05.04.13
Bridges installed ahead of Crossrail
New bridges were lifted into place over Easter by Network Rail to prepare the railway for new Crossrail services.
Middlegreen Road Bridge was installed, and Trenches Bridge in Slough and Old Stockley Road Bridge in Hillingdon were lifted into place. The old bridges had been demolished at Christmas.
The old Horton Bridge in Slough was also demolished, and work will now take place to link the new bridges to existing highways. The four bridges are expected to re-open between April and June this year.
Network Rail has also installed reinforced concrete piles at Stockley to form the foundations of the flyover, to allow Crossrail trains to get to and from Heathrow. A range of signalling work was carried out from West Drayton to Maidenhead, and a new crossover has been installed at Stockley.
David Lawson, Network Rail senior programme manager for Crossrail, said: “The completion of these bridge reconstructions marks an important step forward for the Crossrail programme as we prepare the existing railway for the new electric Crossrail trains.
“Crossrail will transform public transport, making it quicker and easier for people to get to a range of destinations across London and the South East. Residents in west London and Berkshire will benefit from new trains and frequent services that allow them to get right through the capital and beyond without having to change trains.”
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(Image shows Trenches Bridge being demolished over Christmas)