Crucial Rochdale-Manchester line railway bridge in Castleton to be …

Date published: 10 August 2023

Photo: Google, DigitalGlobe

Bridge 48A which runs over the M62 motorway at Castleton

A crucial bridge carrying the railway line which runs between Rochdale and Manchester is planned to be demolished and rebuilt next year.

Plans have been submitted by Network Rail to Rochdale Council to knock down bridge 48A which runs over the M62 motorway at Castleton.

The bridge was constructed in 1969 under an agreement between the British Railways Board and the Ministry of Transport for the construction of the M62 motorway.

Castleton Bridge carries the line which runs through Manchester Victoria Station, Rochdale, Littleborough, Todmorden and Hebden Bridge, and is located between Castleton and Mills Hill railway stations.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We’ve submitted an initial planning application to Rochdale Council on our very early proposals to replace a 55-year-old railway bridge over the M62 later next year.

“If approved engineers will then work up detailed plans considering when the least disruptive time will be to carry out the complex engineering project for both rail passengers and motorway users.

“We’ll work closely with all agencies to minimise disruption and will release more details once the designs have been confirmed and project planning is complete.”

The rail body could not give a timeframe for how long work would take as plans for the rebuild are currently being developed.

Network Rail’s website states that ‘where possible’ it avoids reconstructing bridges, as it’s ‘usually the most costly option and can disrupt both the road and rail network’.

A full rebuild of a bridge generally involves the replacement of the bridge ‘deck’ – the structure usually including the road or rails, and preparations or installation of overhead line equipment to allow electrified trains to use the new bridge.

The scope of the works detailed in the application for prior approval states that it comprises of sections of ‘wingwalls’ to be removed to allow for a new deck and end of walkway platform, a new access walkway, a new steel ‘E-type’ girder deck and reinforcements of the concrete beam and abutment.

Prior approval applications are normally determined within eight weeks by a local authority.

Charlotte Green, Local Democracy Reporting Service