Crane arrives to move 130-year-old rail bridge in Southend (From Southend Standard)

Dear Echo, I'd like to apply for a job as a PROOF READER, as it currently appears that no-one is occupied in this position....
"start on today"
"10am 11am on tomorrow"
"service to will ferry"
Just a few examples!

It costs 2 million to replace a rail bridge, a precision engineering task. yet it costs SBC 15 million for a new layout on a road junction?

...............
...............?

Why is everything like this costed in £millions these days. Not so long ago it was £tens of thousands, £hundreds of thousands, tops.
Am I get old?
Two million for bridge?

emcee wrote:
Why is everything like this costed in £millions these days. Not so long ago it was £tens of thousands, £hundreds of thousands, tops.
Am I get old?
Two million for bridge?

The cost of building such a bridge as that that is being replaced over the High Street is high due to a number of reasons.

The build of the new replacement bridge is taking place off site, this has to be moved by self propelled dollies, these are leased from a specialist contractor.

The tolerances of the bridge have to be to an exacting specification so specialist construction techniques are need.

It is also a unique one off design just to bridge the High Street.

Costs are also increased by the need to remove street furniture and of cause replacing it after.

All the ballast has to be removed from the bridge as do the tracks and sleepers, and any cabling running along the bridge also needs to be removed, again this all needs to be replaced.

There is also the task of compensating the shops that are closing and paying the cost involved of employing the marshals that will guiding people around the diversions.

The cost of building a road junction is higher because it is a bigger task to organise all the utilities that are affected by the works, you also have to take into account this is one bridge a road junction has many more points of access, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and signage to removed and replace.

I hope this has cleared up some of the things that were confusing you.

artytoit wrote:
Dear Echo, I'd like to apply for a job as a PROOF READER, as it currently appears that no-one is occupied in this position....
"start on today"
"10am 11am on tomorrow"
"service to will ferry"
Just a few examples!

Clifftown Road in Southend was closed at around 1am today when the man tried to climb our of the second floor window.

I can see what you mean, Echo editors obviously have a low standard of education, some of the'English' is appalling!

artytoit wrote:
Dear Echo, I'd like to apply for a job as a PROOF READER, as it currently appears that no-one is occupied in this position....
"start on today"
"10am 11am on tomorrow"
"service to will ferry"
Just a few examples!

Irish Pummell, who has represented Wickford on Essex

Another example ... it should read 'Iris' ...

I do hope they offer you the job, they most certainly need your service!

Joe Wildman-Clark wrote:

emcee wrote:
Why is everything like this costed in £millions these days. Not so long ago it was £tens of thousands, £hundreds of thousands, tops.
Am I get old?
Two million for bridge?

The cost of building such a bridge as that that is being replaced over the High Street is high due to a number of reasons.

The build of the new replacement bridge is taking place off site, this has to be moved by self propelled dollies, these are leased from a specialist contractor.

The tolerances of the bridge have to be to an exacting specification so specialist construction techniques are need.

It is also a unique one off design just to bridge the High Street.

Costs are also increased by the need to remove street furniture and of cause replacing it after.

All the ballast has to be removed from the bridge as do the tracks and sleepers, and any cabling running along the bridge also needs to be removed, again this all needs to be replaced.

There is also the task of compensating the shops that are closing and paying the cost involved of employing the marshals that will guiding people around the diversions.

The cost of building a road junction is higher because it is a bigger task to organise all the utilities that are affected by the works, you also have to take into account this is one bridge a road junction has many more points of access, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and signage to removed and replace.

I hope this has cleared up some of the things that were confusing you.

They are using loads of parking spaces in Tylers Ave car park. If you have seen the prices the council charge for a full day then the parking alone will probably come to £2 million.

Nebs wrote:

Joe Wildman-Clark wrote:

emcee wrote:
Why is everything like this costed in £millions these days. Not so long ago it was £tens of thousands, £hundreds of thousands, tops.
Am I get old?
Two million for bridge?

The cost of building such a bridge as that that is being replaced over the High Street is high due to a number of reasons.

The build of the new replacement bridge is taking place off site, this has to be moved by self propelled dollies, these are leased from a specialist contractor.

The tolerances of the bridge have to be to an exacting specification so specialist construction techniques are need.

It is also a unique one off design just to bridge the High Street.

Costs are also increased by the need to remove street furniture and of cause replacing it after.

All the ballast has to be removed from the bridge as do the tracks and sleepers, and any cabling running along the bridge also needs to be removed, again this all needs to be replaced.

There is also the task of compensating the shops that are closing and paying the cost involved of employing the marshals that will guiding people around the diversions.

The cost of building a road junction is higher because it is a bigger task to organise all the utilities that are affected by the works, you also have to take into account this is one bridge a road junction has many more points of access, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and signage to removed and replace.

I hope this has cleared up some of the things that were confusing you.

They are using loads of parking spaces in Tylers Ave car park. If you have seen the prices the council charge for a full day then the parking alone will probably come to £2 million.

Sorry but I failed to include that into my costing’s list, an oversight on my behalf, a special rate for the occupation of the parking spaces might have been arranged.

As can be seen from the list the expenses soon mount up thus why it is £2million one would also need to comply with the reinvent Health & Safety rules and regulations, with countless safety assessments.

How else to the Idle rich get their coffers, BUT to charge extortionate prices to do a 'job' with their brains?

I would like to see a Complete written explanation as to where EVERY penny was spent, as well as WHY? Not just on this job either.

jayman wrote:
It costs 2 million to replace a rail bridge, a precision engineering task. yet it costs SBC 15 million for a new layout on a road junction?

...............
...............?

Not only that but the bridge will be replaced in 48 hours because the crews will work into the night.

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

jayman wrote:
It costs 2 million to replace a rail bridge, a precision engineering task. yet it costs SBC 15 million for a new layout on a road junction?

...............
...............?

Not only that but the bridge will be replaced in 48 hours because the crews will work into the night.

To compare the two vastly different schemes and moan about the price and time it takes to complete each one is evident of a basic lack of the knowledge and understanding of the logistical undertaking of civil engineering and the complex issues involved in the difference between replacing a railway bridge and the remodelling of a road intersection.
When replacing a railway bridge whilst it is a complex task, most of the time you do not need to worry about the gas, water and electricity supplies that snake through road junctions, also the trains are stopped, unlike road junctions when most of the times they remain open and are controlled by contraflow’s or temporary traffic lights.

A road junction is also much larger than a bridge.