Despite a clear cost control, the cost increases in the two trades could only be reduced, but not compensated - savings could be achieved in other areas (e.g. scaffolding costs) and the involvement of experts (e.g. corrosion protection).

Welding the rails

This means that the repair work on the bridge has been completed so far. Now the RSE's railway operations manager needs proof from a licensed bridge inspector that the bridge can be used for railway operations again. For this, he still needs some technical drawings from the Send company.

Then the line still has to be approved - so that (if the pandemic permits) we can also use the line again in the 2022 driving season.

As of today, the additional costs of the bridge renovation work will amount to around £ 20,852 (€ 25,000). The estimate was £ 95.087 (€ 114,000). The actual cost of the work is £ 116.773 (€ 140,000). In the meantime, we have submitted an application for an increase in funding to the district government of Cologne, but we can by no means be sure that we will actually receive an additional amount of funding.

But even with an increase in funding, our own share for the renovation work will increase to over £ 35.032 (€ 42,000). That is a huge sum for the Society. We can therefore only repeat our request from the spring for generous donations. In the past months, we have received about £ 2.502 (€ 3,000) in donations for the bridge - for which we would like to express our sincere thanks!

Here is the donation account once more:

Bank: Volksbank Oberberg,

IBAN: DE55 3846 2135 1005 5550 15,

BIC: GENODED1WIL

We intend to hold an inaugural drive over the renovated bridge in the spring of next year. All donors, including those who have donated at least £ 42 (€ 50) by then, will be invited to the trip.