Steel beams for an Essex bridge

Hague Construction Ltd engages Joseph Ash Galvanizing to galvanize steel beams for an Essex bridge.

Hague Construction Ltd is a civil engineering and design and build contractor based in Rochester, Kent, specialising in all aspects of in-situ concrete works, ground works, reinforced concrete structures and the design and build of steel framed commercial buildings.

Some of Hague’s partnership agreements include local authorities across the south east such as Kent County Council, Medway Borough Council, Essex County Council and Surrey County Council.

Many of Hague’s projects include highways structures, and as such they were given the task of reconstructing Lexden Bridge in Spring Lane, Colchester, Essex.

The existing Lexden Bridge crosses the channel of the River Colne and was built as a single span structure in 1904, which could only hold a three tonne weight limit. 

The primary elements of the existing steel bridge superstructure consisted of two lattice girder edge beams, 13.44 metres in length, which spanned longitudinally between mass concrete abutments and with a transverse spanning deck. The deck was constructed of steel transverse members in-filled with mass concrete. The clear span between the face of the abutments was 12.18 metres.

Due to the age and structure of the bridge, Essex County Council commissioned Hague Construction to demolish the bridge and replace it with a new reinforced concrete bridge.

The abutments will be supported on CFA piles and the raised height of the new bridge deck will require a change to the vertical alignment of the carriageway.

A temporary footbridge and footpath will also be constructed to maintain pedestrian access across the River Colne and a coffer dam is required to enable the abutments to be constructed.

The Lexden Bridge project is part of a programme of works, which will feature on Channel 5 in 2015 as part of a six-part documentary about local authority engineering works.

Joseph Ash Galvanizing is pleased to have assisted Hague Construction in this project, after we were asked to hot dip galvanize the steel components of the bridge, and deliver them direct to the site in Colchester.

We look forward to seeing the bridge finished and we’ll publicise the date of the Channel 5 documentary when we know its scheduling.