Brunel's Other BridgeBrunel Swivel Bridge Project Photos February 2014
 Brunel Swivel Bridge gets a wash in the 1st February floods |
At least we know the drain holes are working and where they are! |
Page contents
Work PHASE A Preparation and Basic Conservation by Volunteers
- Cleaning and painting rusty areas
- Unbolt and release the centre pintle casting
- Jack up Bridge a few inches
- Free up north tail wheel
- Release two rotation cables
- Lower bridge onto its pintle and track
- Free the pintle thread, rotate bridge a small amount and return to present position
- Locate and obtain copies of drawings and past reports. Write a conservation plan
- Seek letters of support
Contact Maggie Shapland (Maggie.shapland@gmail.com) if you wish to help.
Photos of Progress 15 February 2014
We had rain and hail thrown at us, Good job the Plimsoll bridge can give us some shelter |
Geoff, Charlie, Rob, Steff, Mike and Maggie sheltering and snacking |
We checked the drain by the nose of the bridge |
One job was to try to clear another drain since we needed to jack nearby. Mike trying to clear it with a post hole digger |
We got Charlie and his dad to use buckets |
We had to finish off with our arms extended. This time Maggie. Still at least the area was dry for jacking |
Measurements were taken both sides every time a block was inserted |
We took a block from the compound on our trolley and placed it in the centre by the pintel. Hard word work by Geoff, Steff and Charlie pushing it in position |
Another block had to be pushed to the water side by Rob and Steff |
Rob getting it in position in confined space |
Steff cutting a block to shape under the tail of the bridge. No jacking here. We would not want to affect the swinging of the Plimsoll Bridge |
Geoff and Mike gettingthe block in position |
Mike easing the block into place |
The two Mikes chiseling away the rust from the pintel |
Charlie chiselling. He fits nicely! |
Mike getting ready for jacking the nose. Note the wheel is firmly on the ground. A spreader plate was needed for the jack. A spirit level to check the bridge |
10 year old Charlie having been taught how to use the jack has lots of instructors standing by |
Protective arms round Charlie. Alf Perry comes to look at progress |
Sunday 16 Febrary 2014
Another day, bridge covered in condensation, but its sunny |
More new volunteers. Simon and Hannah got stuck into chiselling all day |
Two hoses, two chisels and an air jet to get tangled up |
Its a lot easier if one is as small as Charlie |
Hannah and Simon got to paint some of the pintel where it was dry. |
The sooner more paint gets applied the better |
Two jacks in use, a third at the ready |
Mike yielding the sledge hammer to get the block in position |
Mike carefully putting packing pieces in. The bridge being carefully measured on either side. |
other nose wheel off the ground. Note the stop |
Maggie knocking a block in. Geoff being very trusting that she will not hit his foot |
Nose Wheel off the ground |
Pintel lifting. No longer sitting on wheel |
The cable has loosened too |
Pintel in the morning |
The pintel at the end of the day. The jacks have done their job |