A1(M) Leeming - Barton

[Neil]

b

[Neil]

c

[jgharston]

Don't think you'd need quite so many junctions between Baldock and Alconbury as surely any improvement would be well off line to the east up to Brampton? In my fantasy world...

It's already all dual carriageway along that section. I just numbered most of the existing A1 junctions to fit in the whole A1/A1(M) numbering scheme.

[A691(M)]

Heading south this morning, the replacement for Kenton Hall Bridge, eastern abutment was starting to be put in, on the return tonight this was quickly been constructed. It is not as wide as the LAR one further south, nothing of the western one to be seen, but this is where they have been doing some execution of the rock embankment. Eastern one is where the access to the lay-by used to be. Just south of the new Catterick Central Junction, more tarmac was been laid yesterday, ready for the temporary diversion. North of Leeming, on the northbound, more tarmac going down.

South of the current Fort Overbridge there is what looks like one of the new bridge supports already in place, though I could be wrong.

[wrinkly]

South of the current Fort Overbridge there is what looks like one of the new bridge supports already in place, though I could be wrong.

That's interesting. I was under the impression that the plan there was

1. Divert A1 traffic under the new interchange bridge

2. Complete the interchange and open the link towards Catterick Garrison

3. Close and demolish Fort overbridge

4. Build the replacement bridge on the same alignment.

I hope to visit the area tomorrow.

[wrinkly]

There's certainly something there and it looks very like an abutment or bank seat. Not immediately adjacent to Fort overbridge but a short distance south, at the top of the cutting slope on the west side of the A1.

The side roads order shows no bridge there. My first guess would therefore be a temporary bridge for pedestrians, pipes and cables while Fort bridge is demolished and rebuilt. Except it looks a bit wide for that.

Perhaps other parts of the contract, on which the original plan depended, are behind schedule, so they've decided to put in a temporary vehicular bridge so they can accelerate the replacement of Fort bridge???

Nearby, the widening of the river bridge on the east side is coming along, with some deck concrete visible from the A1.

Meanwhile, there's another bit of LAR that can be driven on. Going north, a short distance before the site of the LAR bridge midway between Lemming and Cattery, there's a new temporary LILO junction, of a good standard with adequate deceleration and acceleration lanes. It's signed for Goskins Farm and (I think) Something Hall.

If you turn off there, you immediately come to the LAR and have a choice of turning south or north, for access to the said premises. Naturally I tried both. If you turn north (for Goskins Farm) you are led almost up to the future bridge before you come to the turning for the farm.

For some time now there's been good progress on the earthworks for the LAR to the NE of the A1 crossing north of Scotch Corner. From Kneeton Lane you can see that they've now completed a culvert or small bridge over a watercourse.

[A691(M)]

Hive of activity going on the last few days, with southbound traffic running on a temporary diversion north of Lords Lane and yesterday more tarmac going down south of new junction, where this morning I noticed the barrier had been removed. North of the new junction, again, more tarmac. I will keep an eye out tomorrow to see if the barrier is removed and would suspect we will be diverted through the new junction bridge over the coming weekend or next, unsure if this is to be both north and south. On the eastern side of where I noticed what looks like a bridge support, south of Fort Overbridge Geofoam going in. Also, lot more tarmac on the northbound just after Leeming.

[CallumParry]

I passed thru today as well and there were lot's of contractors everyone was busy working at it. Everyone sticking to the heavily enforced 50 mph limit actually made it quite a pleasure to drive however same can't be said for the shambles that is further north on the A1 near the Metrocentre. I seriously am excited for when it will be open to traffic it will be one grand bit of motorway.

[A691(M)]

Drivers are being warned that the A1 in North Yorkshire will be closed overnight on Saturday July 4 while a temporary bridge is put in place over the road near Catterick. The bridge will be erected to allow pedestrians and utility services to pass over the A1 while the nearby Fort Overbridge is demolished and rebuilt as part of the major road scheme to upgrade the busy route motorway standard between Leeming and Barton.

The northbound carriageway will be closed between junction 50 (Baldersby) and Scotch Corner.

Southbound it will be closed between Scotch Corner and junction 51 (Leeming).

The closure will take place from 8pm Saturday July 4 until 11am Sunday July 5.

[wrinkly]

A691(M) has beaten me to it. The press release is here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over ... ary-bridge

The west abutment is discussed in posts above but I didn't see any sign of an east abutment when I was there 10 days ago.

