Base Camp bridge was originally built in 1872 and spanned across the main Glasgow to Fort William railway line. It has been unused since the A82 was built in the early 1930s by unemployed labour, in an attempt by the government to create work.
During a routine structural inspection of the bridge in 2018, it was noted that the high levels of corrosion and decay that were detected, would eventually compromise the structural integrity of the bridge. The decision was therefore made to dismantle the bridge and remove it from site.
After being awarded the contract to dismantle the bridge, our temporary works team designed a lifting frame to support the fragile structure during its removal. Our site team installed the support frames over two days and split the bridge into three sections, ready for removal during a railway closure.
After reinforcing the ground on the approach to the bridge, a 100-tonne crane was positioned within reach of the three bridge sections. During a 12-hour railway closure, the three bridge sections were carefully lifted from the abutments and positioned in a laydown area in the site compound. To avoid the need for another line closure and unnecessary disruption to the railway, the remaining bridge sections were cut into manageable sections and removed from site with a Hi-Ab.
The removal of the bridge was originally scheduled to be carried out over three Saturday night railway possessions, however, with careful planning and innovative thinking, the bridge was removed in one night, completing the works under budget and two weeks ahead of schedule.
