Rebuilding Ballure Bridge on the Manx Electric Railway has been recognised by the industry as a remarkable feat of engineering.
The £1.2million project was nominated in three categories of the 2015 Light Rail Awards:
- Project of the year under 50m Euro
- Technical innovation of the year
- Outstanding engineering achievement of the year
And at the awards ceremony held in London yesterday, Ballure Bridge won Project of the year under 50m Euro award.
Ian Longworth, Director of Public Transport said:
'The bridge was a very significant project for us that we achieved on time and on budget, which took a tremendous team effort. It helps secure the safe operation of the MER for the future.
'Our team was led by Chief Engineer Peter Maddocks who will retire in November this year. The bridge will remain tribute to the hard work and expertise that he and his team invested in the project.'
Phil Gawne MHK, Infrastructure Minister, commented:
‘I’m pleased the work was completed on time and within budget despite being undertaken during the winter months in order to start MER services as scheduled on 20 March this year. It is wonderful recognition for the whole team to receive this accolade.’
The project team included:-
- DOI Public Transport Division
- DOI Technical Services (level crossing control system design and construction)
- Burroughs Stewart Associates (Project Manager and Structural Engineer)
- Silva Consulting (Quantity Surveyor)
- Primary Consulting (Planning Supervisor)
- Auldyn Construction (Principal Contractor)
- Burroughs Stewart Associates were also shortlisted for the supplier of the year category.
Jeremy Reece, Assistant Chief Engineer, is pictured making final checks on Ballure Bridge prior to MER services recommencing in March this year.
Mr Reece said:
‘This project has been a success, thanks to working with consultants and contractors based on Island. The difficulty we faced was refurbishing a bridge with an unusual riveted metal fabrication that dates from 1897. It had not been touched since it was repainted in 1981. It was necessary to scaffold the whole structure and crane in new sections to replace severely corroded material and more than 700 rivets.’
Facts and figures
- Height of bridge: 17 metres to bottom of glen below
- Span of bridge: approx. 50 metres
- Number of rivets in structure: approx. 17,600
- Number of rivets replaced: more than 700
- Structural info:
- 8 cross beams replaced, 9 cross beams reinforced
- 10 diagonals replaced
- 6 diagonals braced
- Area of bridge painted: 2,600 square metres
- Paint used: 1,300 litres
- Shot blasting material 85 tonnes
- Construction period 32 weeks (4 November 2014 to 18 June 2015)
- Number of construction hours: 14,000 hours