Finstock Bridge

Sat 27 Mar 2021, 22:12

Costly and tempting but I would prefer that the workers get on with the job and finish so we get the road back.

Sat 27 Mar 2021, 12:39 (last edited on Sat 27 Mar 2021, 15:23)

So there is access if you are on foot, so here is an idea, buy two cars then park one the other side of the bridge, then make your way to Witney!

Fri 26 Mar 2021, 22:35

Here’s an idea, we could just suck it up and get on with it....

Fri 26 Mar 2021, 18:52

It's been going on for far too long now and is very annoying when you can see that there are plenty of times when noone is working there.  It is difficult for people trying to get into Witney (I can get there OK but always take a wrong turning somwhere on the way back)  There are so very many road closures and diversions it is difficult to know when one can resume life as we used to know it again.

Fri 26 Mar 2021, 13:27

In normal circumstances I would suggest it's a lot safer for pedestrians and cyclists to used the footpath through Cornbury Park than go via Finstock bridge as it's rather safer, albeit a bit problematic for some road bikes. However, with no through traffic it's probably as good now as it will ever be.

Fri 26 Mar 2021, 13:18

Nobody was working there today either – pleasant being a pedestrian, but not very useful for everyone generally.

Fri 26 Mar 2021, 12:08

I understand there was no one working there yesterday. Is that why we and everyone else are inconvenienced.

Mon 22 Mar 2021, 14:33

Thanks Sarah. Yes, very, very sad face.

Pulham's have told me that they are extending their temporary timetable for the X9 which was due to run out today, and their timetable is being updated now.

Mon 22 Mar 2021, 12:18

New info from school bus company this morning that the bridge is indeed closed until the 19th April-sad face!!

Mon 22 Mar 2021, 08:53

That’s brilliant, thank you. Even more incentive for me to get out my bike and cycle to work!

Mon 22 Mar 2021, 08:03

Anna - there is a pedestrian walkway past the works.  Can be used by cyclists as long as they dismount (I used it on Saturday).

Mon 22 Mar 2021, 07:29

That’s very helpful, Christine. Do you or anyone else know if there is access for pedestrians or cyclists?

Sun 21 Mar 2021, 17:53 (last edited on Sun 21 Mar 2021, 17:55)

One Network (link below) says closed during the day until April 19th, although the official diversion route changes on March 24th.

Pulhams' buses does not seem to register this, and I am wondering if they are intending to allow buses through after Monday. There is already access for emergency services. 

Sun 21 Mar 2021, 17:26

Can anyone confirm whether the road will be open during the day up to 19 April, or not?

Sun 21 Mar 2021, 15:26

Hello all

After speaking with network rail,  it is the 19th April

Sun 21 Mar 2021, 14:38 (last edited on Sun 21 Mar 2021, 14:39)

Sorry. 19th April, unless the new information from Sarah about it being closed only overnight after Monday turns out to be correct. Can only hope so! 

Sun 21 Mar 2021, 14:16

Christine are you sure that it is the 19 APRIL - surely 19 MARCH

Sun 21 Mar 2021, 13:23

Many thanks to all.

Good grief.  Who needs lockdown when we are being confined to Charlbury anyway?!  I sometimes wonder if there's a cunning plan to incarcerate us all.

Sun 21 Mar 2021, 13:21

I was just told by the school bus company that the closure is until end of day on Monday and that the network rail work will continue but during night closures. The kids will be pleased as it's along detail to school for some of them! I hope this is correct. 

Sun 21 Mar 2021, 12:40 (last edited on Sun 21 Mar 2021, 12:55)

Hannen the bridge is closed until April 19th. The only mystery is whether it's because of bees.

The 2nd turn towards Leafield is much better. It's longer, but good(ish) roads. Past the small Post Office in Leafield on your left, then turn right onto The Green. Carry on to The Ridings and stay on that road, heading towards Minster Lovell. There's a 1-way system there, follow it round over the bridge and head towards Witney. Turn left on the Burford Rd which will take you into town. 

However, watch out because Market Street in Charlbury will be closed by 31/3.

You may be better going in the other direction: towards Finstock, turn left to Fawler and then take the second turning to North Leigh, rather than the first which is too small for all the traffic using it, as Liz suggested. Not advisable in rush hour, however. Much too narrow for the traffic using it. Going via Woodstock is better in rush hour if going in that direction.

Sun 21 Mar 2021, 12:31

Closed until the 19th April still have to go the back way to work. Then sturt road is closed on the 24th for on day oh the joys of trying to get to work 

Sun 21 Mar 2021, 11:38

Does anyone know the latest about this please?

