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nauticaljane
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Just to let you know the bridge will be closed for 4 nights from 5th June( as well as 15 May for 1 night )
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funkychick
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for further dates and times lowestoft journal 24 has it in detail
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JollyJapes
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Lowestoft’s main bridge will close overnight for engineering tests to be carried out.
Maintainance work on the A12 Bascule Bridge over Lake Lothing will start up again next weekend. The bridge, a main route through the town, will be closed overnight from Sunday, June 5 to Wednesday, June 8 between 10pm and 6am while contractors install and test a new hydraulic unit.
A diversion route will take traffic via the A1117, A146 and A1144 and a free bus service will be provided for pedestrians.
http://www.lowestoftjournal.co.uk/news/lowestoft_bridge_will_be_closed_for_work_1_906816
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JollyJapes
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Just to let everyone know the bridge closing times have now changed.
The bridge is now up, and the times are now 8pm till 6am, for the next 4 days. Something to do with more work needed doing than first thought, and will take longer to do.
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Old Spice
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Over the past few days I've been working outside repairing some of the shopfront.
I've noticed a lot of people ignore the lane closure lights on the gantry,some of them using the 'closed lane' to go over the lights on red when the bridge is raised.
I wonder if its time the confusion caused by the lane being closed or open at different times was solved by either closing or opening the lane permanently.
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funkychick
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Old Spice I ve often wondered that
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frankiesays
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When the "new" bridge first opened the middle lane was on a strict timetable wasn't it?
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Old Spice
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It's supposed to be on a timetable now but it's pretty much ignored,one day there will be an all mighty accident I've seen a few near misses whilst I've been up my ladders outside.
Incidentally if anyone sees me up there give me a shout or a wave,it gets lonely up there,paintbrush or chisel in hand! I'm restoring some of the old original features on the shopfront and painting it in what was pretty close to the original colour scheme.
I might go round pulling all the weeds up on the road later on,like so much of the town it looks very neglected and I want my particular bit to look better.Colne Shipping (as they used to be called) have painted there buildings on the ground floor and it does look much improved.
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JollyJapes
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Lowestoft bridge closed due to maintenance work
Essential maintenance work will be carried out on the A12 bascule bridge over Lake Lothing in Lowestoft from Sunday. The work is part of routine maintenance on the bridge and will require an overnight closure of the bridge between 8pm on Sunday and 6am on Monday. Highways Agency project manager Tim Hughes said: “The overnight closure is to carry out inspection and checking of the mechanical and electrical components of the bridge. “We know how important the bascule bridge is to the people of Lowestoft and are committed to keeping delays to an absolute minimum. By carrying out the work overnight when traffic flows are much lighter, the effect on the travelling public is kept to a minimum.”
A free bus service round the diversion route will be provided for pedestrians wishing to cross the bridge during the closures. Advanced signing and a signed diversion route will be in place during the works.
http://www.lowestoftjournal.co.uk/news/lowestoft_bridge_closed_due_to_maintenance_work_1_983201
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vinnyboy33
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What a farce the highways agency have no clue whatsoever. Since they replaced all the old hydraulics that were supposed to be duff the new ones are worse and it will never run properly again thanks to our loving highways agency. To think that lowestoft bascule bridge used to be the fastest bridge in the world for the speed that it opens and closes and since they replaced the system its slower and duff. Oh and people might be thinking the fastest bridge my arm, But i had the facts about the bridge as my friend worked on the bridge control and it was indeed the fastest bridge for the time it took to open and close and as soon as they played with the bridge the first thing i noticed was it was much slower. Ok we know the traffic get held up by it but i thought it an interesting fact that it used to be a lot quicker.
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Aussie K
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I went under the bridge a few days ago when traffic was moving over it and the noise from metal banging together was almost unbelievable, i cannot accept that is of good engineering design with those crashes & bangs every time a lorry pass over is. some thing is certain to give way every now & again, it's a wonder they can keep it operating as they do.
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vinnyboy33
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Very true and before the highways played with it,it was never as bad as that that bridge really does shake now i think it will be that bridge that gets replaced in the future and no it wont be 4 lanes and if it is replaced it will be a deffo no way to a 3rd crossing for vehicles.
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Old Spice
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When you think what people like Brunel,Telford and Stephenson achieved without electricity and using mainly manual labour and then compare it with the pathetic contraption that passes for a bridge in lowestoft you wonder what the hells happened to engineering in this country.
Just about everything in this country is now second rate and not for for purpose,why should we be suprised that our second hand bridge is any different?.
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funkychick
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well not even a British bridge to boot
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Old Spice
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Yes you're right funkychick.
Lowestoft doesn't even merit a new bridge,it gets a secondhand one that was (so I'm told) declared unfit for purpose for where it was originally intended.
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Old Spice
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Sad really.
I send old fashioned imperial tools all over the world. There are one hundred year old trains in India that were made in England still trundling about and planes in Australia that are sixty or seventy years old still being used for crop spraying.
I've just sent some spanners to a museum in New Zealand where a flying boat made in England in the 1940's is being got back to flying condition.We could produce stuff like that,once the envy of the world,now reduced to importing cheap sub standard tat from China.
We can't even make a ruddy windmill or a bridge without going cap in hand to our 'partners' in the EU.Where on earth did we go wrong?.
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Trigger
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Just found a couple of interesting pieces about the bridge - on the Government's Highways website:
A12 Bascule Bridge Refurbishment http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/10153.aspx
A major refurbishment of the A12 Bascule Bridge in Lowestoft was completed in June 2009. During the scheme all the electrical, mechanical and control systems of the lifting bridge have been refurbished or replaced. This work will ensure that the bridge remains operational for many years to come.
