The Iron Bridge Project Diary

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13 April 2023: Repainting of original structure completed

The council's Conservation Officer and I caught up with progress at the Iron Bridge today.

Unfortunately we were not able to inspect the paintwork under the bridge as expected because the scaffolding removal was started before we were notified. That's frustrating as it was probably the last chance in my lifetime to see the bridge structure up-close from underneath. Happier news is the council have shared the photos below of the finished paintwork taken before the scaffold was removed.



Remaining work

There is outstanding work to do on the top-side of the bridge, including more vegetation removal, cleaning and repainting of the original railings and touch-up and maintenance works to the modern intervention (the green parts). It's planned for this to be carried out during the coming week or so and it is anticipated that the bridge will remain closed for at least another week.

What's next: scour remedial works

The inspection report identifies that a large stone block has been washed out of the south abutment below the waterline.

Water levels are too high to tackle this issue at the moment but later in the year a temporary dam will be built around the abutment so that the engineers can investigate properly and develop solutions. The stone block will be replaced and other works are likely to include installation of "riprap" stone to protect against future scouring and erosion on both north and south abutments.

https://www.marple.website/brabyns-park-iron-bridge/iron-bridge-at-risk-again.html

[admin]

A catch-up with progress on the Iron Bridge:

Read in more detail on the main site: https://www.marple.website/brabyns-park-iron-bridge/iron-bridge-at-risk-again.html

27 March 2023: Paint protection to the Iron Bridge is underway. The council has kindly shared some progress photos following application of the primer coating.



14 March 2023: I was pleased to join the council's Conservation Officer for a site visit to inspect the Bridge during the final stages of blasting and paint removal.



13 February 2023: Stockport Council advise that work is about to restart on the Iron Bridge repairs.

Also.....

This video inspection of Marple's Iron Bridge in Brabyns Park was conducted on 13th November 2003, during the early stages of the campaign to restore it and was submitted to the HLF in the funding bid. The film wasn't shared at the time as the file was too large. It was added to the diary after being rediscovered in Marple Local History Society's archives during March 2023.

[admin]

CGI of Marple's Iron Bridge in Brabyns Park
Fly-through 200 years of the bridge's history in 3.5 minutes

The film below was originally created in 2007/8 by Take 27 Ltd as part of the Brabyns Park Iron Bridge Restoration Project, a partnership between The Marple Website, Marple Local History Society and Stockport Council. Back then files were too large for normal Internet download and storage but broadband and data connections today means that those problems are no longer an issue.



So at last the film can be shared as part of the Iron Bridge Restoration Project Diaries on The Marple Website:

https://www.marple.website/brabyns-park-iron-bridge/iron-bridge-cgi.html

[admin]

December 2022: Delays and works on hold until after Christmas

Remedial works to the Iron Bridge on hold! Stockport Council has advised that limited progress has been made over the last month and the works are now on hold until the New Year.

The bridge will be open until such time that the works restart: https://www.marple.website/brabyns-park-iron-bridge/iron-bridge-at-risk-again.html

[admin]

October 2022: Remedial works to the Iron Bridge start soon!

Stockport Council have advised that remedial works on the Iron Bridge in Brabyns Park is provisionally due to commence on the 24th October 2022 and the main contractor is expected to be on site for 8 weeks. They say that the scope of the current project has been developed from the prioritised recommendations contained within the Principal Inspection Report referred to below, and following consultation with Stockport Council's Conservation Officer.

https://www.marple.website/brabyns-park-iron-bridge/iron-bridge-at-risk-again.html

[admin]

Iron Bridge Project Diaries Migrated to new web site

Migrating the Iron Bridge Project from the old web site was a task I'd put off due to the daunting amount of material generated during a period of more than 11 years. However, with the bridge discovered to be at risk again in the winter of 2021 the time seemed right to get the job done.

https://www.marple.website/brabyns-park-iron-bridge.html

This new section of the web site now pulls together the pages created during the huge community effort of the Iron Bridge Restoration Project, the more recent Iron Bridge Viewing Platform Refurbishment and the disappointing news that the Iron Bridge is at risk again only 14 years after Peter Clarke, the late Anne Hearle and I concluded 7 years of hard work to secure its future.

