As part of the Thameslink Programme Network Rail appointed Balfour Beatty as the contractor to deliver the reconstruction of Blackfriars Railway station and bridge. The scheme commenced in 2009 and is due for completion in 2011 with a total budget of £275 million. For more information on the total project please see this link: Balfour Beatty Blackfriars Bridge and Station Reconstruction
One thing there is a lack of in Central London is space, space for storing materials, equipment and waste. So to avoid disruption to existing services and delays to the works Balfour Beatty drafted in the expertise of Chris Livett to setup and manage a waterborne delivery and storage solution for the reconstruction of Blackfriars Bridge. The River Thames has space, relatively light traffic and provides a direct route to and from the site. Utilising the waterways is greener too, one barge journey being equivalent to many many lorry miles.
Here are some initial images from the barge trials, proving the proposed solutions.
Here are some images from the first delivery utilising one of Bennett’s Barges tugs. The parts on the barge 'Devon' are new steel rib arches.
Chris Livett and his team coordinate the marine logistics. The materials and plant are delivered by truck to Thames Wharf, Canning Town and offloaded directly onto the quayside before being loaded from the wharf onto barges. They are then taken upriver directly to the site or for temporary storage at one of the lay by moorings at Blackfriars. Livett's also work with the PLA as a liaison to arrange arch closures of the bridge to allow works to be undertaken within the arches.
More details will be posted here as the work progresses.