A 137 closure this weekend

[Leighb]

A heads up for anyone travelling to the Shotley Peninsula or to Ipswich this weekend 27/28th Oct. The A137 will be closed between the A14 and the Strand at Foxes from 4am on 27th until 4 pm on 28th. There will be lots of traffic lights and - I assume diversion signs? - look on roadworks.org for more detail.

It will affect anyone going to Foxes, Woolverstone or Shotley. If going to Ipswich Haven you would need to come in via another route.

Hope this is useful for someone.

Edit, I have had a more detailed look myself and it looks as if the following weekend 3/4th Nov is also affected.

 

[LittleSister]

Sorry! Entirely my fault for not going down last weekend and postponing it to next.

p.s. Thanks for the tip - it is useful.

 

[matthewriches]

Big transformer sets are being moved. You'll actually see them digging to certain bits of street furniture to accommodate the loads.

 

[Happyboating]

The East Anglian Daily Times have some more details:

http://www.eadt.co.uk/business/ipswich-to-bramford-abnormal-load-1-5748103

 

[Marmalade]

Not clear about road numbers etc. Does this mean I can't get from the A12 (coming from Essex) to Shotley?

 

[sailorman]

closure times from the report

• Saturday, October 27 from 7am-8.30am

• Sunday, October 28 from 7am-10am

• Saturday, November 3 from 7am-8.30am

• Sunday, November 4 from 7am-10am

 

[WF36]

Not clear about road numbers etc. Does this mean I can't get from the A12 (coming from Essex) to Shotley?

You'll have to go back roads depending on time.

 

[Leighb]

Not clear about road numbers etc. Does this mean I can't get from the A12 (coming from Essex) to Shotley?

Depends on time. The loads will be travelling the “wrong way” on the A14 from Wherstead to Copdock as well as the A137 being closed so you would need to turn off the A12 at Capel and go via Bentley Stutton and Holbrook.

 

[LittleSister]

closure times from the report

• Saturday, October 27 from 7am-8.30am

• Sunday, October 28 from 7am-10am

• Saturday, November 3 from 7am-8.30am

• Sunday, November 4 from 7am-10am

That's a lot less troubling: have a lie in if you want to miss it; or get there early to watch the entertainment.

 

[Rafiki]

Apparently the loads are too heavy for the Orwell Bridge hence could not be offloaded at Felixtowe and have had to be offloaded at Ipswich docks.

 

[sailorman]

Well i never so the Old Wherestead Rd bridge is stronger than the Orwell Bridge

 

[Leighb]

Well i never so the Old Wherestead Rd bridge is stronger than the Orwell Bridge

I think they are putting a temporary bridge across to take the load, the various notices seem a bit vague, but I have the impression that the 7am - 8-30am etc times relate to the actual convoy movement but the extra works must involve much more time than that, hence the Actual signs on the road which state "ABNORMAL LOAD PRE-CONSTRUCTION WORKS" 4am Sat 27th Oct to 4pm Sun 28th Oct (POSSIBLE CLOSURES) ( EXPECT DELAYS)

So I would avoid the area entirely during that period if at all possible.

Another reason for using Ipswich rather than Felixstowe might be to avoid disrupting such a long length of the A14?

 

[Habebty]

Well i never so the Old Wherestead Rd bridge is stronger than the Orwell Bridge

Span length is a big factor, (simply put, longer span can = weaker bridge) and as mentioned, a temporary deck will be laid over the top of the Wherstead road bridge to divert the load forces. Impressive logistical exercise! We did a bridge in Norwich for a similar move a few years ago.

 

[LittleSister]

Even if the two bridges were equal strength:

1) It would be an awful lot more work to put a temporary deck over the Orwell Bridge rather than the Wherstead one.

2) The risk that if anything went wrong, and damaged the bridge, the Orwell Bridge would have a much bigger adverse impact, and cost a great deal more money and time to fix.

 

[davidwf]

Yesterday it was still possible to get to Shotley Wherstead road was shut but there was a set of traffic lights at the roundabout so you could still get to and from Shotley and Foxs

 

[matthewriches]

Well I’ve never it seen a load so big!! Yes, I was one of the sad asses that went to watch it The amount of wheels on the dam trailer - unbelievable!! Having done an 18 month stint in accident recovery and “heavy” recovery, today brought a whole new meaning to the word heavy!

 

[Happyboating]

Agree Matthew! There’s a video in this report if anyone wants to try and count the axles!!!!!!

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/huge-transformer-leaves-wherstead-road-for-a14-video-1-5754635

 

[Yorkshire Exile]

I managed to get to Fox's today by taking the very narrow road through Wherstead village, fortunately did not meet a tractor coming the other way. Radio Suffolk described each load being the weight of 150 elephants. I hope you find that useful.

 

[sailorman]

I managed to get to Fox's today by taking the very narrow road through Wherstead village, fortunately did not meet a tractor coming the other way. Radio Suffolk described each load being the weight of 150 elephants. I hope you find that useful.

I was advised not to try that as a gate "might be locked" we went via Holbrook & got back to the Ips Central Junc to go to Framlingham, the Abnormal load was at the top of the hill, so i reckon we saved 45 mins


How much does an effelump weigh

 

[Yorkshire Exile]

I was advised not to try that as a gate "might be locked" we went via Holbrook & got back to the Ips Central Junc to go to Framlingham, the Abnormal load was at the top of the hill, so i reckon we saved 45 mins


How much does an effelump weigh

Unsure, but after reading this thread and believing everything BBC Radio Suffolk tells me, Im wondering whether 150 elephants could safely cross the Orwell Bridge.