Basingstoke Canal

Safely maintaining the railway network infrastructure is a difficult task at the best of times. But when a rail bridge crosses a popular waterway that task becomes even more demanding.

Ash railway bridge, dating from the Victorian era, is currently undergoing important repairs and maintenance work, and where it goes over the Basingstoke Canal, extra challenges face the contractors working there.

First opened in 1794 to connect Basingstoke with the Thames the canal was a bustling commercial thoroughfare. Today the canal is just as busy but instead of horse drawn barges, we see kayaks, pleasure boats and walkers. As part of the works programme it was important that the tow path remained accessible to users and that the works took place at a time of year when the canal was less busy.

Rebel Marine, in partnership with Dyer and Butler and the Network Rail Southern Renewals Enterprise, were asked to provide a working-over-water safety solution.

Initially providing a floating platform from which surveyors could inspect the underside of the rail bridge, Rebel Marine were then tasked with providing a safe working platform underneath the entire bridge. From this a scaffolding team could come in and erect a solid deck from which the engineers could then carry out the vital repairs, but keeping the towpath open.

Using a modular pontoon system called Versadock, a floating pontoon spanning underneath the bridge was built and connected to a protected walkway from along the bank to give a safe access to the workforce from the works compound. Safety boat cover was also provided for the team whilst working over the water.

As the works progressed and extended to the bridge section over the towpath a section of “floating footpath” had to be installed on the canal, diverting around so that pedestrians could continue to enjoy their canal side walks.

We returned to site for the next phase of the works, to create a pedestrian diversion around the worksite which was going to be blocking the canal footpath. Our team installed a pontoon walkway with double stacked ends to take the level gradually up to the height of the existing embankment. We then installed 2 of our aluminum access ramps to create a smooth transition from footpath to pontoon. The gradients in the pontoon were topped off with a grp non slip board and safety signage installed at each entrance.