New look for Worcester's Foregate Street Bridge revealed

3:42pm Friday 15th February 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By James Connell

New look Foregate Street Bridge revealed New look Foregate Street Bridge revealed

PEOPLE have gained a first glimpse of Worcester’s gleaming railway bridge now beautifully restored to its former glory.

The Foregate Street Bridge once again returned to the limelight after spending many months hidden by scaffolding while the work to restore it was painstakingly carried out. An official opening ceremony will take place on Friday (February 22) at 11am attended by various dignitaries involved in the Network Rail project.

However, people were able to admire the good work today, completed successfully by civil engineering and rail specialists J Murphy & Sons Ltd on the bridge, which is grade two listed and dates back to 1860.

John Baker of Network Rail said: “We have preserved the bridge for many years to come and have restored it to its former glory.” Work included restoring the fractured cast iron fascia, replacing the bridge drainage system, restoring the steel girders and painting.

The £1.1 million Network Rail scheme was due to finish on August 31 last year but workmen found more corrosion than expected and a new timetable for the work had to be drawn up.

Network Rail also issued a statement thanking the people of Worcester ‘for their patience and understanding’ while the restoration work was carried out. A separate £785,000 revamp of Worcester Foregate Street railway station can now begin.

  • Click here for brilliant Facebook debate about the pros and cons of this paint job.

Comments(15)

gmoore1207 says...
7:01pm Fri 15 Feb 13

1.1 million with all the unemployment and people losing there houses its a disrace

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bmoc55 says...
7:02pm Fri 15 Feb 13

Brilliant!!

Worth the wait.

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chris4536 says...
7:17pm Fri 15 Feb 13

Great to see finished restoration.

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chapski75 says...
12:39pm Sat 16 Feb 13

gmoore1207 wrote:
1.1 million with all the unemployment and people losing there houses its a disrace
Just why would Network Rail spend £1.1million on solving unemployment and housing issues?? They are a private company (albeit a not for profit organisation) but their remit is to distribute the revenue they receive to maintain the railway infrastructure. The £1.1 million is not just a pretty paint job, you'd hope the artist signed it in the corner if that were the case!! It's an extensive refurbishment, the fact it now looks splendid as a result is a supplementary benefit to our City.

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CJH says...
12:44pm Sat 16 Feb 13

I'm just disappointed that it's not painted gold. ;-)

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M@lvernite says...
2:40pm Sat 16 Feb 13

gmoore1207 wrote:
1.1 million with all the unemployment and people losing there houses its a disrace
Presumably much of that £1.1m will have been spent on people to do the work. It may seem like a waste of money or "a disrace" to you, but to the employees of J Murphy & Sons Ltd and their families it helps to pay the mortgage.

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catcostume says...
3:23pm Sat 16 Feb 13

gmoore1207 wrote:
1.1 million with all the unemployment and people losing there houses its a disrace
What an incredibly stupid comment. Where do you think the money goes? There has been a large number of people involved in this project; network rail staff, project managers, structural engineers, contractors... the list goes on. A lot of jobs have relied upon this project over the last couple of years. It is great to see so much investment going into helping keep the railways safe and running so people can get to and from work safely and people are free to enjoy the rail industry in their (yes their, not 'there') leisure time, keeping a large amount of rail staff in employment.

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Doogie 46 says...
5:00pm Sat 16 Feb 13

I guess the contract for refurbishing the bridge (great job by the way) saved the work crew from the job centre - surprised gmoore can`t see that.

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Windy Miller says...
6:28pm Sat 16 Feb 13

This fine bridge was cast for the Great Western Company at Hardy and Padmores Worcester Foundry when it was owned by the Southall family.They had Southbank in Bath Road as the family home designed by the architect Sir Gilbert Scott and built by Spicers with the furnishings from Gillows of Lancaster. It was sadly demolished to make the nursing home.

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Jabbadad says...
5:19pm Sun 17 Feb 13

I also think the Bridge looks wonderful. How sad that it will be a backdrop for the returning Taxi's to park along the footpath and double yellow lines and in the Bus Stop forcing passengers to walk out into the middle of the road to board the buses.
Ignored of course by both the Traffic Wardens and Police who say it's not our problem.

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Lew Smoralz says...
12:55am Mon 18 Feb 13

The bridge looks great, and it really made my day to see it in all its original splendour. Congratulations to all involved.

In the end it was worth all the inconvenience and now all we need is a London train service that matches the grandeur of the bridge!

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Jabbadad says...
10:28am Mon 18 Feb 13

But Not the SP2.

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CJH says...
11:06am Mon 18 Feb 13

Jabbadad wrote:
But Not the SP2.
Is that a Star Wars character?

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Lew Smoralz says...
1:49pm Mon 18 Feb 13

CJH wrote:
Jabbadad wrote:
But Not the SP2.
Is that a Star Wars character?
Presumably Jabba meant HS2? However, I can think of a suitable title to match the SP2 initials!

The HS2 scheme is the work of the devil, and we need investment in local infrastructure instead. That should be the investment funding for the Northern Link and similar schemes around the country and where we rectify decades of under investment.

What use is HS2 to Worcester or most of the population across the country? It will just benefit the "rich boys" from Eton and Harrow.

As I don't have a trust fund to live on, I'd rather not pay out yet more money in taxes to benefit Cameron's privileged minority, thank you all the same.

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mr_wilson15 says...
7:50pm Mon 18 Feb 13

CJH wrote:
Jabbadad wrote:
But Not the SP2.
Is that a Star Wars character?
Jabbadad the Hutt??

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