the driver is OK (and fit enough to attend court if required).

[phile]

Crikey, thats some bridge strike.  Hopefully it looks as though it hasn't hit the girders but just the retaining wall.  Don't care a bit about the JCB/TRACTOR/TRAILER but do hope the driver is OK (and fit enough to attend court if required).

The driver, apparently, was fit enough to leg it from the scene.     Suspect theft if that's the case ?

[DaveHarries]

The driver, apparently, was fit enough to leg it from the scene.     Suspect theft if that's the case ?

Hmm. Does sound like it. Where did you read about the driver legging it?

Dave