UK's Largest Mobile Crane Lifts in Pont y Werin Bridge Spans
A 1200 tonne capacity crane, a Gottwald 680-3 on hire from Sarens, has successfully lifted three of the four steel spans of the Pont y Werin Bridge into position.
It took five men, three days to assemble the crane, which had been delivered in sections on 30 separate lorries. The main crane section travelled down to Cardiff from a site in Glasgow, at an average speed of 25mph. The 110m jib was assembled in the boatyard neighbouring the bridge location over the River Ely.
Lifting of the steel bridge spans began on Wednesday (24.3.10). The first two to be lifted weighed 40T each and the third, the lifting span weighing 52T, was lifted on Thursday at a radius of 100m. The fourth section is due to be installed next Wednesday by a 250T mobile crane from the Penarth side of the river.
Sarens and TEMA Engineering conducted operations under the supervision of main contractor Dean & Dyball Civil Engineering, a Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering company. The bridge will be officially opened on 8 June, before which it will receive the ICE’s Presidential Visit in May.
Pont y Werin ‘the People’s Bridge’ is a 140m bascule bridge that will enable pedestrians and cyclists to cross between Penarth Marina and Cardiff International Sports Village, completing the six-and-a-half-mile Cardiff Bay circular walk. The design incorporates a 20m opening section to allow river traffic to pass.
The £3.4 million contract on behalf of Cardiff Council was awarded on a design and construction basis. Funding came from the Welsh Assembly Government (£1.645m), Cardiff Council (£1.3m), Sustrans (£1.15m), Cardiff Harbour Authority (£250,000) and the Vale of Glamorgan Council (£200,000).
It is adjacent to Cardiff International White Water, the very first on-demand white water rafting facility in the UK, also constructed by Dean & Dyball Civil Engineering, which has now been officially opened.