Bridge Demolition

[dbmbridges]

Hi I was wondering if anyone can help me please - I have two things I am trying to answer !

1) On Christmas Day 2005 I was part of the team that carried out the demolition of the old A1 road bridge at Micklefield (Leeds - York) (Leeds - Hull) lines.
The bridge was demolished with explosives - I was wondering how often explosives have been used to demolish structures on the network during possessions (this was a. 54hr possession) - how many others have been done this way over the years ??

2) I was part of the Team that constructed the New underbridge over the A46 at Bingham Christmas 2010. I was wondering has there been any bigger new build or replacement under bridges built since this one.? The Bingham bridge was 66m long + was carried in at an weight of 1200t.

Thanks

David @dbmbridges.com

 

[edwin_m]

The new A38 bridge at Selly Oak was pretty big.

http://www.ekspan.com/#!selly-oak-rail-bridge/c1xqh

 

[hwl]

Recent big ones in London include:
Tennison Road Bridge near Norwood Junction / Selhurst Deport
http://www.graham.co.uk/tennisonroadbridge/about

Also has a deck launch video

And Borough high Street (1200tonne):
http://www.building.co.uk/skanska-slides-1200-tonne-thameslink-bridge-into-position/5017513.article

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...=LhdwAot_NnXfXD-nnSkb5g&bvm=bv.87611401,d.ZGU

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...=ZvQ-O5miFJr_O4i2Z-UkTw&bvm=bv.87611401,d.ZGU

 

[themiller]

In the early eighties, a brick bridge between Oakengates and Wellington (perhaps Wombridge Way) was brought down with explosives. The track was protected by laying sleepers across the formation and removed when the rubble had been loaded into railway wagons. IIRC it was done early on a Sunday with the trach being reopened on the Monday morning.

 

[swt_passenger]

Caversham Rd bridge deck at Reading was quite a big lump. Christmas/New Year 2010/11

Video on NR's youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLncokuZHtk

 

[Bald Rick]

Although not using explosives, the demolition of Bridge 19 outside Liverpool St at Christmas 2007 for the East London Line involved the removal of well over 10,000 tonnes of masonry.

 

[oldman]

My father lived at Bolton-le-Sands near Carnforth at the time of WCML electrification. He told me that the masonry arch of a bridge carrying a single-track road (Mill Lane) over the line was demolished by explosives, in the way described by themiller above. It sounds as if it was quite common.

 

[dbmbridges]

Thanks for all the links - really fantastic projects.

I should have remembered the selly oak project it was done the times as we did Bingham A46. I actually moved to the Birse offices that did that one but didn't get involved - I had forgotten it was so big.

The demolition with explosives is an interesting one - micklefield in 2005 - I haven't come across another one like it.

Thanks again for the links and responses.

There was a reason why I wanted to know but I - all I am going to say is that it would appear that I don't have enough railway engineering experience to be a safe work manager under the new possession management system - I was just trying to find out what I needed to improve to meet the required standard !!

Cheers David

And if you get a minute some feedback on my small website would be great - www.dbmbridges.com

 

[deltic08]

Thanks for all the links - really fantastic projects.

I should have remembered the selly oak project it was done the times as we did Bingham A46. I actually moved to the Birse offices that did that one but didn't get involved - I had forgotten it was so big.

The demolition with explosives is an interesting one - micklefield in 2005 - I haven't come across another one like it.

Thanks again for the links and responses.

There was a reason why I wanted to know but I - all I am going to say is that it would appear that I don't have enough railway engineering experience to be a safe work manager under the new possession management system - I was just trying to find out what I needed to improve to meet the required standard !!

Cheers David

And if you get a minute some feedback on my small website would be great - www.dbmbridges.com

The A1 bridge at Micklefield was placed in 1957 when the road was dualled. Were explosives used because it was a reinforced concrete flat deck. construction

 

[dbmbridges]

The A1 bridge at Micklefield was placed in 1957 when the road was dualled. Were explosives used because it was a reinforced concrete flat deck. construction

Hi Deltic08 - to answer your question it was a reinforced concrete Flat slab deck cast on top of the main concrete beams - The reason it was blown up was due to the Post Tension System to take all the stressing out of the structure in one movement. We had a worry that If you cut a tendon that has not been grouted in to the carrier tube there is a potential for it to ping off. The explosives were actually suspended in water filled bags in the pockets between the beams - when they detonated the water basically turned to steam expanded and shattered the structure. If you look at the photographs on my website project 5 you can see the water bags and how the bridge was destressed rather than blown apart.
That's me stood in the cover photograph watching from track level watching - well I was running the project !! Cheers David

 

[CarltonA]

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/features/abington_road_bridge/index1.shtml
The above link might be of interest as it details a bridge demolition carried out as an experiment by deliberate overloading.