Long stoppage planned for the Oxford

[canaldrifter]

Why has the OP opened a second thread on this topic? Posting before checking?

 

tone

 

edited to add: My apologies to the OP. I've just noted that he was 10 minutes earlier than the OP of the other thread!

 

Top Cat indeed.

Edited April 19, 2011 by canaldrifter

[carlt]

It seems to me that from the image, the damage shown is due to vandalism on the parapet, not to structural integrity of the bridge. So why is the bridge being demolished?

 

tone

So that business drops to nothing, enabling the Pubco to board it up and persuade the authorities that it could never make money, as a pub, but they'd make a tidy return if residential planning permission was gained, perhaps?

 

This is pretty much what is happening to our local pub.

 

Edited to add, if the arch is still intact then it may even be cheaper to rebuild, rather than demolish.

Edited April 19, 2011 by carlt

[canaldrifter]

So that business drops to nothing, enabling the Pubco to board it up and persuade the authorities that it could never make money, as a pub, but they'd make a tidy return if residential planning permission was gained, perhaps?

 

This is pretty much what is happening to our local pub.

 

Edited to add, if the arch is still intact then it may even be cheaper to rebuild, rather than demolish.

 

I wonder how many pubs Punch have done this to over the years? Certainly our local Punch pub is up for sale (at a stupid extortionate 1.3 million!). Is closing down and selling off pubs where Puch are actually making their money? They seem hell bent on getting rid of their customers and tenants here through over-pricing.

 

tone

[Guest]

Why has the OP opened a second thread on this topic? Posting before checking?

 

tone

 

edited to add: My apologies to the OP. I've just noted that he was 10 minutes earlier than the OP of the other thread!

 

Top Cat indeed.

 

You sure??? - check your AM's and PM's Tone

 

PS - mine was also in the correct forum for stoppages..

[Guest]

It seems to me that from the image, the damage shown is due to vandalism on the parapet, not to structural integrity of the bridge. So why is the bridge being demolished?

 

tone

 

I wish now I had some pictures of the bridge taken from the tow-path.

 

From memory (and this is from Feb 2010) there was/is a substantial 'crack' (don't know the correct term), that followed down from the damage you see in my photo down to the offside bank. I suspect the bridge, has subsided on one side and the bricks and mortar have separated, the higher up the parapet you go the more the separation has occurred thus loosening the bricks that used to fill the gap you see in my picture. I'm then guessing the bricks either fell out or were removed for H&S reasons or as you say pushed out by vandals.

 

What would be good would be if somebody near(er) the site could get some up to date pics. I seem to recall there is a few CWDF members out and about on the Oxford at the mo so it would be good if any passing could get some up to date much more current pictures as my recollection may be a bit out.

 

- I sense a 'Save Bridge 15' campaign/petition developing....

[magpie patrick]

I wish now I had some pictures of the bridge taken from the tow-path.

 

From memory (and this is from Feb 2010) there was/is a substantial 'crack' (don't know the correct term), that followed down from the damage you see in my photo down to the offside bank. I suspect the bridge, has subsided on one side and the bricks and mortar have separated, the higher up the parapet you go the more the separation has occurred thus loosening the bricks that used to fill the gap you see in my picture. I'm then guessing the bricks either fell out or were removed for H&S reasons or as you say pushed out by vandals.

 

What would be good would be if somebody near(er) the site could get some up to date pics. I seem to recall there is a few CWDF members out and about on the Oxford at the mo so it would be good if any passing could get some up to date much more current pictures as my recollection may be a bit out.

 

- I sense a 'Save Bridge 15' campaign/petition developing....

 

Sheer failure, otherwise known as the structure snapping, to use laymans language. The bridge has sheered through settlement

[luctor et emergo]

Re-development. It's so obvious.

[canaldrifter]

Re-development. It's so obvious.

 

Abso...bloody... lutely.

 

Getting rid of the bridge prevents rear established access (probably a public footpath) through the property.

 

So who's up for a campaign?

 

Or is it too late?

 

tone

 

edited for another 'o' in 'too'.

Edited April 19, 2011 by canaldrifter

[Guest]

I can see member PeterScott has added some pictures that better show the damage to the gallery..

 

Thanks Peter..

[carlt]

I can see member PeterScott has added some pictures that better show the damage to the gallery..

 

I wonder if Daniel will be repairing it, or demolishing completely.

 

I do hope there is no prolonged forum stoppage, as a result.

[canaldrifter]

You sure??? - check your AM's and PM's Tone

 

PS - mine was also in the correct forum for stoppages..

 

Oh yeah!

 

Top Cat, you are a wazak after all!

 

(But then so am I for not being able to read.)

 

tone

[RLWP]

<snip>

 

So who's up for a campaign?

 

<snip>

 

tone

 

 

What do we do?

 

Richard

[Guest]

What do we do?

 

Richard

 

Nothing less than direct action - blow it up maybe....

[RLWP]

Seriously, what do we do?

