LIFTING GEAR HIRE BRIDGES THE GAP

Speedy LGH , recently worked with sister company, Lifting Gear Engineering, to provide a solution for the Castle Group, a civil engineering contractor, when they won a contract to carry out bridge maintenance work, including the strengthening of the A9 Jubilee Bridge in Dunkeld, Perthshire.

The Castle Group had been awarded the contract by the Scottish Executive, (recently renamed Transport Scotland) to repair and replace the reinforced cantilevered edge beam on the A9 Jubilee Bridge, as part of a wider project to improve the road network in the area. The A9 Jubilee Bridge spans 105 metres across the River Tay, so it became necessary to find a suitable means to gain access to carry out the work.

From a concept proposed by the Castle Group, Speedy LGH and its bespoke design and engineering division, Lifting Gear Engineering, developed a safe, cost effective solution to move the falsework across the river span using a trolley system.

The trolley system served two purposes; firstly it acted as a gantry, allowing personnel to gain access to carry out the strengthening work; whilst at the same time supporting the formwork, so that the new concrete could be cast.

The trolley system was attached to the bridge’s structural steelwork using RMD Soldiers; a solution which involved utilising lengths of steel props that were fixed together using scaffold tube and clamps to successfully support the trolley system when it was in situ. An air hoist had to be employed to lift the gantry from ground level and successfully attach it to the underside of the bridge. A hydraulic tirfor was then utilised to move the gantry assembly along the underside of the bridge as sections of the concrete structure were completed.

As well as designing and supplying the trolley system to enable the work to take place underneath the bridge, Speedy LGH also hired a wide variety of safety equipment, assisting Castle Group personnel to comply with the latest working at height regulations; and preventing any unnecessary delays to the project.

“We were impressed with Speedy LGH and their ability to design, manufacture and install a cost effective gantry system to allow the bridge strengthening work to be carried out on schedule. Furthermore, they were able to guarantee the safety of the contractors and personnel required to work on the gantry system.” Commented Jim Niven, Castle’s Contracts Manager.

LGH MEGALIFT'S COLLEGE CAPERS

LGH Megalift, innovative solution providers for the movement and lifting of plant equipment using hydraulic gantry systems, were called in recently to assist with a problem facing RLJ Mechanical Services Ltd of London, who had a contract to remove a diesel engine generator, in need of updating and overhaul, from the basement of Imperial College in South Kensington, London.

The engine needed to be sent off site for refurbishing as a result. LGH Megalift were faced with a number of severe problems; firstly the weight of the engine, which was 25 tonnes. Secondly, there was a severe height restriction above the pit and also the depth of the pit from which the engine had to be lifted, which totalled 9 metres. Finally there were ground loading limitations that had to be imposed around the access hole.

After a significant engineering study, LGH Megalift provided a solution which involved the 4100 jacking system and utilising further equipment supplied by Lifting Gear Hire.

“We were able to work closely with our sister company, Lifting Gear Hire, in order to make sure we could offer our customer a practical solution to the problems that had been identified, without affecting their deadline.” Reported Bob Hamilton, Manager, LGH Megalift.

Two tracks were erected at either end of the pit. However, because of the location of a number of pipes around the pit, one track had to project completely across mid air rather than being supported by the concrete. Therefore, industrial adjustable propping had to be built from the basement, under the rails, to sustain the weight of the unit. The 4100 system was then erected and fitted with 8 metre beams. 4 x 10 tonne chain blocks and 4 load links were fitted onto these beams.

With the preparations complete, the engine was manoeuvred in the basement until it was positioned under the access hole and the Megalift system by RLJ Mechanical Services Ltd of London. The chain blocks were attached to the lifting points on the base of the engine cradle. The weight of the unit was then taken, and the load at each point carefully monitored. The Megalift system was then extended, lifting both the engine and its cradle. This continued until the height restriction above the jacking system, a pedestrian walkway, prevented any further movement.

The chain blocks were utilised by the client to lift the engine clear of the access hole. The Megalift system then moved the engine along its tracks before finally landing it at ground level. Once all the lifting equipment had been removed, the client winched the unit into a suitable position to enable it to be lifted onto transport, with the assistance of the Megalift system, once it had been repositioned.

