Railway bridge reconstruction crowned region’s top civil engineering …
The reconstruction of a railway bridge in Birmingham has been crowned the West Midlands' top civil engineering project for 2023.
The 'Bridge 13' scheme on the line between Stechford and Aston was crowned large project (over £10 million) and overall project of the year at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) West Midlands Awards.
The existing Victorian brick and steel viaduct was demolished and replaced with a new steel structure which, at 300 feet, is understood to be the largest single-span railway bridge in the West Midlands.
The line provides a key route east of Birmingham city centre for both passengers and freight and the bridge replacement acts as an enabler for the new high-speed rail line HS2[1].
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The works, next to Aston Church Road, also pave the way for the construction of the new HS2 maintenance depot in Washwood Heath.
Judges praised contractor Skanska and Network Rail for delivering "a striking new addition to the city's skyline" over the existing railway network.
The annual awards are run by the Institution of Civil Engineers and recognise achievement across a broad range of different categories before choosing an overall winner.
They celebrate West Midlands projects of all sizes and scopes as well as individual civil engineering achievements. The ceremony was held at the MacDonald Burlington Hotel in Birmingham.
ICE Midlands regional director Jo Barnett said: "Our annual awards play an important role in not only demonstrating the importance of our civil engineers, whose hard work and dedication can often go unnoticed, but also in celebrating the positive impact that civil engineering has on our everyday lives."
The other winners at the 2023 West Midlands Awards were:
Communication
Sutherland Road Flood Alleviation Scheme, Cheslyn Hay, Staffordshire[4]
Mott Macdonald Bentley, for Severn Trent Water, has ensured that 21 homes are no longer at risk of flooding.
Education and Inspiration
M6 junction ten improvements (below)
A joint venture of John Sisk & Son and Capita Pell Frischmann Design, for National Highways and Walsall Council. Judges said an integral element of the project was an innovative accessible learning-for-all programme that encouraged engagement with schools, colleges and universities.
(Image: ICE)
Geotechnical and Team Achievement awards
Coventry station
Delivered by Buckingham Group Contracting for Coventry City Council and Network Rail, the project included a new lift, footbridge foundations and a staircase, all constructed while keeping the station fully operational.
Innovation
Flow Bridge, Craven Arms, Shropshire
The innovative, modular footbridge was designed by Knight Architects and built by partners Sui Generis, KS Composites, Foflo, Jacobs, J T Consulting, Q-Railing UK, Insensys and Balfour Beatty, for Network Rail.
Heritage
Chetwynd Heritage Bridge Revival, near Alrewas, Staffordshire (below)
Delivered by Amey, Currall Lewis and Martin Construction for Staffordshire County Council, the 1824 bridge was on English Heritage's At Risk register but its future has been secured following the refurbishment.
(Image: ICE)
Small Project (under £2m)
HS2 box slide
Freyssinet designed and built what is believed to be the world's longest box slide to move a 12,600-tonne bridge into place over the M42 motorway in Marston, Warwickshire, as part of the HS2 project.
Medium Project (£2m - £10m)
Fillongley Road Bridge, Meriden
Delivered by Balfour Beatty for Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and SCAPE, the refurbishment and reinforcement of the 1950s bridge involved its partial demolition to allow the new composite structure to be built in situ.
Sustainability
Bromford Cycle Path, Birmingham (below)
The path was delivered by Jackson Civil Engineering for Birmingham City Council on behalf of the Environment Agency as part of the £17 million Bromford Flood Alleviation Scheme. The cycle path was surfaced with a new low-CO2 asphalt, made from recycled aggregates and processed waste products, which massively reduced CO2 emissions.
(Image: ICE)
People Awards
Young Achiever
Elliott David Webb, Arup
Elliott helped to introduce voting rights for graduate members and was instrumental in driving change for the benefit of current and future civil engineers.
Technician
Sophie Corr, Arup
Sophie brings enthusiasm and innovative design solutions to many different projects and has become a mentor to junior staff and younger apprentices.
Bob Dunn Award for Outstanding Contribution
Rose Rees, Midland Metro Alliance
Rose was instrumental in designing a level two apprenticeship scheme specifically for the tramway construction industry, offering a much-needed training programme requiring no prior qualifications. The inclusive apprenticeship has enabled local unemployed people, several of whom have experience of the criminal justice system, the opportunity to get a foot on the career ladder within civil engineering that otherwise would not have been possible.
References
- ^ HS2 (www.business-live.co.uk)
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- ^ BusinessLive West Midlands LinkedIn page here. (www.linkedin.com)
- ^ Staffordshire (www.business-live.co.uk)