m-tec and the wider WEC Group won the contract to fabricate a replacement bridge for the village of Pooley Bridge. The Pooley Bridge, which dates back to 1764, was destroyed during the floods of Storm Desmond in December 2015, and the new stainless steel bridge has replaced the crucial transport link for the local area.
Working in partnership with Knights Architects, Eric Wright Civil Engineering and Cumbria County Council, the sleek three layer stainless steel road bridge is the first of its type in the UK. The structure straddles the River Eamont and has a 40 span and has been crafted from 110 tonnes of 2205 stainless steel and concreate. Due to the immense size of the project, the structure was fabricated in four quarters and required one of the largest cranes in Britain to assist with the installation on site. The bridge has taken approximately 13,000 ‘man hours’ to manufacture and is open to the public from Spring 2020 onwards.
The bridge components have been profiled in house before being fabricated by our specialist welder/fabricators over a number of months. The quarters of the bridge then undertook a polishing process to ensure a quality finish before being delivered to site.
The stainless steel and concreate composite structure is a unique approach combining durable and light material with environmental benefits. Stainless steel has the benefit of being more light-weight but with more durability providing a long lasting life-span for the project. Further environmental benefits include minimising the amount of contract by replacing it with steel which reduces the overall carbon footprint of the bridge whilst offering a lower maintenance cost in the long run
The Braid Project, Blackburn