Opened in 1982 and carrying 30,000 vehicles per day, Kessock Bridge is the main crossing of the Beauly Firth at Inverness.
During a major refurbishment in 2013/2014 it was decided that 10 new access platforms would be installed to the west side of the bridge. This would allow the bridge maintenance team to gain access to the under slung gantry from various locations along the bridge. The new ladders would be accessed through a new gate installed in the existing parapet on the footpath.
Fabrication drawings for the new platforms were submitted to the client for approval in February 2013. Upon receiving approval our fabrication team started work on the 10 platforms. As all 10 platforms were identical our workshop fabricated assembly jigs to ensure that all 10 platforms were identical when they reached site. With the fabrication work complete and all welds MPI tested, the 10 ladders and platforms were shot-blasted and galvanised to 140 microns.
Aluminium templates measuring up to 4 meters long were sent to the bridge to allow our site team to drill the existing concrete piers and install chemical fixings in preparation for the arrival of the new ladders and platforms.
When the new galvanised steelwork arrived on site it was taken to a site compound where it was fully assembled into platforms and ladders. Each item was then loaded onto the back of a Hi-Ab from where it was taken onto the bridge and lowered into position and located onto the stainless steel anchor bolts. Each platform was then levelled and tightened into position against the concrete pier.
