Retired civil engineers wanted to rebuild canal bridge

[David Mack]

From New Civil Engineer:

 

Retired engineers are being sought to rebuild a canal bridge in Shropshire.

Plans are progressing on a project to rebuild Schoolhouse Bridge, the last blocked bridge on the Montgomery Canal in Shropshire, with the Restore the Montgomery Canal! appeal seeking retired civil engineers to work on the operation.

The bridge - which is situated along the 200-year-old Montgomery Canal - was demolished in the 1950s. One or more volunteers are needed to help as site managers and site foremen, with scope for other volunteers to work on the project.

The Montgomery Canal has 127 listed structures and, beginning in 1969, the Montgomery Canal Partnership has restored nearly 60% of its 56km from Newtown (Powys) via Welshpool to near Oswestry, north Shropshire.

For the last three years the Restore the Montgomery Canal! appeal has been raising charity donations to rebuild the bridge.

At the same time a team of retired civil engineers, all volunteers, has been preparing the designs for the project. The team believes that the only way the bridge can be rebuilt with the available funds is by using specialist contractors only when necessary and with volunteers when possible.

 

Plans are in place to start fencing off the site and laying a temporary trackway this month, so heavy vehicles can get past the site.

Next spring the main project will begin by removing the existing road embankment so a concrete base and walls can be created for the new bridge. Contractors will then install the bridge arch, with volunteers backfilling to road level so contractors can surface the road. Volunteers will finish brickwork facing to the bridge, install bridge parapets and other fitments and complete landscaping so the road can be reopened to traffic.

Restore the Montgomery Canal! appeal group chair Michael Limbrey said: “Canal volunteers have a great record of building or rebuilding locks and bridges and the results can be seen on canal restorations across the country.

“These volunteers have the skills and qualifications to use serious pieces of equipment, as they do on the Shropshire Union Canal Society working parties restoring the dry Montgomery Canal channel to the north of Schoolhouse Bridge.

“Unlike many restoration projects, this is for one season: seven months and the job is done. It will probably take just one day to crane the bridge arch into position – that will be very exciting!”

 

Project team member Ken Jackson said the volunteer labour force will be a  “a mix of skilled specialist volunteers such as carpenters, steel fixers and bricklayers and general volunteers to support them and carry out general ground works and landscaping”.

He added that specialist volunteers are needed to drive excavators and dumpers in March and April next year, along with a team to undertake general site duties such as receiving deliveries.

Induction training, personal protective equipment and tools will be provided.

[Heartland]

It is nice to see the gradual move south with work to start on bridge 86 where Long Lane crosses the canal. With this work the task of opening up the canal to Llanymynech should become easier.