Caution: slow moving bridge
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At 2,045 tonnes it was the mightiest load ever hauled on a British road. But things didn't go quite to plan last weekend, when heavy haulage specialist Econofreight moved the damaged Ingst bridge on the M4.
The motorway was closed between J20 and J21 near the Severn Bridge from midnight on Friday until Monday afternoon — almost 30 hours longer than scheduled — causing chaos to thousands of drivers crossing to and from Wales.
Econofreight had the task of moving the 25-year-old bridge from its supports in one piece and carrying it 2km down the motorway and into a slip-road layby for breaking up.
The bridge was moved rather thah demolished in situ because that could have taken several days and seriously damaged the surface of the motorway, DTp project manager Ken Burgess explained.
Five 10-axle low-loaders were placed under the structure and rams jacked up to hold the bridge as it was cut away from its two supporting pillars. However, the operation stalled for 12 hours as one of the bogies started to sink into the soft verge under the weight. Steel plates were placed under the bogie, and at midday on Saturday the bridge was finally hoisted about 100mm and swivelled 90° to begin its one-hour journey down the motorway.
Problems struck again late on Sunday. A crack which had caused concern in the first place began to get worse and the operation stalled metres from where it started. "It wasn't so much a crack, as the fear of cracking, and we've had to do everything more slowly," said the DTp.