A new footbridge has been installed in Dore & Totley as part of the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade
It’s the latest milestone reached at Dore & Totley station which will see improvements for rail passengers travelling between Manchester and Sheffield.
Six staircase units, each weighing 11.2 tonnes, were lifted into place using a 200-tonne road mobile crane, before the main bridge span was installed, weighing 14.5 tonnes and 15 metres in length.
The new structure will lead passengers onto a second platform, which is currently being restored over 30 years after the original island platform was demolished in the 1980s.
Accessibility has been at the forefront of the work, with two working lifts included as part of the bridge design.
Over the past two years, Network Rail and the contractor, VolkerRailStory JV, have also met with local disability groups to gain feedback on more detailed elements of the station build.
Changes have been incorporated as a result, including additional tactile wayfinding on the platform and brighter colour bands on lighting posts to aid those with visual impairments.
Dave Bennett, secretary and chair of High Peak Access, who was involved in the meetings, said: “What has impressed me most is the way the design team have been able to address issues raised during the meetings and the responsiveness of those who have the power to make decisions on design and delivery.
“I have found that our comments have been valued by the team. It has been a pleasure to be part of the process and I am sure that it will benefit disabled people and all users of the newly refurbished station.”
Graeme Whitehead, senior sponsor for the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade, added: “The completion of these works is a key milestone for the programme, as we edge closer to full completion of the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade.
“Our plans for Dore & Totley Station were centred around accessibility and after careful consultation with a number of groups, the delivery of these upgrades means the area will have a modern station that suits all needs.”
Station operator, Northern Trains, and industry colleagues, Transpennine Express and East Midlands Rail have also been involved in the consultation process.
The station upgrades, which also include the installation of new track, will help to facilitate longer trains with more carriages and improve the reliability of passenger journeys.
The work is planned to be completed at the end of a nine-day railway line closure at the end of March.
Image credit: Network Rail