To read more about why the bridge is at risk again, follow this link:

https://www.marple.website/brabyns-park-iron-bridge/iron-bridge-at-risk-again.html

[admin]

Acknowledgement plaque fitted to Iron Bridge Viewing Platform

I'm pleased to report that the small plaque explaining a little about the refurbishment of the Iron Bridge Viewing Platform has now been fitted. This had been delayed at the manufacturers and also required a bit of fettling before it would fit nicely on the mounting plate.



The plaque acknowledges the help and support of Friends of Brabyns Park, Stockport Council, the Macnair Trust, Marple Area Committee, Marple Civic Society and other private individuals who donated towards the cost of the works. It also acknowledges the wonderful skills of Wayne Chaisty of Ironwood Metal Art, without whom the project would simply not have been possible.

This means that the project to refurbish the Viewing Platform and Bronze Plaque begun by The Marple Website almost exactly 3 years ago, in September 2018, is now fully completed.

But this is not the end of the Iron Bridge Story!

Unfortunately this is not the end of the Iron Bridge Project story because the council has been neglecting the bridge's maintenance for many years since it was restored. I began corresponding with them almost 12 months ago about bringing the next principle inspection forward from the date they had it scheduled (which was this December and already one year late due to Covid). I'm pleased to report that it was conducted in September, although I had been pushing for much earlier than this so it can only be regarded as a partial success so far. Reports from the inspection are now awaited and will be followed by discussions on the remedial actions to be taken.

[admin]

Iron Bridge Viewing Platform refurbishment completed!

I'm delighted to report that we completed the final installation of the bespoke railings and refurbished bronze plaque at the Iron Bridge Viewing Platform this morning. Wayne Chaisty of Ironwood Metal Art has done a brilliant job fabricating and fitting the railings to turn the vision of mounting the plaque on the existing railings without welding on site into a reality.

All that is left to do now is fit a small plaque onto the backing plate that you can see in the first photo. This will explain a little bit about the project and acknowledge funding sources. That has been ordered and should be available for fitting in around 2 to 3 weeks time.

[admin]

Iron Bridge Viewing Platform

Final trial assembly of the new railings and bronze plaque at the Iron Bridge Viewing Platform was completed today.

Next step is for Wayne to fully weld the brackets then send for galvanising.

We currently expect to complete the final installation some time in June if things continue to go to plan.

https://www.marple.website/community-projects/relocation-of-iron-bridge-plaque.html

[admin]

Iron Bridge Viewing Platform

Yesterday we completed the second trial fit of the bespoke railings being fabricated by Wayne Chaisty.

We also tried our mock-up of the bronze plaque and hopefully you can see how well the job is coming together now.

We have a few more adjustments to make before getting the railings galvanised and painted ready for final install, so watch this space for more news.

https://www.marple.website/community-projects/relocation-of-iron-bridge-plaque.html

[admin]

Iron Bridge Viewing Platform

This afternoon we completed the first trial fit of the bespoke railings being fabricated for the Viewing Platform by Metal Artist Wayne Chaisty.

Delighted to report that it all went well and, as expected, Wayne is doing an excellent job for us.

https://www.marple.website/community-projects/relocation-of-iron-bridge-plaque.html

[admin]

Iron Bridge Bronze Plaque Refurbished for Christmas!

Latest news is that the Iron Bridge bronze plaque has been collected just before Christmas from Leander, the original manufacturer. They've done a brilliant job of cleaning, re-patinating, polishing and lacquering the plaque so that it looks just like when it first came out of their factory in 2009.



We are also pleased to report that the rusty audio post has been repaired by Stockport Council.

