An intensive programme of works over the Christmas and New Year period has seen the successful replacement of the rail bridge over the Caversham Road just to the west of Reading Station carrying nine lines of the track between Paddington and Bristol.
A team of specialists at Gifford designed the new bridge for BAM Nuttall and Network Rail as part of a major, six-year redevelopment of the station and surrounding rail network.
Our team designed a super-slender steel deck capable of carrying the loads of the Great Western Main Line. The deck was designed to maintain the existing track alignment and clearance to the main road below, while allowing the future realignment of the track for the redevelopment of the station.
The 1,000 tonne bridge deck was fabricated in sections and assembled in the nearby worksite before being carried to Caversham Road by two huge transporters and then lowered onto the existing extended abutments.
Gifford’s engineers are also designing the widening of the Vastern Road bridge to the east of the station which will carry new platforms and re-aligned tracks for improved train services branching off the main line to London Waterloo and Gatwick Airport.
