21.09.17
NR starts £4.2m refurb of 134-year-old South Esk viaduct
Work has started this week on the £4.2m refurbishment of the South Esk viaduct at Montrose, it has been revealed.
The impressive structure is 16 span, 440 metres and Grade B listed, and stands on 15 pairs of wrought iron piers above the River Esk at the mouth of the Montrose Basin.
Network Rail engineers will work to grit blast, clean, repair and repaint the viaduct one section at a time over the next 16 months, with work expected to be complete by summer 2018.
The viaduct was originally built in 1883 and was one of the last major bridges to be made with wrought iron using lattice girders – which was a Victorian design standard.
A scaffold system and walkway is in place to enable the ‘Orange Army’ to access the structure and complete the work safely.
“Now that we have scaffolding, walkways, and bridge protection in place, work can get underway on the structure itself,” said Jeremy Spence, Network Rail’s project manager. “It’s a stunning location and I am sure the experience of working here over the coming months will be both exciting and challenging.
“Getting the chance to see the viaduct up close gives you great respect for those who built this structure more than a century ago and we hope that our work does justice to the legacy that we have been left by the Victorian railway pioneers.
“We take seriously our responsibility to maintain and preserve these historic structures, not just for the safe and efficient operation of the railway, but also how they look in their setting for those travelling on the railway or visitors to the area enjoying the beautiful views.”
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