As part of the work to replace the existing 128 year old bridge, a temporary infrastructure will be built to avoid disruption to traffic and reduce inconvenience to local residents.
Sarens has been working on behalf of AmcoGiffen on the dismantling of the old bridge, and will also be responsible for the installation of new bridge sections and the dismantling of the temporary bridge once the new bridge is completed.
The construction of the new bridge across the Highland Main Line at Rannoch Road in Killiecrankie, Scotland, will require an investment of more than £3 million ($3.38m) and approximately six months of work, according to Network Rail's estimates.
To reduce the impact of these works on Killiecrankie, AmcoGiffen, the main contractor, decided to erect a temporary bridge in the vicinity of the old one to ease traffic for local residents. Sarens, world leader in heavy lifting, engineered transport and crane rental services, worked with AmcoGiffen to install the temporary bridge, which will be available until the works are completed, and then to dismantle the original 128-year-old bridge, using an LTM 1450-8.1 crane unit as part of the pre-construction work.
In order to carry out the construction of the temporary bridge, it was necessary to carry out a survey of the ground on which the works were to be carried out. The Sarens team then laid steel mats on which the base of the bridge was placed, while AmcoGiffen was responsible for providing the under propping. The LTM1450 crane enabled Sarens to reach the 12t axle loadings they required easily to cross the temporary bridge that was installed.
During a first phase of work in December, the Sarens engineering team took advantage of a period of 54 hours of disruptive possession to work on the installation of pre-built sections of the new bridge. In early January, Sarens, comprising 15 highly qualified professionals, will work three night shifts to lift and install new precast parapets for the new bridge and finally, will be responsible for dismantling the temporary bridge during the last stage of construction.
According to Andrew Winter, Sarens' UK country manager, ’We are proud to be involved in such an important project to ensure the movement and safety of road and rail traffic in Killiecrankie, and to demonstrate our commitment to optimising works to reduce their impact on the community in which they take place. We thank AmcoGiffen for their confidence in our team, and look forward to continuing to work together on further projects to improve infrastructure across Scotland.’
The removal of the old Rannoch Road Bridge and the construction of the new one is part of a £1.95bn railways modernisation plan in Scotland. This work has minimised traffic disruption in the area, as well as disruption to rail traffic under the bridge, which only took place on two consecutive weekends last December.
The Sarens UK team has extensive experience in the country. They have been able to support the construction of the Hinkley Point C power station using the SGC250 ring crane known as Big Carl, the largest land based crane in the world. Sarens has also undertaken the Process Module and Process plant movements and lifts for the FAST project at the Fawley refinery, the installation of a 5000te concrete culvert on the rail line close to Glasgow, as well the movement of a 4000te ship block for new Class 26 Frigates. Recently the company has completed the major civil engineering elements lifted in the Thames Tideway Tunnel project. Using a purpose-built SPMT mounted gantry crane, Sarens lifted and moved a cover slab 1200T weight into place during an operation lasting 5 hours.
About Sarens
Sarens is the global leader and reference in crane rental, heavy lift and engineered transportation services. With state-of-the-art equipment, value engineering, one of the world's largest inventories of cranes, transporters and special rigging equipment, Sarens offers creative and intelligent solutions to today's heavy lifting and engineering transport challenges.
With more than 100 entities in 65 countries operating without borders, Sarens is an ideal partner for small to large-scale projects. Sarens currently employs 5,000 highly qualified professionals who are ready to serve the needs of any client worldwide and in all market sectors. https://www.sarens.com/