“LGH Megalift and RLJ Mechanical Services Ltd of London worked in conjunction with the engine manufacturer and Imperial College, given the available access, to successfully complete this project on schedule, safely and with minimum disruption to the day to day running of the college.” commented Rod Jones, Managing Director, RLJ Mechanical Services Ltd of London.

SPEEDY LGH SUPPLY ELECTRIFYING LIFTING SOLUTIONS

Speedy LGH provided a bespoke lifting solution to Nova Chemicals when they needed a permanent system for replacing any one of 37 electric motors used for generating hydraulic power.

‘From condition monitoring results the motors need to be replaced routinely and it is crucial that this happens as quickly as possible so as not to interfere with production,’ explained Steve Birch, Engineer, Nova Chemicals.

The motors have previously been removed using a combination of chain blocks and a forklift truck but this was proving to be too time consuming.

The motors are housed in hydraulic units in 2 x banks that run parallel to one another. The runway beams that were installed above each bank, however, had not been erected down the centre line. The beam on the left hand side was also surrounded by pipe work and cable trays that prevented anything from travelling along it.

Speedy LGH worked with sister company Lifting Gear Engineering to devise and supply a solution using a 20 metre long runway and a cantilevered rolling beam crane system that was attached to the two existing runway beams. This way the motors could be lifted from either bank and placed on a pallet in the passageway ready to be taken away for repair.

They counteracted the problem caused by the surrounding pipe work and cable trays by suspending a new runway beam beneath the existing left beam so as to provide a mounting platform. The other beam could be used in its existing state.

Speedy LGH provided us with an efficient and safe lifting solution that now takes a lot less time that it used to,’ said Steve Birch.

‘We were also impressed with Speedy LGH and their ability to manufacture, install and test the lifting solution in just two weeks prior to our scheduled maintenance shutdown’ he added.

LGH MEGALIFT'S FINEST CHINA

LGH Megalift solved a problem for specialist machinery movers, Drayton Beaumont, who needed to relocate a pottery kiln from the Royal Worcester Porcelain factory, Worcester, which is due for closure.

The 20 tonne Kiln, which has been bought by Wedgwood, was situated on the first floor and was 8.5mtrs long x 2.5mtrs wide. The only removal route was to lower the Kiln through an access hole created in the first floor wall and into an alley on the ground floor below. The alley was only 6mtrs wide and therefore only a small mobile crane could be used which would not be able to carry the load.

LGH Megalift used their engineering expertise and hydraulic gantry systems to devise a solution that could safely lift the kiln despite this access problem.

Two lines of LGH Megalift tracking were placed either side of the alleyway. Both the rail lengths had to be elevated and placed upon blocks to pass over raised manholes. 4 x LGH Megalift’s hydraulic rams were placed onto the rails and connected with 2 x 5.7mtr beams, which just fitted within the confines of the alley. The hydraulic rams were then extended until the beams were above the access hole in the first floor.

At this stage Drayton Beaumont began to push the Kiln through the hole until the leading edge of the Kiln sat under the front beam to which it was subsequently attached. The leading pair of hydraulic rams was then tracked along the rails pulling the kiln out further from the access hole until the other end could be connected to the rear hydraulic gantry system.

The LGH Megalift system then fully tracked the Kiln clear of the building and lowered it down onto the ground floor of the alley from where it was skated away.

‘Clearly a project of this size and nature needed moving specialists and LGH Megalift were the perfect partners,’ said John Tiplady, Project Manager at Drayton Beaumont.

‘We move dozens of kilns and heavy equipment each year, generally for relocation, and the removal phase is the most critical part of the project, so we will definitely be using LGH Megalift again”.

For a free LGH Megalift information CD please call Bob Hamilton, LGH Megalift on 01942 898068 or email bob.hamilton@lgh.co.uk.

SPEEDY LGH ACQUIRE BURGESS GROUP’S LIFTING AND TESTING DIVISION

Speedy LGH has announced an agreement to acquire Burgess Group’s Lifting and Testing division as part of their ongoing UK and overseas strategy for organic and acquisitive growth.

