Bridge 82 Glaisdale
September 2020
BR82 carries a single line track over the River Esk on the Middlesbrough to Whitby branch line. The steel bridge required structural repair and maintenance along with the renewal of the permanent way over the structure. Working with 1st In Rail, Smarttrax were asked to plan and install the permanent way element of the contract. 1st In Rail supplied labour for the project.
Two years in advance of the start date Smarttrax were engaged in the planning and development of the scheme. Working in partnership with PBH, HBPW Consulting Engineers and Lanarkshire Welding Co. Ltd all three parties put together the design and production of the programme of works.
Given the difficulty of access to the site pre works planning included arranging delivery of materials to site, panel building at Doncaster Woodyard and integrating with Amco to organise material flows throughout the delivery period to ensure works did not get interrupted through setting out and installation of the new structure.
The bridge is constructed of steel beams with cross girder stiffeners, the existing track sleepers were fastened to the beams by being seated on and bolted to a packing plate that was welded directly to the beam. Every third timber sleeper was extended to carry the timber walkways that were on both sides of the track for the extent of the structure.
The existing track and walkway were removed in panel form and retreated across the bridge with an RRV and loaded to train for removal. As soon as the panels were removed Lanarkshire welding completed works and minor repairs to the beams to allow for the installation of the new panels. This involved the removal of packing plates and drilling new bolt holes throughout the structure.
The new beams constructed of 2 RSJ’s that were braced together. Timber sleepers were fastened directly to the beam. Each beam was constructed individually with a tapered web to enable the new vertical profile to be achieved. The panels were landed between existing cross girders and bolted in situ. Initial installation involved the use of slave rails to allow the approx. 5m panels to be installed.
When all the beams were installed the site was re-railed with new 18.288m CEN56 rails and UIC 33 guard rails were fitted.
At either end of the bridge a 30m excavation was completed and a transition slab of geo-cell and type 1 installed along with new bottom ballast. New gathering arrangements were built to replace the existing dilapidated ones.
The project, the second of two major bridge repair and maintenance packages – the first being Skelton Bridge on the East Coast Mainline - was delivered back to the client three days early, with no accidents and to budget.
