W10 Gauging Scheme

The project consisted of the reconstruction of the Hassalls, Burbage and Kirby Bellars bridges as part of Network Rail LNE's Peterborough to Nuneaton W10 Upgrade.  

Client:Network Rail
Value:£3M
Location:East Midlands

All three structures were three span brick arch over bridges with four ring arch barrels constructed from blue engineering bricks.

The works required the re-construction of the centre span on each of the bridges. Hassalls and Burbage bridges were completed by October 2010, however the start on Kirby Bellars was delayed until October due to the presence of Great Crested Newts.

The innovative design and method of re-construction enabled the works to be undertaken using rules of route weekend possessions and the bridges at Hassalls and Kirby Bellars to be re-constructed in two longitudinal halves thereby avoiding expensive service diversions and road closures. The existing side spans were filled with foamed concrete using block work and timber formwork. The end spans then acted as abutments for the existing centre span to be demolished. A crash deck was built on the p-way and the brick arches broken down onto the crash deck to be loaded into skips for removal by crane.

Burbage was fully demolished in a single 9 hr possession. The new bearing shelves were prepared and the new cill beams and con-arches lifted into position and the concrete stitch joints poured. In follow up possessions the new H4a parapet units were lifted into position. Insitu concrete slabs which were waterproofed and surfaced completed the works with the sides spans being brick faced.