Iron Bridge restoration: Scaffolding in place after delay
Work to put in massive scaffolding poles around the Iron Bridge ran late into the night, after "challenging" conditions caused short delays.
The Wharfage opened at 11pm yesterday, after work to put in two 950kg scaffolding beams, spanning the River Severn beside the Iron Bridge, ran into the evening.
A one-day closure was in place on the road between 9.30am and 3.30pm, but that was put back, after the work took longer than expected.
Councillor Nicola Lowery, ward member for the Ironbridge Gorge, praised the work of contractors who kept the community informed while the work was ongoing and worked diligently to get the job done in one day.
She said: "Having spoken to Taziker directly they would like to sincerely apologise for any disruption the extended closure or works may have caused the local community.
"As a contractor they have endeavoured to work proactively and positively with the local community and certainly wish to continue this moving forward therefore can only apologise for this unforeseen delay."
Councillor Lowery said the workers faced "challenging" conditions regarding the weather on Monday.
She said: "It is precarious work and Taziker wanted to make sure it was done quickly and efficiently but also make sure it was done carefully and safety is obviously a major concern.
"As soon as they knew the work was going to take longer than expected, floodlights were brought in and it was quite dramatic seeing the work done in the dark."
The scaffolding is being put up as part of a £1.2 million restoration project on the bridge, the largest ever undertaken by English Heritage.
The world's first iron bridge was completed in 1779 and opened to traffic in 1801. It became a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1986 and remains an iconic feature of Britain’s industrial past.
But after standing for centuries, the bridge is in need to repairs to cracking, caused by ground movements.
The Iron Bridge was the first single-span arch bridge in the world to be made of cast iron and was a turning point in engineering.
However it is suffering due to stresses in the ironwork dating from the original construction, ground movement over the centuries and an earthquake at the end of the 19th century.
The bridge has been in the care of English Heritage since 1975 and the charity has undertaken regular conservation and monitoring during that time.
Now iron radials and braces holding the bridge together are to be repaired and work will be completed on deck plates and wedges, the main iron arch,and the stone abutments on either side of the River Severn.
The bridge will also be re-painted