I have to go the optician in Witney on 31 March and although I managed it last week it was a horrendous journey driving via Leafield.  That lane is so narrow and so many potholes.

I suppose I could go via Burford?

Poor Mandy!

Sat 20 Mar 2021, 12:19

Yes. Thank you. But I was wondering about the bees. Is the problem masonry bees? Does anyone know? 

Sat 20 Mar 2021, 12:09

Yes this is what there saying now open on the 18th of April 

Sat 20 Mar 2021, 10:41

I've read on a Facebook page that the delay to the Finstock bridge repair has been caused by the need to "sensitively remove" some bees!

Does anyone know any more about this? Seems quite odd to me at this time of the year, unless they are perhaps masonry bees.

Fri 19 Mar 2021, 20:51

It’s for one day on the 24th 9.30 till 3.30pm 

Fri 19 Mar 2021, 18:21

What's that about Sturt Road being closed? Have I missed something?

Fri 19 Mar 2021, 14:25

That should be interesting , the road closure through the main part of Finstock, has their diversion route going over the rail bridge.

With Sturt road also being closed, most will have to drive to Enstone, to be able to drive to Woodstock to be able to follow the official diversions.

Fri 19 Mar 2021, 13:53

I'll see if I can find out from Highways

Fri 19 Mar 2021, 13:32

The One Network site is now reporting that is closed until 19 April.

Fri 19 Mar 2021, 13:23

Yes I heard that today.

Fri 19 Mar 2021, 13:07

Rumour has it the bridge will be closed until the 18th April. I hope not. Can anyone confirm? 

Sat 6 Mar 2021, 12:21

Thanks for the information, John.

Useful to know why it is taking so long -- and also that it seems likely to be completed in time. It would, of course, be even better if the works were finished earlier than March 22nd. 

Fri 5 Mar 2021, 20:32

Christine and others, my view is that the contract for the waterproofing work ought to have specified an end date which sounds like 22nd March.
Waterproofing a brick/ masonry arch involves taking the surfacing tarmac and its compacted stone base out. Then digging down carefully to the back of the arch stonework. A membrane or a waterproof compound would then be laid over the masonry and up the side walls (these are called ‘spandrels’). Drainage pipes might then be cleaned out or new pipes provided allowing water to run out through the spandrels. Stone would then be placed over the new waterproofing, compacted by vibrating rollers in layers about 20cm thick up to the underside of the road base. More, graded, stone fill would be compacted as the base for the road surfacing. The base layer and road final surfaces would then be laid allowing reopening.

One complicating factor in all this is the need to locate and divert any utilities - gas, electric, telecoms, water - that might use the bridge. This can take much time and effort, in liaison with the utility companies. 
Apologies for all this technical stuff but I enjoy the ‘telling’ and the opportunity to do so.. and I do teach some of this! 
Like Barry, I have ‘history’ in bridge maintenance but mostly Brunel’s railway bridges around Bristol.

Fri 5 Mar 2021, 07:50

Well done Mandy!!!

Thu 4 Mar 2021, 22:47

Talking to one of the workmen on Saturday night he said they were on track to finish on time so roll on 22nd March 

Thu 4 Mar 2021, 17:42

I've no idea if the Finstock Bridge repairs will be finished on time, but I suspect that Network Rail will be under a lot of pressure to make sure it is completed. The expert on bridge repairs is Barry from the Three Horseshoes as his daytime responsibility is bridge maintenance for Oxfordshire CC. However, that won't include railway bridges as they are the responsibility of Network Rail.

I think the complication is going to be the need to keep the trains moving which will limit the time available they can work on much of the bridge. Unlike road vehicles it's a bit difficult to divert a train. John will know far more about this than me as he's involved in the industry (but not as a Network Rail employee).

Thu 4 Mar 2021, 14:45

Either route to Witney are best avoided. I went via one today and came back via the other.The mud on my car was dreadful and I hosed down the wheel arches and wheels before I put it away. No point in going to a car wash and then returning through a mud bath. Possibly the best and cleanest route is via Burford.

Thu 4 Mar 2021, 12:26 (last edited on Thu 4 Mar 2021, 12:29)

I sincerely hope that it will be finished by March 22nd - the 18 month clause is belt and braces, but the plan is for the work to be finished on or before March 22nd

Thu 4 Mar 2021, 11:18

Do Steve and John Dora, who seem to know so much about bridge building and repairs, have any views on whether it is likely that the Finstock Bridge repairs will be completed by March 22nd?

