Bishop’s Bridge deck launch completed

The new bridge was launched over platforms one to 10 of Paddington Station during night time track possessions

The last remaining section of the old Bishop’s Bridge awaits lowering and dismantling when the newly launched structure is lowered onto its permanent supports

The second and final deck launch of Westminster City Council’s new Bishop’s Bridge has been carried out by Hochtief Construction. The 74m launch was carried out incrementally during nightly rail possessions in September to get the steel deck across platforms one to 10 of Paddington Station and on to its new southerly abutment.

Hochtief is carrying out a £32M bridge and road construction project for Westminster replacing an old brick and cast iron structure with a wider and stronger four-span steel composite bridge. Cleveland Bridge is steelwork contractor. Westminster’s project manager is Capita Symonds and Cass Hayward & Partners Hochtief’s superstructure designer.

The next stage involves jacking the deck down from temporary steel trestles on to the permanent supports. The last remaining section of the old structure, a 40m steel Parker truss – which was previously jacked up 10m clear of where the new deck has been launched – will then be lowered on to the new structure and taken away to be dismantled.