How do you remove a 30-tonne Victorian footbridge that’s been rooted to the same spot for 134 years? Easy: hire a 700-tonne crane, select a highly organised 38-man team… and get to work.
Salford-based demolition and bulk earthworks specialists PP O’Connor were given the unenviable task of removing the timber and steel footbridge from Altrincham Railway Station on Sunday October 26th.
The entire station was closed to allow for the work, which was carried out between 1.30am and 8pm.
The structure was lifted out in two sections and then processed on site for recycling by an excavator. The team worked across two shifts to ensure the job was done inside the allotted 27-hour timeframe.
The replacement footbridge, part of the £19m redevelopment of the newly named Altrincham Interchange, had already been installed by Laing O’Rourke prior to the old bridge’s dismantling.
Peter O’Connor, PP O’Connor’s managing director, said: “Working at night with a large crane over railway lines is always a major challenge but it is testament to our team at PP O’Connor the works completed on time without a hitch.”
The above video shows work taking place in timelapse form.
Below: Inside the new Altrincham Interchange footbridge, and the old footbridge during removal
