Bedlam Bridge repairs completed

"MAJOR repairs have been completed to Bedlam Bridge on the branch line into Hanson Aggregates’ Whatley Quarry, near Frome. The structure was damaged last year when the Village of Mells locomotive left the rails and ran for several hundred metres along the track bed before hitting the bridge and turning over. At the time the locomotive was hauling 42 wagons, each carrying nearly 80 tonnes of limestone from Whatley to depots in Kent. No-one was hurt in the incident."

"The contract for repairing the bridge was awarded to Dean & Dyball, who were also involved in the immediate aftermath of the crash with temporary repairs and recovery of the locomotive and wagons. Owen Williams Railways, who act as Railtrack’s structural consultants, were commissioned to design the permanent bridge repairs."

"Hanson’s principal engineer, Brian Jackson, who is based at Whatley Quarry, said: ‘The contract specified that repairs had to be carried out within a 96h total track-possession period and this was accomplished.’"

Reinstatement work is now being carried out to remove spilt stone and other debris from the derailment site. Investigations into the cause of the crash are continuing.