Widening, strengthening and refurbishment of Cleggford Bridge, Dewsbury - 2010

CLIENT: CR Reynolds / Kirklees MBC INFO: The Grade II listed Cleggford Bridge is a 5 span arch bridge originally built in 1778 using stone masonry ashlar dressings. It was widened in 1889 at which point a cast iron parapet was fitted. ASF worked alongside CR Reynolds, the main contractor, Civil Engineers from Kirklees MBC and English Heritage in the renovation, refurbishment and re-strengthening of this cast iron parapet. PRODUCTS / SERVICES: Following extensive site surveys and test excavations the parapet needed to be delicately uplifted. This required the smelting out of Victorian leaded fixings and careful removal of hot rivets - a fixing method that was never meant to be removed! At this point careful attention was paid to numbering and ordering of bridge sections (over 100 in all, each one a different size, extending to over 200 metres in total length) to ensure they could be replaced in exactly the same order. The whole bridge parapet was then brought to ASF's factory site in Brighouse for refurbishment. Firstly, a full metallurgists report was completed giving the chemical analysis of the Victorian iron, this meant that replacement parts could be manufactured to match as near as possible the original product. The refurbishment began with shot blasting, by hand, the whole parapet followed by a survey of work to be done. The value of having our own skilled casting engineers, pattern makers and a metallurgist became invaluable as ASF managed to rescue 100% of the original panels. This was done by manufacturing individual cast iron sections and spindles to retro fit into the Victorian panels. A number of the older, weaker, and damaged spindles were also saved by the internal fixing of bright bar in a machined hole through the centre of the spindles. ASF saved around 50% of the posts using similar methods and employing a modular system for post sections, so that only those parts of the bridge parapet that were absolutely beyond rescue needed to be fully replaced. The parapet was then re-fitted and returned to its former glory on the newly widened and strengthened Cleggford Bridge.