On the Isle of Wight, a busy railway bridge removed for refurbishment

Specialist lifting equipment (road-rail crane) was used for the first time by Island Roads to lift the Skew Bridge – used by pedestrians to cross the railway line between Shanklin and Sandown – from its foundations. The structure has now been transported to a steel fabrication and paint shop in Wigan, Greater Manchester. Once the refurbishment work is complete, the improved footbridge can be craned back into place next month.

The work has been undertaken in close collaboration with Network Rail and South Western Railway and during a period when the island’s railway line is closed for refurbishment. Many other specialist contractors have also had to be engaged and managed to complete the project to date. This has included the use of specialist rail safety personnel to take over the Island Line site and carry out the work safely during night shifts.

“This has been a complex project with many components and contractors to manage and I am pleased to have reached this milestone. There is still work to be done to reinstall the refurbished bridge with its new fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) deck, but what we have achieved so far will stand us in good stead,” said Jason Boulter, Island Roads’ project manager.