Big Lock footbridge engineers get award

THE engineers who undertook the repair work on the Big Lock footbridge have won an award.

The footbridge over Big Log at Middlewich on the Trent & Mersey Canal had to be taken away and repaired then reinstated, Alfred Overton reports.

Partnership project

Engineers Tania Snelgrove, Ian Draycott and Helen Braidwood were presented with the heritage award from the Institution of Structural Engineers (Midlands), for a partnership project involved Canal & River Trust and specialists from Arcadis, Kier and deHavilland,

The £330,000 restoration of the footbridge was carried out as it had to be closed for safety reasons with a temporary footbridge constructed over the lock whilst the Grade II listed one was taken away for repair.

Delighted

Of the award, Tania Snelgrove, Project Manager enthused:

"We are delighted to be given industry recognition for what was a challenging restoration.

"The old bridge was badly corroded, so our engineers had to come up with innovative ways of preserving as much of the original steel structure as possible whilst ensuring it could still carry modern loads.

"Some weathering was clearly visible but unique historical features, which were too badly rusted, had to be replicated.

The structural elements were all painted black, as in the original colour scheme, including the new ‘U’ frames which strengthen the bridge.