Fabrication of the new infill railings by Wayne Chaisty is expected to start in the New Year.

https://www.marple.website/community-projects/relocation-of-iron-bridge-plaque.html

[admin]

Viewing Platform Update November 2020: Stage 2 Funding awarded by the Macnair Trust

Fantastic news this month is that the Macnair Trust met on 4th November and approved a grant application from Friends of Brabyns Park for the sum of £1,656 needed to complete Stage 2 of the Iron Bridge Viewing Platform refurbishment. This award will pay for the fabrication and installation of new bespoke railings to bridge the gap left by the tree stump removal and refurbishment of the bronze plaque itself by the original manufacturers.

The new railings will include a mounting on which the bronze plaque will be secured.

Stage 2 works will be completed as soon as circumstances allow, so check back for updates.

It looks like a small Stage 3 to this project will be required to get everything ship-shape:

During a recent visit to review the completed Stage 1 works it was noticed that the top of the support post holding the audio listening device near to the platform is rusting quite badly. The council's maintenance team will be temporarily removing the listening device soon, so that they / we can have a closer look at what is required to remedy this situation.

Read the full story: https://www.marple.website/community-projects/relocation-of-iron-bridge-plaque.html

[admin]

Viewing Platform Project: Update October 2020

The Marple Website and Friends of Brabyns Park are pleased to report that Stage 1 of the works to refurbish the Iron Bridge Viewing Platform has been completed. Stage 1 included the installation of new steel lintels and new matching stone work and kerbs to bridge the gap in the viewing platform left by the removal of the decayed tree stump. The wooden deck on the platform has also been fully renewed.



Stage 1 was funded by a £1,000 Flexibility Award from Marple Area Committee, £561 from Friends of Brabyns Park and £100 each from The Marple Website and Marple Civic Society. The council has contributed too - this was to be £900 but they have also absorbed some cost increases too.

We now need to find a further £1,600 of funding for Stage 2. This will include the fabrication and installation of new bespoke matching decorative railings at the back of the platform to bridge the gap left by the removal of the tree stump. The bronze plaque will also be cleaned and refurbished before being remounted on the new railings, returning the viewing platform to full use.

Read the full story: https://www.marple.website/community-projects/relocation-of-iron-bridge-plaque.html

[admin]

Viewing Platform Project: Update July 2020

In November 2019 the Friends of Brabyns Park submitted a grant application to the Manchester Airport Fund towards a project to refurbish the Iron Bridge Viewing Platform. It was considered by the fund's trustees in January and they asked the group for further information. This was provided at the end of January but unfortunately the application was refused in late April 2020. We believe, despite our best efforts, we struggled to give the trustees a full understanding of the project aims.



Project restructured

Following this, and in response to the Covid19 outbreak, the project was re-examined and restructured. It was pared down to the key physical works needed to restore the viewing platform only, with plans for walks, talks and reissue of the Discovery Trail put on hold for the time-being. The works were divided into two stages to take advantage of the partial funding already available and in the hope that it would be easier to raise further funds locally. The two stages defined were:

STAGE ONE Making the platform safe and accessible

• Install new steel lintels and new matching stone work and kerbs to bridge the gap in the viewing platform left by the removal of the decayed tree stump.
• Remove and replace / make good the wooden deck on the viewing platform.
• Make safe pending Stage 2.

Budget Cost £2,661

STAGE TWO refit the refurbished plaque on new bespoke railings

• Fabricate and install a new bespoke matching decorative railing at the back of the platform to bridge the gap between the existing railings left by the removal of the stump.
• Clean and refurbish the bronze plaque at the original manufacturers.
• Mount the bronze plaque on the new railings and return the viewing platform to full use.

Budget Cost £1,588

Stage One funded successfully

We are pleased to advise that in June 2020 an application to Marple Area Committee for £1,000 of Area Flexibility Funding was successful. Coupled with contributions of £900 from Stockport Council, £561 from Friends of Brabyns Park, and £100 each from The Marple Website and Marple Civic Society, this means that Stage One is now fully funded and can go ahead.

Stockport Council has been requested to place an order for Stage One with their landscape contractor and we are currently waiting to learn when the works will take place.

Once this is underway the next step will be find ways to fund Stage Two and complete the project.

Read the full story: https://www.marple.website/community-projects/relocation-of-iron-bridge-plaque.html