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Bechtel and Network Rail Replace Major Bridge in Four Days
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Bechtel Rail and Transit Experience
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Watch the time-lapse video of the major bridge replaced by Bechtel and Network Rail.
Check out the time-lapse video of the successful 94-hour Caversham Bridge construction in Reading, U.K.
See how dedication, innovation, and teamwork enable Bechtel to design and build quality projects.
Crews Work 104 Consecutive Hours to achieve Milestone.
LONDON, January 10, 2012 — Bechtel and Network Rail successfully replaced a major bridge in Reading, England, in four days as part of Network Rail’s improvement program for Reading station and the surrounding area. To minimize disruption to train service, crews worked around the clock to demolish the old Cow Lane Bridge and install a new span.
Crews tore down the existing 20-foot (six meter) bridge and replaced it with a 46-foot (14 meter) reinforced concrete span. The new bridge and its related components, including the wing walls and anchor blocks, weighed more than 3.5 million pounds and were installed with a self-propelled modular transporter. Watch the demolition and replacement
More than 270 people worked 104 consecutive hours from December 24 to December 27, 2011, to ensure the project was completed on time.
"As we were moving a whole bridge into place there was no margin for error. This was a complex task and the results are testimony to what can be achieved through collaboration in the rail industry and with its partners,” said Wayne Chin, Bechtel’s implementation director on the project.
"The Cow Lane works went very well indeed. The team overcame some significant problems: when the old Cow Lane bridge was removed, the ground was found to be much more waterlogged than had been expected, and we had to spend around seven hours in extra preparation before we could start to move the new bridge. Despite this, we caught up the time and handed back the possession with four minutes to spare, which is a testament to the resourcefulness and determination of the team”, said Robbie Burns, Delivery Director for Wales and West, Network Rail.
A global leader in the rail industry, Bechtel has successfully completed some of the largest and most complex railway projects in the world including: the Athens Metro, the Jubilee Line Extension on the London Underground, West Coast Main Line Route Modernization, and High Speed 1.
About Bechtel
Bechtel is among the most respected engineering, project management and construction companies in the world. Bechtel operates through five global business units that specialize in civil infrastructure; power generation; communications and transmission; mining and metals; oil, gas and chemicals; and government services.
Since its founding in 1898, Bechtel has worked on more than 22,000 projects in 140 countries on all seven continents. Today, our 53,000 employees team with customers, partners and suppliers on diverse projects in nearly 50 countries. We stand apart for our ability to get the job done right—no matter how big, how complex or how remote. www.bechtel.com.