Right plant, right place, right time: rail bridge challenge

Right plant, right place, right time: rail bridge challenge

Enable Hire supplied all the plant, haulage and power tools needed for sister company Enable Infrastructure (formerly BCM Construction) to complete a challenging project on the A284 Lyminster Bypass scheme in West Sussex.

Enable Infrastructure was responsible for the construction of two new concrete bridges for the 1.8km bypass in West Sussex, one over a road – Toddington Lane – and one over rail – the up and down Brighton lines. The work included: excavation to formation level; construction of base and subsequent backfill; construction of abutment and wing walls; lifting of beams, and the construction of the bridge deck, with ancillary works.

Availability of access was the key issue in tackling the £3.1m project. Since Enable Infrastructure was not the key contractor, it could not book additional possessions, so instead worked in possessions already booked, liaising with Network Rail Asset Protection and Optimisation teams (ASPRO). To make sure our work went ahead seamlessly, we agreed ‘Any Line Open’ (ALO) working procedures for all plant with the relevant ASPRO team, and the plant was fitted with ALO alarms activated to prevent intrusion on to the railway.

The works were completed successfully for principal contractor Breheny Group, with no defects reported and only minimal snagging.