 

Richard

[canaldrifter]

Seriously, what do we do?

 

Richard

 

Well.... I'm not there, (but I could be by road if there is a campaign). Access for the demolition people will either be from the pub car park or along the canal from the main road bridge.

 

It must be easily possible to block either.

 

That would cause press interest.

 

tone

[Guest]

Seriously, what do we do?

 

Richard

 

If you look at Peter's pictures taken in October 2010 and the one I took in Feb 2010 I think it's obvious that substantial structural deterioration has taken place even in that time - goodness knows how bad it is today,

 

Whatever is done the bridge is clearly beyond saving.

 

The very best that could be hoped for is forcing PT to rebuild it or the least force them to erect a 'basic' foot bridge.

 

We need someone who knows how to conduct such a campaign - or what about an e-petition?

[ymu]

I think it's too late to stop it - responsibly, anyway. The stoppage has already been announced, for the summer, after much effort by BW to make them sort it out. And it is very dangerous.

 

A better angle might be a local campaign to make sure that the public right of way is restored (ie a new bridge built at some point) and also to make sure that the pub can't go for development - or at least, make sure that any future planning application would be so over-whelmingly objected to that it wouldn't get through.

 

Might be worth talking to local ramblers associations, maybe fishing too, if it would affect access for local fishermen, and local residents of course. Getting a pre-emptive local campaign going would at least make it harder for them to profiteer from this. If they have the right sort of local MP, it could be a lot more successful than that.

 

 

In terms of doing it, you start off by talking to the people affected and find out what's going on, how the locals feel, which local organisations might be interested in getting involved. It would be pretty important to have some back-up for the idea that this is being used as an opportunity to run the pub down for development, too. The pub tenants might be useful there.

Edited April 19, 2011 by ymu

[PeterScott]

I can see member PeterScott has added some pictures that better show the damage to the gallery.. Thanks Peter..

Yes I was trying to get the captions right. And then swmbo wanted to plan our May trip ... are we going from Streethay to Braunston? ... it seems not I'm just reading about a problem with that bridge at Ansty we stopped by last year _sigh_

 

Anyway, this is best pic from the boat in October.

 

and the others here, some from July. It does seem a shame to demolish a 'typical' Oxford bridge rather than one of the modern concrete ones. I've some sympathy for poor old BW, but in the end they have allowed the canal to be closed for a fortnight. They have this complicated system of inspecting and classifying the public safety of all their 'assets', which they tell us is a major improvement on any previous system, so it won't have been a surprise that the bridge is falling down. If my local highway authority thinks my hedge is a problem to passing cars they can cut it themselves and send me an invoice, so some more enthusiastic BW enforcement last year might have avoided the problem. imho.

 

I recall hearing this was not the only bridge in trouble on this section.

[Top cat]

Ok I didn't check the Stoppages forum first - sorry

 

BW SHOULD have bloody well insisted that Punch taverns fixed their bridge much sooner like during the last two winters that they have known about the issue. And if Punch would not play ball demolish it for them and send in a huge bill. And why does it take 10 days to knock a bridge down ? one canal time boat can do it in 10 seconds or less.

 

Top Cat

[Guest]

Edited to add, if the arch is still intact then it may even be cheaper to rebuild, rather than demolish.

 

Looking at Peters pics I'd say the arch was intact isn't it

 

savable after all maybe?

 

 

eta an i

Edited April 19, 2011 by MJG

[canaldrifter]

From the images, the basic bridge arch is sound. There is no need to demolish it.

 

tone

[carlt]

Looking at Peters pics I'd say the arch was intact isn't it

 

savable after all maybe?

 

 

eta an i

I would say so (though old bridges were not my speciality I do have some knowledge).

 

The actual load bearing structure is a very thin layer of the arch, the rest of the structure is just making the arch into a bridge.

 

If the actual arch is still intact then you could deconstruct the rest of the bridge, and then rebuilding it,retaining the original span intact.

 

I have seen bridges where there is literally just the layer of material making up the bottom of the span, the rest having disappeared, over the years, yet the structural strength remains.

 

It looks to me like the brick work, to the left of the crack is subsiding, so that would probably need underpinning.

[canaldrifter]

Ok I didn't check the Stoppages forum first - sorry

 

 

 

I forgive you... if no-one else does TC...

 

Tone

[carlt]

[quote name='Top cat' timestamp='1303245058' post='679938'And why does it take 10 days to knock a bridge down ?

They will have to take it down brick by brick, until there is just the arch remaining.

 

BW should have some pretty strict conditions, to preserve the integrity of the canal underneath.

 

You can't just drop the lot into the cut, then dig it all out.

[ymu]

How difficult would it be to make it safe without destroying the structural integrity?

 

Any barrack room lawyers know if an emergency injunction might be possible, if the necessary local consultation hasn't happened? Does anyone know if there was a local consultation?

 

FOIA on the correspondence with Punch Taverns wouldn't hurt.