Project Background http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/16483.aspx
The Bascule Bridge was built in 1972. The mechanical and electrical systems that control the bridge were originally designed to last 25 years and are now obsolete or wearing out. As time goes on the bridge is becoming increasingly unreliable with breakdowns leading to emergency closures and more disruption to traffic. The refurbishment work that we are undertaking will ensure that the bridge remains operational for years to come.
Earlier this year, we consulted with the local authorities, emergency services, business and other representatives of the local community about the likely impact of the closures and the best approach to managing and minimising disruption. In view of the disruption caused by other road improvement schemes and works in Lowestoft in recent months, it was decided that a programme of Sunday/Monday closures would have the least damaging effect on the town's economy. These closures are essential, without them we cannot complete the work to replace and refurbish all the electrical, mechanical and control systems that keep the lifting bridge operational.
NB The last paragraph (above) starting "Earlier this year . . . " I could not see anything, on that page, to indicate which year this refers to.
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JollyJapes
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I believe that China, Hong Kong and Japan happened. After the war they used the budget normally spent on armed forces to build up their manufacturing units, and they paid very low wages too. This meant that they could undercut all other countries, and so slowly our own manufacturing industries went down. Also it didnt help that our own companies were slowly bought out by foreign parent companies, and then many of them were asset-stripped. At least, that is what I understand.
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vinnyboy33
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I love triggers article and it is now dead the opposite so much for it being good for years to come they have truly messed it up with modern parts which dont work and cant cope.
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Trigger
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Vinny: It does say "being good for years to come" - so remember, as long as the work carried out lasts for more than two years - they're covered! 
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freelance
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This bridge has done remarkably well, going way over it's "use-by" date and transporting umpteen millions of vehicles over the stretch of water.
I think the real public moan is about the closing of the road to traffic each time shipping needs to pass.
Even this doesn't bother me, as I like to think I live an un-stressed life. I don't mind a few minutes delay when shipping needs to go through - especially if it is genuine commercial shipping.
"What is this life, if full of care - we have no time to stand and stare?" (Quote from William H Davis - from his poem "Leisure")
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funkychick
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This bridge has done remarkably well, going way over it's "use-by" date and transporting umpteen millions of vehicles over the stretch of water.
I think the real public moan is about the closing of the road to traffic each time shipping needs to pass.
Even this doesn't bother me, as I like to think I live an un-stressed life. I don't mind a few minutes delay when shipping needs to go through - especially if it is genuine commercial shipping.
"What is this life, if full of care - we have no time to stand and stare?" (Quote from William H Davis - from his poem "Leisure")
I tend to agree FL dont sweat the small stuff I do huff a bit when it s pouring with rain I m on my bike and a couple of yatchts go through couldnt they put their masts down?
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funkychick
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whoops posted something in the wrong thread Didnt make sense
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Old Spice
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From memory the system used in Londons tower bridge (which is also a bascule bridge) lasted around 100 years before it needed replacement. Built before the invention of the motor car it must have carried more cars and people than have ever travelled over Lowestofts bridge.
With all the advances in technolgy over the past one hundred and fifty years we can only manage a contraption that despite almost monthly overhauls lasts less than a quarter of that time.
Progress?.
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Old Spice
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I wonder,isn't it about time the silly gantry system and lane closing and opening over the bridge system was done away with?. Working outside the past few weeks I,ve noticed the red crosses are ignored by lots of vehicles especially when the bridge is up when it becomes a 'short cut' for vehicles to use then going acrosss red lights to go into Commercial Road or make a second lane and foece thenselves in at the bridge.Every day I see a few near misses and temper tantrums as ill mannerd motorists simply ignore the signs.
Its even worse the other side of the bridge where forcing your way in as late as possible is common.
Why bother having this 'system' if its not enforced?.
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vinnyboy33
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Here we go again Bridge closed again for what is supposed to be ESSENTIAL works on the hydraulics system this time the southern side according to the journal website. This is just getting stupid now. The only good thing its sunday night and not a saturday but i really think the highways have messed this bridge up completely. I noticed the journal have locked it from comments probably as they know what sort of reaction they would get.
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Old Spice
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The Journal web site is as much of a waste of time as the paper itself.The letters page is censored by their equivalent of the thought police and any reporting has to safeguard various Journal sacred cows that it wont criticise.
I used to e-mail any news or happenings in the area but I haven't bothered for a long while now and wouldn't even read it if it was free.
You can't comment on the bridge closeures on the EDP site either.What are they frightened of?.
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Old Spice
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The sign on the bridge says there are night works for two nights on 6th and 7th November.I don't know if thats instead of or in addition to any other works.
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East Point
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Actually it is free if you buy the EDP on a Friday.
Yes, we always take advantage of that Meryl.
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Logged
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They say the dog is man's best friend. I don't believe it - how many of your friends would you neuter?
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Aussie K
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If you buy it how can it be free. 
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East Point
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Actually, just remembered - it is you BUY the Journal and get the EDP for free - at least it is in W.H. Smiths. Mind you, the staff don't always tell you - my OH had to ask last Friday. Some of the supermarkets have the same offer too.
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They say the dog is man's best friend. I don't believe it - how many of your friends would you neuter?
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Trigger
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So this EDP/Journal offer ::)is actually a BOGOFF . . .
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freelance
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So this EDP/Journal offer ::)is actually a BOGOFF . . .
Too many F's though -- unless you have a swear word in there.
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funkychick
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Its been both for 60p for a long time but youre right EP not all the shops offer it but I think they are supposed to
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