A Scarborough Affair - Bridge Is Over Troubled Waters

30 June 2016 | Updated 01 January 1970

A team of Yorkshire based companies has completed work to strengthen Scarborough’s well known Peasholm Glen Bridge.

The famous bridge, since its opening in 1932, has helped to facilitate links between the north and south of this part of town.

It has historical importance for Scarborough, allowing for developments such as the redevelopment of the Northstead Estate following the opening of Peasholm Park in 1912.

Problems have come from the increase in loading demands that with traffic crossing the bridge daily throughout its long lifespan, has seen requiring strengthening work in order to upgrade it to modern standards. Following the completion of this work the bridge is back to full operating capacity, which means a substantial increase in the weight load limit.

North Yorkshire Council contracted Hull based construction company PBS to complete the work to strengthen and repair the bridge, assisted by Fibrwrap Construction, Adept Consulting and Bambu Scaffolding. The team was able to overcome the obstacles that come with a specialist job of this kind with both the Peasholm Beck running under the bridge and delays as a result of bad weather, eventually completing the work keeping to both the prescribed budget and timescale.

In order to gain access to the underside of the bridge, Bambu constructed a special hanging scaffold, allowing the team to work over Peasholm Beck which runs through the Glen into the neighbouring Peasholm Park. This specialised structure allowed Fibrwrap UK and other skilled trade companies to undertake work on the underside of the structure, including diamond grinding, cleaning and carbon fibre strengthening installation.

Fibrwrap is a structural strengthening specialist and provides a structural repair service that uses glass and carbon fibre reinforced polymers. The company’s specialist knowledge in carbon fibre allows it to take on work to strengthen a variety of structures, including buildings, waterfront structures, industrial sites and transport infrastructure.

In the case of Peasholm Glen Bridge, Fibrwrap applied more than 900m2 of carbon fibre which combined with its own resin, created an easily installable, lightweight strengthening system. It also allowed the team to make up time lost early in the project due to site and weather conditions with an average of five skilled operatives working over a six-week period to complete the job.

Fibrwrap and Adept have also collaborated on work on a bear pit at Dudley Zoo, reinforcing floor plates on the maternity ward at Barnsley General Hospital for three new birthing pools, repairing water pipes at E.ON Energy’s North Wales power station and strengthening floor slabs at Blackburn Cathedral.

Picture: The famous Peasholm Glen Bridge in Yorkshire had repair work that has helped it cope with modern traffic

Article written by Mike Gannon | Published 30 June 2016