Floating Pontoon Solutions has supported AmcoGiffen’s refurbishment of the Cefn Viaduct in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales to allow brickwork repairs to take place on the historic structure.
The 10-month project involved the installation of 400 m2 of floating pontoon complete with edge protection and lifesaving equipment including life-rings, throw lines and grab lines downstream to provide access to the viaduct’s piers which run over the River Dee.
The pontoon solution enabled scaffolders to safely access the bridge’s piers to erect the scaffolding, which allowed repairs to be completed on the Grade-II listed viaduct.
During the project Floating Pontoon Solutions attended site many times to reconfigure the pontoon system and provide AmcoGiffen with access to other areas of work, as well as providing monthly safety checks.
Discussing the project, Floating Pontoon Solutions Managing Director Steve Wilson said:
“It was a pleasure to support AmcoGiffen on its repair works at this historic viaduct in Wales. Our team was flexible to the client’s needs, providing them with a temporary works design that fitted their requirements. We also provided several adjustments to the pontoon so they could reach different parts of the structure quickly and safely.
“Our lightweight modular pontoon system can be mobilised quickly and is ideal for projects such as the Cefn Viaduct since it can easily be configured around the bridge piers and any obstructions and can be manoeuvred by hand if necessary.”
Floating Pontoon Solutions’ interlocking platform modules are customisable to any shape or size, making them able to fit around posts, pillars, columns and corners, making them ideal for contractors working underneath complex rail bridges.
Each floating platform can support 175kg per square metre and can be layered to withstand greater loads.
Floating Pontoon Solutions serves rail specialists across the UK from its headquarters in the North of England, delivering solutions through an approach grounded in safety and calibrated to each client’s project.
The company recently celebrated its 10th anniversary of working with businesses throughout the country to allow safe working on water.
Steve added: “We have been fortunate to work on many high-profile structures in the rail industry during our 10 years of operation and we look forward to continuing to provide our industry-leading services to provide access solutions to the companies operating in the sector.”
The Cefn Viaduct is the third-largest in Wales. It was designed by Alexander Sutherland in conjunction with Henry Conybeare and partly built by Thomas Savin and John Ward.
It consists of 15 arches, each one 39 feet 6 inches wide, and is 770 ft. long with a maximum height of 115 ft. It was originally built in 1866, three years after the main line which linked it with Brecon, at a cost of £25,000 (equivalent to £2.1million in 2016)*.
To find out more about Floating Pontoon Solutions visit: https://www.floatingpontoonsolutions.co.uk/
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