This acquisition forms part of a commitment to further grow Speedy LGH ’s business as independent specialist lifting engineers devoted to the hire, sales and service of lifting equipment with true nationwide branch coverage.

Burgess’ Lifting Division is based in Dover, Kent and will become part of Speedy LGH ’s nationwide network of 34 Branches. Their engineers have been fully trained by the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) and the Division’s core business has focussed primarily on providing a full inspection, maintenance, repair and equipment certification service, plus sales and hire of lifting equipment.

‘Our lifting engineering and testing capability reassures our customers that the equipment they are using meets the highest quality safety standards and this will be further complemented by the staff and resources in our new Dover base,’ said Paul Fulcher, Operations Director.

SPEEDY LGH CARRY OUT A ‘PANE’FUL LIFT

Speedy LGH recently worked with sister company, Lifting Gear Engineering, to provide a solution for Exterior Profiles Ltd when they needed to install the glass exterior to a new 32 storey development in Leeds.

Exterior Profiles Ltd had been contracted by Bovis Lend Lease to install the exterior glass façade in Leeds City Centre’s newest development, Bridgewater Place. When completed it will be 105 metres high, the tallest building in Leeds, the construction of which involves 2 structures being joined together by a magnificent 8 storey glass atrium.

Exterior Profiles Ltd contacted Speedy LGH with the intention of creating a runway system around the exterior of the building, enabling the glass panels to be hoisted into position before being installed. This system had been developed by Speedy LGH for Exterior Profiles Ltd when they collaborated on a job several years earlier. However, the complex shape of the building prevented this from being a viable solution.

Instead, following an engineering study, Speedy LGH were able to design and supply 4 counter balanced floor cranes, which were light enough to be easily manoeuvred between floors using the external lift, enabling the panels to be fitted quickly and cost effectively.

The floor cranes were designed to be positioned a number of floors above the level where the installation was taking place and a chainblock lowered to the installation level to attach the glass panel. The crane could then be used to raise the panel vertically and manoeuvre outside the building before installing in the correct position.

In addition to the counter balanced floor cranes, Speedy LGH also designed and manufactured a number of ‘Philly’ trollies. This enabled boxes, each containing 2 glass panels, to be safely unloaded from the transport and moved to the relevant floor in preparation for installation. Lifting Gear Engineering also devised a turnover lifting beam, which was fitted with webbing slings, in order to enable the glass panels to be removed from their transportation cases, before being rotated 90 degrees and laid horizontally on skates. From this point the floor crane could be attached and carry out the vertical lift.

“We were very pleased with the solution Speedy LGH provided as, by utilising a series of 4 floor cranes we were able to position the subsequent panels ready for installation whilst the installation of the previous glass panel was still taking place. This allowed us to improve installation efficiency and ensure we remained on schedule.” commented Alan Phillips, Managing Director, Exterior Profiles Ltd

  SPEEDY LGH AND LGH MEGALIFT WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD BRIDGES

Speedy LGH and LGH Megalift recently worked together with Balfour Beatty in the construction of a new bridge over the M6 motorway north of Preston.

Speedy LGH were initially contacted by Balfour Beatty when they had encountered a last minute hitch with the bridge installation, as complications with the structural steel led to problems with the bearings once the bridge was erected. Balfour Beatty only had a twelve hour ‘window’ when the motorway could be shut down to allow the erection of the bridge to take place. The problems found with the bearings forced Balfour Beatty to lift the deck once more at a later stage. Lifting the deck would normally be carried out with a crane, leading to severe disruption of the motorway traffic and substantial costs.

Speedy LGH proposed a solution which would substantially reduce the effect of the lift in the running traffic as well as its associated costs.

Following a site visit, Speedy LGH worked out a solution which enabled access to the bearings; the solution was to jack the deck from both ends, rather than lifting it. A special ram was required to jack the bridge 15 mm crossways to align the bridge to span 2.1 metres, which Speedy LGH provided.

