M3 railway bridge at Cannistown seems to be missing

L1011

At least it looks like the power of boards.ie has cost the contractors a few quid... which hopefully they can't claw back off the NRA somehow.

DWCommuter

MYOB wrote: »

At least it looks like the power of boards.ie has cost the contractors a few quid... which hopefully they can't claw back off the NRA somehow.

Exactly. I doubt they'll be clawing back. This white elephant was meant to be put in anyway and at a much earlier stage.

BrianD

Out of curiosity ... is that a twin track or a single track concrete box??

BrianD

BrianD wrote: »

Out of curiosity ... is that a twin track or a single track concrete box??

Looks too square to be twin track!

Nostradamus

DWCommuter wrote: »

Attachment not found.
As of today, the new structure is in, despite the fact that they nearly forgot about it. But don't get too excited as its usless anyway.

Incredible. They are laughing in the faces of people who want (need) rail services to Navan. They are worse than just gombeem men, they are sociopaths really without any ethics or human decency.

Stroke Politics

Nostradamus wrote: »

Incredible. They are laughing in the faces of people who want (need) rail services to Navan. They are worse than just gombeem men, they are sociopaths really without any ethics or human decency.

It's sickening alright. The hope for me is that the two gombeens have geared themselves so highly with borrowings that they go down with the banks. That, and the election in the locals in June of people who want to develop Meath for all of the people of Meath, would give some dim prospect of the train and proper sustainable transport infrastructure for the county.

Is feidir linn......

Seth Brundle

BrianD wrote: »

Out of curiosity ... is that a twin track or a single track concrete box??

Looking at the size of some of the diggers in the background, I'd guess that it will be double track. However, this is the M3 route so really anything is possible!

IIMII

It is double track with clearance for electrification. Same as the ones in Pace, and similar to the new box recently built on the by-pass outside Newry

ecaf

Sorry if this sounds stupid, I pass this every day and often wonder how much more digging is involved to allow the train through the tunnel on either side? I mean just because there is a tunnel there doesn't mean the train can pass through!
Where is it going to come from on the Cannistown side? I mean the way it is positioned it looks like the train will come up the existing road / through some peoples gardens / houses?
And on the Bective side it looks set to continue down the existing road to Bective?

I thought it was planned to run alongside the new M3?

IIMII

ecaf wrote: »

how much more digging is involved to allow the train through the tunnel on either side?

Some digging. When the line coming from Dublin leaves the Boyne (between Kilmessan & Bective), it starts a climb in a cutting (that becomes an embankment sth of the M3) that peaks approx where the new 'box' is on the M3.
The former line runs from Navan though the silver barn/Factory you see near that row of houses (you'll even find a half burried bridge there where the line was also in a cutting north of Cannistown). It will, if it follows the old route to the metre cut through some buildings and that barn/factory.

To the south you can see the old arch at the football club where the train used to travel over an embankment heading sth to the former train station at bective (do you know the other humped back bridge?) and then on to the other and not so well known Boyne viaduct near Bellinter. Again if it follows the old route exactly, some people will lose back gardens on the southside.

I don't know how the 'box' has been designed but you would hope that it will be orientated to allow the line to swing slightly west on the north side of the M3, and slightly east sth of the M3 to avoid homes & gardens. It wouldn't take much of a deviation for that 1-2 mile stretch (a deviation of metres literally) to achieve that

ecaf wrote: »

I thought it was planned to run alongside the new M3?

No, nothing to do with the M3 except where the M3 works cross the alignment (it was originally built in 1862) and actually follows a much more direct and faster routing than the M3 running through the more gently sloping Skane valley rather the fairly high up and westerly Gabhra (aka Tara-Skryne) valley.

DWCommuter

Some digging no. At lot of digging yes. The railway approaches from Dublin on an embankment a lot higher than the box. This embankment is severed by the realigned road on the new flyover. The gradient of the railway will have to be lowered considerably TO GET IT THROUGH THE BOX STRUCTURE. However people are forgetting that no allowance has been made for the aforemention realigned road. While nothing is too far beyond engineering the m3 has severed the alignment in a few areas and only made provision in one area due to interference by locals. No interest whatsoever has been taken by MCC or DEMPSEY despite their false promises. The costs have rocketed due to the m3.The facts are out there for all to see. Can IE talk their way out of it at the forthcoming public consultations, i doubt it, but it will be fun.

IIMII

Compared to the type of digging and cutting they've been doing on the M3 it is only 'some digging'. I'd say a mile on either side at a guess. And that 2-3 mile stretch will probably be virgin alignment presuming that they were avoiding properties on either side (a hell of a presumption, I know). The point is, the depth of the cutting isn't going to turn the alignment into a roller coaster as the alignment is climbing from Bellinter at the Boyne and beginning to drop back towards the Boyne at Kilcairn in either direction. It's not ideal, but at least it's there. Which is more than you can say for the alignment at the back of the Old Bridge Inn where a viaduct will be required to cross the new Boyne valley. As someone else pointed out elsewhere, there is an election only around the corner. Until such time as they actually seriously get around to digging (which may be never), the costs don't really matter. There is a fair chance the costs might never matter as I'm not convinced they ever really intended reopening the line.

dowlingm

If the M3 wasn't there, the digging wouldn't have to be done. Therefore, NRA should be forking out for any extra spend at any point caused by M3 which is required to run through that line - it should not be accounted to the IE cost of Navan-Dunboyne as a way of killing it.

