Cleveland Bridge UK breaks record with girder project

An historic bridge builder has completed work on a record-breaking project.

Cleveland Bridge UK fabricated its largest pair of steel girders for an East Midlands transport scheme.

The 56-metre-long girders will form part of a new bridge spanning the A45 in Coventry.

The business’ previous record for longest girders was 50 metres, which it set in 2017 for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route project.

The Darlington-based operator was contracted to supply, fabricate and erect the bridge, which features a double-span ladder deck and a striking mast.

Following completion of the girders, engineers undertook a complex load-out programme.

Once loaded onto trailers, the girders were carried as part of a two-vehicle convoy, each measuring more than 60 metres in length, on their 180-mile journey to the bridge construction site.  The bridge will be installed in March 2020.

Chris Droogan, managing director of Cleveland Bridge UK, said: “The fabrication of these 56-metre bridge girders is testament to the skills of our workforce and our extensive production capabilities.

“It is always a proud moment when a project is loaded out for installation, but when it’s record-breaking it’s particularly satisfying.

“It is also a major achievement to transport a load of this size and navigating the route across the country demonstrated the ability of our team and contractors to deliver a successful operation.

“We continually innovate, develop our procedures and invest in our facilities and people to enable us to meet the challenges of bigger and more complex structures, which will, I am sure, see Cleveland Bridge breaking more records in the future.”

Since its inception, Cleveland Bridge has built some of the world’s most iconic structures.

The group was involved in erecting the Victoria Falls Bridge and in 1911 designed Middlesbrough’s Transporter Bridge.

It has also supplied bridges for the widening of the A1 in North Yorkshire, and jungle and rural crossings in Sri Lanka.