Newsletter Issue 23

ENGINEERING YOUR SOLUTIONS HBPW LLP, 43 Bridgegate, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 7UX Tel: 01777 869 896 Fax: 01777 862 491 ISSUE TWENTY THREE Email: [email protected] www.hbpw.co.uk HBPWNEWS By Royal Appointment – CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Welcome Land Ahoy! Inventive collapsed, putting Network Almost! Windsor Bridge Rail into overdrive, and Design At Immingham threatening to wipe millions of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Grade II listed pounds off the local economy. bridge, which forms part of Windsor Viaduct Rail services in the South in Berkshire, is being given a new lease of West were cut off from the rest life thanks to the 21st engineering skills of the county and prompted of HBPW. one of the biggest media Opened in 1849, Windsor Railway Bridge is flurries for some time! The a wrought iron ‘bow and string’ bridge and, weather has been varied to say the least! as well as being one of the British engineer’s masterpieces - it is the World’s oldest Ironically, as the economy wrought iron bridge still in regular service - it in the South West takes is also in eye shot of HM the Queen’s London an unexpected battering, residence at Windsor! scaffolding which, in turn, was also fortunes in the country are Paul Withers - Managing Partner covered with a membrane, so that the structure getting much better with Paul Withers of HBPW, said: “In the normal could be grit blasted and re-painted. a prediction that the wider The freed up land adjacent to ABP’s shortened building, and ABP’s new shortened building & access road course of bridge assessments, Network Rail economy will finally surpass This edition of the HBPW considered that certain elements of the structure The bridge, which is a single-span structure its pre-recession peak in the newsletter cannot be allowed had deteriorated as a result of corrosion, and comprising three bowstring trusses, carries second half of this year. to pass without mention, yet The UK’s leading provider demolishing part of a 90m x of the work we created a new needed strengthening to cope with the on-going the ex-GWR branch line from Slough to 155m transit shed which they 90 metre long gable elevation That probably goes some again, of the inclement weather of road fuel has HBPW and demands of rail traffic using the line. The existing Windsor into Windsor and Eton Central station. used as a storage facility, in to the reduced structure, way to explaining Jay Fox’s and the impact it has been the Murphy Group to thank timber deck also needed replacing as part of It crosses the River Thames on the reach order to free a piece of land effectively freeing up a piece editorial in this edition, which having on certain aspects of for its expansion in North the project.” between Romney Lock and Boveney Lock and adjacent to Greenergy’s of land for Greenergy,” outlines how demand for engineering in the UK. Lincolnshire. was Grade II listed in 1975. existing site.” added Paul. qualified staff is increasing as HBPW completed the drawings whilst AMCO Less than a year ago I was In 2012 Greenergy, which large and small consultancies Rail Ltd has been carrying out the work. bemoaning the worst snow- owns and operates a biodiesel Principal contractor, J Murphy A new road was also designed struggle to resource checking Client: Network Rail ridden winter for 50 years production processing plant & Sons Ltd, asked HBPW to as part of the scheme, teams charged with approving The entire structure was encapsulated in Contractor: AMCO Rail Ltd and, just three months later, on Associated British Ports prepare a report to assess to facilitate access for contractor designs. applauding Britain’s blistering (ABP) land at Immingham, the feasibility of the proposed maintenance and emergency vehicles. You can also read about how summer. supplied 13.5 billion litres of scheme. we gave Greenergy, the UK’s petrol, diesel and biofuel – Now the rain is having its turn “Initially we carried out an Greenergy’s plant was built leading provider of road fuel, about a third of all the road and has dumped enough inspection of the existing in 2007 and now produces, a helping hand as they battled fuel sold in Britain. water on our shores to last a building to ensure that it could exclusively, biodiesel from to overcome obstacles to lifetime, certainly in Somerset. be part demolished without waste oils and fats. The expansion on the East coast. affecting the stability of the additional land will enable it to Rising groundwater levels expand its North Lincolnshire I feel sure that 2014 hasn’t yet remaining building.” are causing problems for the operation. revealed its full agenda! Like construction industry and However, expansion plans The report gave the scheme the weather, change is afoot! are resulting in an increased were faced with difficulty the green light, Murphy’s Keep an eye on the