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Ainscough Crane Hire recently worked with its client AmcoGiffen to remove a landmark 20,000kg bridge at a historic Liverpool dock ahead of essential repair work.
Working on a project on behalf of national waterways charity Canal & River Trust., Ainscough deployed its Liebherr LTM 1300 crane to remove a lift bridge at Brunswick Dock on the River Mersey enabling AmcoGiffen to install new bearings and reseal the lifting hydraulic rams.
Brunswick Dock is part of the Port of Liverpool and is situated in the Southern Dock system. The Royal Navy Headquarters for the North of England (RNHQ NE) is on Brunswick Dock, which includes the Royal Naval Reserve shore establishment HMS Eaglet.
Ainscough undertook two visits to the dock to complete the lift. The first entailed taking out stoplogs – hydraulic engineering control elements that are used in floodgates to adjust the water level.
AmcoGiffen manufactured and installed the stop planks to seal off the lock from the river and dock to facilitate the disconnection of the bridge and Ainscough returned to site to remove the 20t bridge for repair.
Positioning the 300t crane – which had a 34.20m boom length – within the tight dock environment posed some challenges, but this was overcome with careful planning by Ainscough’s appointed person Karl Dawson.
The route into Brunswick Dock was via complex access roads surrounding the busy Albert Dock. Timber was used to enable the crane’s wheels and tyres to mount the kerb, enabling access through Albert Dock traffic island.
The bridge is currently undergoing essential repairs. When complete, Ainscough will return to Brunswick Dock to reinstall the bridge.
Garry Burke, Ainscough’s Lancaster and Preston depot manager, said: “This was a potentially complex lift of a key piece of infrastructure made easy thanks to teamwork and a great relationship between Ainscough and our client.
“The tight environment of the dock and the drizzly, windy weather by the River Mersey posed some difficulties, but through our team’s expertise and close collaboration with AmcoGiffen, we were able to complete the removal with minimal difficulties.”
Shaun Hastings, engineering manager, AmcoGiffen, said: “Ainscough provided exceptional support with this complex lift and used their great knowledge to keep the crane size to a minimum in a tight part of the docks.
“Karl Dawson’s work as appointed person was the key factor in positioning the crane and developing the slinging to achieve the ‘perfect lift’.
“The site team was diligent in the setup, with all talks undertaken swiftly and as planned. The whole team were real ambassadors for Ainscough.”
