New Bridge under test at Glasgow Central

52D · Post by **52D** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:07 pm

An ex driver at North Blyth has sent me this old pic its worth a study. It shows a new bridge being tested in 1902. Interesting use of locos as test weights.

Bryan · Post by **Bryan** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:53 pm

Loco use for bridge testing was common practice everywhere.
There is film or photos of a bridge near Selby under test in that fashion using Q6s I think.

Deepol · Post by **Deepol** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 7:30 pm

Another view of the extended approaches to Glasgow Central under construction.

sawdust · Post by **sawdust** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 9:04 pm

With all those locos in steam, it would have been nasty if the bridge had collapsed!

Sawdust.

Rlangham · Post by **Rlangham** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 9:40 pm

Nice! I've seen it done in photographs with road bridges using steam traction engines/road rollers etc but never thought of doing it with railway ones, what a sight that must have been - and have to echo sawdust's comments about a bridge collapse, would also have pretty dire effects on locomotive availability for a while....

Postman Prat · Post by **Postman Prat** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 10:08 pm

Would have been a bl...y great splash!!!

Rlangham · Post by **Rlangham** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 10:38 pm

Three crude replicas of 'Rocket' in the foreground too (I joke - they look similar to tar boilers, what are they for?)

third-rail · Post by **third-rail** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 10:48 pm

Rlangham wrote:Three crude replicas of 'Rocket' in the foreground too (I joke - they look similar to tar boilers, what are they for?)

look like asphelt boilers possiably as a thick waterproofing bed before ballasting or building of the platforms

jukebox · Post by **jukebox** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:20 am

Bryan wrote:Loco use for bridge testing was common practice everywhere.
There is film or photos of a bridge near Selby under test in that fashion using Q6s I think.

Indeed.

96 locos, 7000 tons, Sydney 1932:

More here: http://www.nla.gov.au/apps/cdview/?pi=nla.pic-vn4541768

manna · Post by **manna** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 9:13 am

G'Day Gents

Not quite up to the standards of Sydney Harbour bridge, but a bridge renewal a bit closer to home.........

manna

Blink Bonny · Post by **Blink Bonny** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 3:11 pm

Ay up!

Interesting piccies. And how!

PGBerrie · Post by **PGBerrie** » Tue Oct 23, 2012 7:21 pm

Pity they didn't do the same test for this, which was officially opened yesterday:
http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/eu ... hannel=542
96 steam locos - the mouth waters,

Peter

52D · Post by **52D** » Thu Oct 25, 2012 6:44 pm

Using oddities for load testing is not that uncommon as long as they have been weighed by a certified and calibrated weighing system. There is a quite famous pic of Freekirk Bridge near Grantshouse being tested by an A4/D49 combination after the 1948 flooding.

The LNER Encyclopedia

New Bridge under test at Glasgow Central

New Bridge under test at Glasgow Central

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Re: New Bridge under test at Glasgow Central

Re: New Bridge under test at Glasgow Central

Re: New Bridge under test at Glasgow Central

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Re: New Bridge under test at Glasgow Central

Re: New Bridge under test at Glasgow Central

Re: New Bridge under test at Glasgow Central