HBPW requirement for dewatering because the company’s were instructed and then blog to see what we’ve been Client: Associated British Ports of excavations, whilst also existing site is bordered on asked HBPW to design the up to (www.hbpw.co.uk). Contractor: J Murphy & Sons affecting ground stability. one side by the River Humber modifications to the building. Meanwhile enjoy the read! and options to expand in the The excessive precipitation “The steel framed building opposite direction also took its toll in Dawlish, fronts onto Henderson Quay were limited. between Exeter and Cornwall, and we demolished 92 metres when part of the seawall Associate, Paul Jacklin, said: of the structure to create a PAUL WITHERS under a coastal railway line “The only possible solution bespoke warehouse for ABP Windsor Bridge MANAGING PARTNER was to work with ABP in measuring 90m x 63m. As part HBPW CONSULTING CONTINUED ON BACK PAGE ENGINEERING YOUR SOLUTIONS Holy Orders At Monk Fryston! Staff Challenges As Prosperity Replaces Austerity! Construction consultancies struggle to resource checking enough slack in the Jay Fox which pared staffing levels to teams charged with approving system to allow for the bone at the height of the contractor designs. rapid uptake of their recession, are now finding resource,” said Jay. “This, in turn, leads to delays themselves at capacity as in the approval process which He said that the economic climate starts then manifests itself in delays geotechnical and to improve, according to to construction programmes, environmental HBPW’s Geoenvironmental so the knock on effect is testing laboratories, Showing construction vehicles work on the bridge Showing traffic using the completed bridge Engineer, Jay Fox. considerable. It is so ironic in particular, had The result is that demand for and, at times, it seems difficult been swamped A century old bridge got 21st century treatment when HBPW’s and carry out a full reconstruction.” professional staff is now on for everyone to strike a happy with soil samples the increase as large and small balance. On the one hand as developer 3d modellers used hi-tech software to show Network Rail how Work began earlier this year when a new bridge deck engineers planned to give their structure a new lease of life. consultancies, particularly companies have needed to activity had rapidly superstructure was installed by AMCO Rail Ltd, using existing those working for bigger keep costs under control increased in recent Lumby Lane Bridge at Monk Fryston in North Yorkshire failed foundations. clients like local authorities, whilst, on the other, retain months. Network Rail’s BE4 liability tests when inspected as part of the organisations try to recruit the “The 3d moving images are incredibly helpful,” added Ross. “Planning authorities are also best staff. Bridgeguard 3 programme. “Not only do they enable engineers to better illustrate schemes, reporting that they have been “Companies like HBPW Design Engineer, Ross Hardy, said: “The existing bridge was but they also aid swifter decision making by clients because of inundated with new planning are always busy and, restricted to a three tonne weight limit after it failed structural improved clarity.” applications and, due to recent consequently, eternally on the assessments. downsizing, are now likely to This is one of many road bridges Ross has been involved with. lookout for good staff which, in be struggling to process these “However, misuse of this restriction, and the added difficulty He completed work on Network Rail’s Belgrave Terrace structure turn, effects the employment in a timely fashion,” he added. of controlling it, resulted in NR deciding to close the bridge 12 in Scarborough and has been working on the design of bridge market,” he said. “With a months ago so that they could demolish the existing structure reconstructions on the Midland Mainline Electrification Scheme. “ Then there was the added smaller practice it is not about pressure of recruitment ‘bums on seats’ but attracting consultancies trying to poach highly competent, flexible staff staff to move them from who are passionate about what Not only do they enable engineers to better illustrate schemes, but they also aid one company to another as they do,” added Jay. swifter decision making by clients because of improved clarity. “ Blustery Weather Keeps Engineers Busy! The challenges of the British weather Master can do when the weather changes and and the perils of navigating huge wind descends, creating a sail effect that can container ships – some weighing tens easily sweep a huge vessel into a concrete of thousands of tonnes – continues to jetty, causing a slow but massive impact. provide HBPW with a steady stream of “Consequently we have, over the months specialist repair work at two of the UK’s and years, been called on by Associated busiest ports.

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