DWCommuter

IIMII wrote: »

Compared to the type of digging and cutting they've been doing on the M3 it is only 'some digging'. I'd say a mile on either side at a guess. And that 2-3 mile stretch will probably be virgin alignment presuming that they were avoiding properties on either side (a hell of a presumption, I know). The point is, the depth of the cutting isn't going to turn the alignment into a roller coaster as the alignment is climbing from Bellinter at the Boyne and beginning to drop back towards the Boyne at Kilcairn in either direction. It's not ideal, but at least it's there. Which is more than you can say for the alignment at the back of the Old Bridge Inn where a viaduct will be required to cross the new Boyne valley. As someone else pointed out elsewhere, there is an election only around the corner. Until such time as they actually seriously get around to digging (which may be never), the costs don't really matter. There is a fair chance the costs might never matter as I'm not convinced they ever really intended reopening the line.

All true. But what gets me is the fact that for many years all the talk was about reopening the line. A hotel even had planning permission for an extension refused by MCC on the basis of the line reopening. (They won the subsequent court case against MCC) You yourself know that Dempsey has been promising it for years. The DTO have it in there. The sewer pipes at Dunsany contradicted the so called positivity, then along came the M3 and shot it in the head. People have a right to know all this, regardless of whether its built or not and especially if it isn't built. I want to pour shame on the so called public and IE representatives involved in this and I will.

As for behind the old bridge inn, its an astonishing joke. You're right, its the new Boyne valley! I wonder will all this sit comfortably with the IE people when they finally appear in public with their routes. Remember they were originally consulted about Cannistown and withdrew their orignal objection. They must have known that the M3 was gutting the rail alignment elsewhere. They didn't care as they thought a reopening was never really on the cards and it wasn't, lets be honest. Meath has been led a merry dance and fed untruths by the very people elected to represent and serve. Or else they are just plain thick.

DWCommuter

dowlingm wrote: »

If the M3 wasn't there, the digging wouldn't have to be done. Therefore, NRA should be forking out for any extra spend at any point caused by M3 which is required to run through that line - it should not be accounted to the IE cost of Navan-Dunboyne as a way of killing it.

I wish it was that simple and I understand your feelings. However the entire issue was mishandled by more than the NRA. MCC did not protect the alignment. IE expressed no interest in ensuring the preservation of the alignment. The NRA were told to build a motorway and both MCC and Irish Rail had every opportunity to protect the alignment. They did nothing. Was it disinterest? Was it ignorance? Was it intentional? These are the questions that need answering. My only regret is that when I was part of P11/RUI, we were already too late. Same for spencer Dock. But that doesn't mean I will sit idly by and watch as RUI ignore the issue along with the stoney silence and repetitive and meaningless statements from MCC, DOT and IE. The Navan Railway and the M3 is turning into one of the biggest transport scandals in the history of this state. The tip of the iceberg is all we have reached so far. There is more to come.

Stroke Politics

DWCommuter wrote: »

All true. But what gets me is the fact that for many years all the talk was about reopening the line. A hotel even had planning permission for an extension refused by MCC on the basis of the line reopening. (They won the subsequent court case against MCC) You yourself know that Dempsey has been promising it for years. The DTO have it in there. The sewer pipes at Dunsany contradicted the so called positivity, then along came the M3 and shot it in the head. People have a right to know all this, regardless of whether its built or not and especially if it isn't built. I want to pour shame on the so called public and IE representatives involved in this and I will.

As for behind the old bridge inn, its an astonishing joke. You're right, its the new Boyne valley! I wonder will all this sit comfortably with the IE people when they finally appear in public with their routes. Remember they were originally consulted about Cannistown and withdrew their orignal objection. They must have known that the M3 was gutting the rail alignment elsewhere. They didn't care as they thought a reopening was never really on the cards and it wasn't, lets be honest. Meath has been led a merry dance and fed untruths by the very people elected to represent and serve. Or else they are just plain thick.

I see today the Chronicle is flying a kite for Dempsey's exit strategy to be Ireland's next EU Commissioner. Can't see it happening, but it would be very convenient for him. Just before the brown stuff hits the air circulator.....

DWCommuter

Stroke Politics wrote: »

I see today the Chronicle is flying a kite for Dempsey's exit strategy to be Ireland's next EU Commissioner. Can't see it happening, but it would be very convenient for him. Just before the brown stuff hits the air circulator.....

He should be buried under the M3.

Stroke Politics

DWCommuter wrote: »

He should be buried under the M3.

There's going to be that much of the brown stuff under The Sacred Motorway, there won't be any room! He, he, he....

Nostradamus

Stroke Politics wrote: »

I see today the Chronicle is flying a kite for Dempsey's exit strategy to be Ireland's next EU Commissioner. Can't see it happening, but it would be very convenient for him. Just before the brown stuff hits the air circulator.....

Which explains why all these lowlifes in politics want us to deliver a "Yes" to Lisbon Vote.

It's all about THEM and not about Ireland.

Victor

IIMII wrote: »

Which is more than you can say for the alignment at the back of the Old Bridge Inn where a viaduct will be required to cross the new Boyne valley.

Where is this?

GerardKeating

IIMII wrote: »

Which is more than you can say for the alignment at the back of the Old Bridge Inn where a viaduct will be required to cross the new Boyne valley.

There is a new Valley ????

IIMII

The Old Bridge Inn is the pub when you cross over the Boyne coming towards Navan from Dublin - Kilcairn

It's very similar to the excavation they did on the N6 where they ploughed through a hill near Enfield (I think it's Enfield), but deeper than that

If you take the old road up the back of the Old Bridge Inn towards the Rugby club, youll see it

The railway will need a decent bridge to get over it - do-able of course, but expensive

D'Peoples Voice

IIMII wrote: »

Here is the Dunboyne bridge, and what was expected at Cannistown.

And Cannistown as it is.

Is this the same area?

IIMII

No. Cannistown is just south of Navan, the other pics are of the M3 toll plaza just north of the Blackbull. About 15 miles apart. The bridge in the original photo has been demolished