I noticed on the Traffic Regulation notices that 18 months was given as the maximum time for the Finstock road bridge closure -- but perhaps that's just a standard kind of clause added to such notices.

Thu 4 Mar 2021, 10:50 (last edited on Thu 4 Mar 2021, 10:53)

Not that bridge John. I'm talking about a much more recent one towards the west of the town. It was a road bridge dating from the end of the 19th century and had to be raised for the electrification. The new one is hideously ugly. The project planning was appalling as well as I recall having to direct lorries with massive pre-cast concrete blocks that had turned up on the wrong side and no on-site management. It sometimes used to go 3 months with no activity.

They did erect a temporary footbridge whilst the main bridge (just a single lane) was out of action for over 15 months.

The 1,000 ton crane was because the entire road deck was moved in one piece and the only flat place for the crane was a car park with a very long reach. The bridge deck was a small fraction of that weight.

The main bridge by the station when the road was widened underneath was a much more impressive event altogether and something of an engineering wonder.

Thu 4 Mar 2021, 09:51

Thanks Liz-your help is much appreciated!

Wed 3 Mar 2021, 19:40

Small world. I took some pics too. I was assistant to the Resident Engineer there and worked on site from ‘83 to ‘85. We built six bridges - three carrying platforms and three carrying railway tracks. 

Wed 3 Mar 2021, 16:39

It was John. I did take some photos.

Tue 2 Mar 2021, 15:04

Steve Jones  - was that 1000 ton crane at Maidenhead?

Tue 2 Mar 2021, 13:22 (last edited on Tue 2 Mar 2021, 13:22)

I have been trying for weeks to get some signs up advising people to go further on in Fawler and take the second turning to North Leigh, rather than the first which is too small for all the traffic using it.  I did manage to get some pedestrian signs up a couple of weeks ago. But the responsibility for placing diversion signs lies firmly with Network Rail, not with the County, as NR operates under independent regulations of their own and Highways cannot interfere with what they are doing other than to give them a permit to close the road and agree an official diversion which goes all the way round through Woodstock. Understandably people who know the route are cutting through Fawler. We have given up trying to get NR to respond and I have just agreed with OCC that we will unofficially put some signs up BUT there may be a cost associated with that and it is then a question of who pays.  So I am afraid that in spite of a considerable amount of work by officers to try and sort this out, it remains a problem

Tue 2 Mar 2021, 09:51

Unfortunately, the increased traffic through Fawler is a real problem and the damage to the road and verges on the lane to East End is significant. The lack of diversion signs mean that we lots of cars heading down the lane to the river too. Not good.

Tue 2 Mar 2021, 07:09

In the meantime, while the road is closed, enjoy being able to do the Wychwood circular walk without getting mown down by traffic past Finstock Manor.

Tue 2 Mar 2021, 05:14

although there might be less lorries coming through Charlbury,  I do wonder what affect its had on the emergency services response time.

I have tried to contact network rail regarding what actual work they are doing and why its taking so long,  considering the entire bridge has been closed to traffic, surely they'll be able to work quicker as they don't need to worry about getting run over.

Regarding the rail closures as far as I am aware they are only happening in the weekends and only Sundays at that.  Does make you wonder how dangerous and disruptive the work actually is, if they are allowing trains to pass underneath.

However they haven't responded to my attempts to contact them as they have an expected response time of 20 working days.....  

Mon 1 Mar 2021, 22:59

The absence of the HGVs is a welcome relief, I could hear the birds tweeting for once. Is it time our town council requested a permanent ban on HGVs coming through Charlbury.

Mon 1 Mar 2021, 18:55

On the positive side, there are a lot fewer heavy lorries travelling through Charlbury at the moment.

As far as working on the bridge is concerned, then the complicating factor will be the need to keep the rail service going. There will be a whole lot of things that need to be done that will take longer than and overnight stint. Network Rail will have to suspend services during those and hence bus replacement services.

Also,  because it's a brick bridge and, presumably, they will want to keep it's character, then there's going to be some processes that simply can't be made to happen quickly. There will be materials that have to set off, road surfaces torn up, waterproofing layers put down and so on.

These things are a whole lot quicker if it's a steel road deck as they can replace those all with a crane. I used to live near main GWR line and they used a 1,000 tonne crane to drop a new bridge in overnight (although the whole process actually took a year).

Mon 1 Mar 2021, 18:38

  Could we have a whip round to ask them them to work nights to get the job done sooner? It is a long way round to Witney. 

Mon 1 Mar 2021, 18:32

Closed up to the 22 March in my diary.

Mon 1 Mar 2021, 17:59

When will this be finished?