Speedy LGH contacted their sister company, LGH Megalift, who, following an engineering study, was able to provide this simple solution, which could be carried out over two nights. Two 22A Megalift jacking systems were erected during a partial closure of the motorway on the first evening. Each system was built in the fast lane, adjacent to the central pier; with tracks running in the same direction as the carriageways. Both systems were fitted with a 5.7 metre lifting beam.

During the second night both systems were extended until they made contact with the underside of the bridge beams. They then extended further, lifting the bridge beams clear of the pier to allow the taper bearings to be changed. Once this had been accomplished, both Megalift systems moved along the tracks in opposite directions ‘skewing’ the bridge beams into final alignment in order to successfully complete the operation.

“We were extremely pleased with the solutions provided by both Speedy LGH and LGH Megalift as they enabled the maintenance work to the damaged bridge bearings to be carried out safely and efficiently, with minimum disruption to the traffic flow.” Commented Matthew Storr, Project Manager for Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering.

Speedy LGH devised and supplied the necessary lifting solution to Nuttall John Martin for the recently completed bearing replacement project on the Thelwall Viaduct.

The Thelwall Viaduct on the northbound M6 was partially closed to traffic in July 2002, after it was discovered that a roller bearing, which was installed when the viaduct was refurbished in 1996, had split into two.

Initially it was hoped repair work could be carried out quickly but an extensive study of all the support bearings revealed serious problems. After it was realised that all the bearings could fail in the short to medium term, the decision was taken to replace all 136 of them. This decision was made in the interest of public safety and to prevent further damage to the viaduct. The northbound carriageway of the M6 was therefore affected by this work, which subsequently impacted upon the southbound.

The bridge is supported by 35 piers and 2 abutments, as well as 8 supporting beams, which run parallel to each other along the full length of the underside of bridge. The bearings are positioned between the beams and the pier heads to allow thermal expansion and contraction of the beams between summer and winter as well as movement due to traffic loadings.

In order to replace a bearing, it was necessary to jack up the viaduct to allow the old bearing to be removed and a new one installed. This complex operation first required the strengthening of the beam above the bearing so as to prevent it from buckling. Originally for every bearing replacement 4 x stiffening plates and A frames were attached to the relevant beam. However, this became too time consuming and the stiffening plates were replaced with shelf brackets. These were purpose made frames that could be assembled around the bridge beams. They then jacked up these shelf brackets to lift the bridge.

‘The stiffening plates and the subsequent shelf brackets were both heavy and the positioning very awkward so Speedy LGH devised a solution for safely and efficiently installing them and eliminated any manual handling,’ explained Allan Cooke, Speedy LGH, Atherton.

Due to the complicated steelwork around the bearings, Speedy LGH devised a solution using a bespoke runway beam, which was used in combination with a hoist and manual chain block. It was not possible, however, to fit this system to the bridge itself and so it was therefore necessary to erect scaffolding around each of the 35 piers and 2 abutments, ranging in height from 11m to 35 metres.

The runway beam system was then attached to the scaffolding directly underneath the viaducts’ supporting beam. The stiffening plate or shelf bracket could then be lifted from the pier head and tracked into position on the supporting beam.

‘We supplied all the necessary hoists and ancillary equipment along with 240 bespoke runways, although we actually tested and installed 380 as it was possible to use some of them on more than one pier head,’ explained Allan

Speedy LGH also devised a solution for lifting the stiffening plates, shelf brackets and bearings onto the pier heads prior to installation. A lift well was created in the scaffolding and a runway beam installed onto the pier head so that it extended out over the hole. An electric hoist was then used to lift the equipment as and when required.

Speedy LGH worked with sister company Lifting Gear Engineering to design, manufacture, erect and test both of these specialised lifting solutions.

‘This was a complex lifting application and we were impressed from the very beginning with Speedy LGH and Lifting Gear Engineering’s ability to devise and supply a safe and efficient lifting solution which enabled us to replace all of these bearings ahead of schedule,’ said Pete Wilkinson, Project Manager, Nuttall John Martin.

‘They worked in partnership with us and were reliable suppliers who always provided us with the necessary lifting expertise and equipment needed to ensure that the 2 year project ran smoothly,’ he added.