Long Eaton Underbridge Renewal
A team from Birse Rail and Owen Williams Railways has successfully completed an under bridge replacement project for Network Rail in Long Eaton, Derbyshire.
Designed by Owen Williams, the new Underbridge 19A (SPC6), was successfully installed recently as part of a 72-hour possession. Constructed from reinforced concrete box units with reinforced concrete wing walls, parapets and robust kerbs, the new bridge replaces an existing bridge, which consisted of masonry abutments, and wing walls with a steel trough deck.
The installation of the bridge was made more difficult by the presence of Underbridge 19, a masonry arch bridge, located approximately 7 metres west of the new bridge. This called for careful consideration to the design of the excavation to prevent destabilisation of the arch, whilst maintaining a safe working space at the base of the cut around Underbridge 19A. To help the new bridge blend into its surroundings, the original masonry has been retained and will be used to clad the exposed concrete of the new bridge.
The project was delivered for Network Rail through the Midlands Structures Framework Contract with Birse Rail and makes a fourth successful bridge replacement within 2 years.