Steel bridge recognized at industry awards

Steelwork contractor Cleveland Bridge has been praised for its technical expertise and ability to deliver complex structural projects to challenging constraints and timelines after it was presented with an industry award for the construction of the Newport Bridge.

The North East-based company won the Project of the Year (subcontract between £2m-£4m) in the CN Specialist Awards, which were presented at a special ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Part of a significant overhead line electrification (OLE) programme, the 228t, 50m-long skewed, weathering steel road bridge crosses the Great Western Main Line in South Wales.

Required to accommodate the increased height required for new electrified systems, the geometrically-challenging structure was fabricated at Cleveland Bridge’s Darlington facility, and following a complete trial assembly, the steelwork was loaded onto trailers and transported to Newport, where it was assembled prior to installation in a trackside temporary works compound.

Judges highlighted the Newport Bridge as ‘an exemplar project, which couldn’t have been solved without getting the Cleveland Bridge team on board early’.

The judges said the project had significant time constraints for the removal of the old bridge and installation of the new structure, which was delivered through close and early collaboration between Cleveland Bridge, its customer ABC Electrification and Network Rail.

Cleveland Bridge Managing Director Chris Droogan said: “This award is a fitting testimony to our capabilities, and endorses our strategy to promote and deliver early and close collaboration with project partners to guarantee effective and efficient delivery.

“It also recognises the expertise and talent of our highly experienced workforce who can be very proud of the part they have played in the production and successful installation of this complex project leading to receiving this prestigious award.”