There's still a slight mystery why it isn't closer to Fort bridge. Maybe to make room for them to get excavators in from both sides for the demolition.

[wrinkly]

The confirmation that this is a temporary pedestrian and services bridge means that they are sticking to the plan of demolishing Fort Bridge first and then replacing it on the same alignment, as described in my post of 19 June.

But a vehicular route from Catterick and the A1 to Catterick Garrison presumably has to be maintained, and I imagine access via Richmond or Tunstall is not enough. Therefore the replacement of Fort Bridge can't start until Catterick Central interchange is open.

That won't be very soon as it has to include not only diverting A1 traffic under the interchange bridge, but also building the eastern slip roads and roundabout - which the present A1 is in the way of.

I suspect the original plan was to keep the old Fort Bridge until yet more had been done, including transferring A1 traffic to the future A1(M) northbound carriageway over a much greater distance, bypassing the present Catterick South junction and allowing the linking the of the new east roundabout to the present southward A1 which will become the LAR.

[A691(M)]

Catterick North, Northbound exit closes permanently end of July, with the Southbound one closed the last few week been reopened. Looking more closely at the temporary link from the A1 northbound, just south of the new junction, it does not look wide enough for 4 lanes. Further south they are busy completing the new alignment up to the existing A1. What I think will happen is that all traffic both north and south will be using the new alignment and traffic heading south will be able to come off on to what will be the LAR to the Catterick South, enabling the embankment to be built, slip road and roundabout.

[Techne]

The new junction at Catterick should be available for use in Novemeber, which gives access to the existing Fort Bridge works. This is facilitated by switching both the Northbound, and Southbound onto the new alignment (under the new junction) via the temporary link (which is sufficient for 4 lanes in contraflow). The switch of northbound and southbound is staggered by two weeks (to allow construction of tie in areas) with the first (northbound) programmed to occur in the coming days.

[A303Chris]

This is a great storey about an engineer who was on the building of the original A1(M) at Darlington in 1963 visiting the scheme. I would love to see his photos from road building back then.

[RoadHog]

The new junction at Catterick should be available for use in Novemeber, which gives access to the existing Fort Bridge works. This is facilitated by switching both the Northbound, and Southbound onto the new alignment (under the new junction) via the temporary link (which is sufficient for 4 lanes in contraflow). The switch of northbound and southbound is staggered by two weeks (to allow construction of tie in areas) with the first (northbound) programmed to occur in the coming days.

Are these dates on a press release somewhere? The only thing ive found for the programme of works is on the HA website for the scheme in the timetable tab: http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-p ... provement/

[wrinkly]

Are these dates on a press release somewhere?

No, that's Techne providing new inside information.

The only thing ive found for the programme of works is on the HA website for the scheme in the timetable tab: http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-p ... provement/

I have a saved copy of the original version of that, and though both the original and current versions are somewhat lacking in clarity and detail, there does appear to have been a good deal of slippage.

[Techne]

No, that's Techne providing new inside information.

Sufficiently wooly to avoid any wrath!

[Mikeg]

Catterick North, Northbound exit closes permanently end of July, with the Southbound one closed the last few week been reopened. Looking more closely at the temporary link from the A1 northbound, just south of the new junction, it does not look wide enough for 4 lanes. Further south they are busy completing the new alignment up to the existing A1. What I think will happen is that all traffic both north and south will be using the new alignment and traffic heading south will be able to come off on to what will be the LAR to the Catterick South, enabling the embankment to be built, slip road and roundabout.

White lines painted on the temporary link. Lanes do look rather narrow but I seem to remember when they were building the Dishforth to Leeming section I thought the main carriageway lanes were too narrow as well!

[t1(M)]

Just realised I'm going to be caught up in this on Saturday. Any suggestions as to how to get to Richmond avoiding the worst of it?

What exits are actually open at Catterick? Should I go via Bedale and Scotton?

Or is it all running smoothly and I can satisfy my Sabristic curiosity without incurring the wrath of my passengers?

[roadtester]

This is a great storey about an engineer who was on the building of the original A1(M) at Darlington in 1963 visiting the scheme. I would love to see his photos from road building back then.

Great health and safety gone mad example too. I don't know - making people wear high-viz clothing when working near giant machines in the dark instead of black donkey jackets. Surely the world has gone completely bonkers...