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06:07:2010

British Waterways' heritage head hails 'high quality repair'

British Waterways’ head of heritage has described work carried out by a May Gurney team as ‘an excellent example of a high quality repair’.

Nigel Crowe made his comments while inspecting repairs to Park Road Bridge in Devizes, Wiltshire, a Grade 2 Listed Structure with a span of 7.2 metres from abutment to abutment.

May Gurney’s original brief was to carry out repairs to the portal areas along with minor works on the barrel, working from floating plant.

However, during the repairs it was discovered that six of the existing voussoir* stones had perished beyond repair, posing significant challenges for the project team.

The scaffolding had to be converted into a crash deck (to enable the canal to remain open), and a working/propping platform to take the weight previously borne by the stones and the jacking equipment required to re-construct the arch.

Footnote: May Gurney is working under a long-term framework contract with British Waterways for the maintenance and improvement of its canals and rivers. The four-year contract, with a possible two-year extension, is estimated to be worth around £20m per annum, and includes a range of maintenance and improvement activities across approximately 80 to 150 projects each year.

*’Voussoir’ is a wedge-shaped brick or stone used to form the curved parts of an arch or vault.