On August 16th, we installed the new bridge at our Haverfordwest Footbridge and Western Quayside Phase 2 project for Pembrokeshire County Council.

The lift took place after months of planning, coordination and preparation. It involved a complex sequence of events leading up to and over the weekend:

Monday 11th: The 1st of 35 deliveries arrives on site to begin assembly of the Gottwald AK912 pedestal crane from Allelys, which has a lifting capacity of over 1,200 tonnes.

Thursday 14th: Final deliveries of the crane arrive, and the crane is pieced together using an Ainscough 230-tonne mobile crane.

Friday 15th: crane fully erected and tested.

Saturday 16th
20.00: Safety perimeter set up at the collapse radius of the crane with manned security at all key access points.
21.00: The safety briefing takes place within the compound for site teams.
21.30: The bridge is slung onto the crane and a test lift of the bridge is undertaken – weighs 118 tonnes and lifts evenly.
23:00: The last people vacate the only commercial premises remaining within the collapsed radius – Waldo Lounge. A final check of the exclusion area is undertaken and then conformation is given to Centregreat and Ainscough to proceed with the lift. The wind speed is within operational limits allowing the lift to begin.
23:05: Lift begins – the structure is raised 10m in the air, and the crane rotates to the correct angle of installation holding the bridge over the Riverside Shopping Centre.
23:15: To enable the crane to boom out to the required radius to place the bridge in its final position over the river, the super lift capability of the crane is enacted by attaching 300 tonnes of additional counterweight to the back of the crane.
23:45: Using its super lift arrangement, the crane lowers its jib and slowly extends the bridge out over the river and towards its final resting position.

Sunday 17th
00:15: Bridge successfully placed in between two abutments – fitting perfectly.
00:30: First engineers from Centregreat enter the bridge to perform checks and remove the lifting points.
01:00: The Atkins team, including bridge architect Julian Hakes, joins the team on the bridge to review the installation.
01:30: Preparation begins for the removal of the old bridge, which lies immediately adjacent to the new bridge.
02:30: Old bridge removed and stored in the site compound before being taken away by Walters for recycling.

Well done to all our partners and the site team for their dedication throughout this project.