Bridge inspections take place as work gathers pace on Levenmouth rail link

Bridge inspections have been taking place while work on the Levenmouth rail link has been gathering pace.

Network Rail says that it's an early and important task to make sure that the bridges are in good condition and structurally sound to carry the new railway.

The rail link project, worth more than £116 million, is expected to be completed in around two years time, with two new accessible stations and the line being electrified.

There's anticipation that station designs will be complete, with planning applications to be made later this year.

Earlier this month, the first new sections of rail were laid and work was done to upgrade Thornton North junction.

Work is also taking place to prepare for the closure of the Bawbee Bridge, with an upgrade of it expected to take place.

Meanwhile, inspections have taken place at five underbridges, that is structures that sit under the railway, with a programme of work launched to bring them up to scratch. 

The organisation says that each structure will be grit-blasted to remove the old paint from the bridge and take it back to the base metal.

Corroded sections of the bridge are being replaced and repairs carried out where necessary.

New timber bridge decks will be installed to strengthen and support what will soon be a double-tracked railway running over them.

The bridge is then being repainted using a special paint system that will make sure that it's water-proofed and coated to protect it for 25 years.

To create the right conditions to do the work, a encapsulated access scaffold will be built. 

It's a scaffold that surrounds the bridge on all sides, including underneath, which will also be fully covered and sealed. 

The encapsulation protects the work from the impact of weather, but more importantly is an important environmental protection to stop the old toxic lead paint from leaking out into the environment. 

Carrying out the work in a sealed environment means that the toxic spoil can be removed in a controlled manner and disposed of appropriately.

Sean Clemie, Senior Project Manager for the structures work on the route, said: "In the same way as the old track bed is being dug out and replaced to bring it up to modern standards, the same principle applies with the underbridges on the route.

"Taking them back to their base metal lets us see clearly what we need to do to repair and replace any damaged or corroded steel sections, as well as strengthening the timber bridge decks.  

"Once we have carried out the structural repairs, we can then apply the specialist paint system that lasts for 25 years and ensures the bridges are coated and protected against the impact of weather and corrosion – something which is particularly important in a coastal location.

"If you were wondering what was happening under the big white tents that will spring up between now and August on bridges along the route, now you know."