Rail bridge maintenance

[Right-arm fast]

On the farm we have a road that leads to an arched bridge constructed of brick which spans a deep cutting with two rail tracks running beneath. It might be 150 years old.

The surface of the bridge is flat and about 11 ft wide between the walls on either side, the walls are about 3ft high made of large engineering bricks.
Railtrack own the bridge and there are 7 households in total who have a right of access across the bridge as well as the farm traffic.

The track is concreted up to the boundary of Railtrack's property either side of the bridge, but about 30-40m which essentially is the bridge's surface is maintained with road plannings by ourselves. Filling potholes is a mugs game with all this rain, we can't concrete it with out expensive surveys by Railtracks surveyors to make sure the bridge can hold the extra weight, then they could put a weight restriction on the bridge if we are not careful with or with out the concrete!

So is the bridge surface maintenance Railtrack's responsibility as much as ours due to the potential for damage to occur to the bridge whilst it is maintained ie damaging the walls or the structure under the road surface, and the fact it is their bridge and who pays for it?
They must responsible for the structure itself to keep it standing.


Thoughts please.

 

[How much]

it would be difficult to say without seeing the deeds and the easement that will contain the answer but all rial road bridges on council roads the running surface seems to be maintained by the council not rail track so i would guess that is the answer

 

[Exfarmer]

I would think Railtrack have full responsibility for such a bridge and it will be covered by an act of parliament. However as many have posted before getting them to fill their responsibility is another matter.
The surface not being good must be an issue in itself as water will be getting into the structure and causing damage.
I think that a word with an agent would be a good place to start

 

[Goweresque]

Could you not remove several inches of accumulated scalpings that have been slowly added over the years, get a nice even surface and then put a layer of tarmac on top? The net increase in weight would be zero.

 

[Right-arm fast]

Could you not remove several inches of accumulated scalpings that have been slowly added over the years, get a nice even surface and then put a layer of tarmac on top? The net increase in weight would be zero.

Its a good idea although we are not allowed to do any excavations without two rail track guys watching which is obviiously chargeable, but filling potholes is not disturbing the bridge in anyway so no issues. We have a 13t digger and when i have driven it over the bridge in the past its a bit unnerving because you are 50ft up above the tracks and would only have to nudge the wall with either the bucket counter weight tracks etc and it would at best loosen the mortar and at worst you may have 10 tonnes of bricks on the tracks and thats just tracking, i would hate to have to use an excavator on it. Might be a job for a contractor!