Swan Hill & Barham BridgeLift Span Repairs

Good News Story

Works Managers MeetingNarrandera

22-23 October 2012

Sam Millie, Works Manager Bridges, Wagga

Swan Hill & Barham Bridge Lift Span Repairs

Locality Map

Barham Bridge Lift Span Repairs

OverviewSwan Hill Bridge over Murray River

Barham Bridge over Murray River

Swan Hill & Barham Bridge Lift Span Repairs

Overview

•Years of drought and low Murray River, maintenance efforts directed away from lift spans•PS Melbourne Centenary River Festival being held Sunday 9 September 2012 at Mildura•Around 25 heritage paddle steamers & river boats travel Murray River to celebrate•Event co-ordinator contacted RMS in March 2012, advised us, and requested progress on the repairs planned for Swan Hill and Barham Bridge lift spans, to ensure historic paddle steamer PS Adelaide could travel from Echuca to Mildura to attend •PS Adelaide is oldest surviving paddle steamer, commissioned in 1876 and operational along Murray until 1960's when is was placed in a park for around 20 years, then was fully restored and recommissioned in 1985; about 50 years since it’s been to Swan Hill •RMS have been liaising with the event co-ordinator since March 2012 providing regular updates. •Since May 2012 our advice has been that we will have the bridges operational by the end of August 2012, whether by their own lifting mechanicals or using mechanical aids. i.e. crane or jacks.•Six lift span bridges to ensure open for paddle boats – Swan Hill & Barham existing projects underway

Swan Hill & Barham Liftspan Bridge Repairs

Barham Bridge over Murray River

Swan Hill & Barham Bridge Lift Span Repairs

BARHAM – built 1904:•Not operational since 2009 due to damaged mechanical components;only lifted with crane assistance•Scope = Minimal fabrication and upgrades to bring back into service commenced March 2012 (unlike Swan Hill); original duration 4 months•Multiple bridge closures for works, weekends & week days•Significant disruption to locals•Extensive community consultation•Design and scope issues delayed works

Swan Hill & Barham Liftspan Bridge Repairs

Swan Hill Bridge over Murray River

Swan Hill & Barham Liftspan Bridge Repairs

SWAN HILL – built 1897:•Unable to lift since 2007•Original mechanical components removed August 2008 during the lead re-painting project•Mechanical rehabilitation planning commenced at this time requiring extensive assessment, design (Hatch consultant $300K) and fabrication processes to ensure components and system meet heritage requirements and current mechanical standards•Fabrication of new mechanicals commenced July 2011, involving combination of historic and modern methods including forging, machining, casting and lead smelting•During fabrication, material deficiencies (strength of red gum timber) in original components planned to keep for retention were identified, and scope continued to grow significantly•Resulted in replacement of ALL moving components and support stands, doubling steel contract value to $800K•First new component delivery to site late July 2012, with last components (large cast gear wheels) received 23 August 2012 leaving crew 1 week to make bridge operational

Swan Hill & Barham Bridge Lift Span Repairs

•RFS and subcontractors worked extended hours including weekends, night and day shifts throughout August•6 mechanical lift spans along Murray River ranging up to 116 years old must be operational for PS Adelaide and its flotilla•Spent $85K on Plan B strand jacking method of opening Swan Hill – Freyssinet contract•11 days straight worked by Swan Hill crew (could have been 19d straight – no approval IR section or local RCG)•Customer Service – two customer sets with competing interests – when river traffic pass, road traffic must stop•In addition to major works on Swan Hill and Barham, also minor works on:

• Gonn Crossing to balance counterweight• Nyah to ensure smooth rotation of large gear wheel• Test lifts on Tooleybuc• Abbotsford OK

•RFS allowed to make timely scope decisions to progress works•PS Adelaide's voyage heavily publicised through various media incl TV, newspapers, radio, internet, Facebook and posters; farewell celebrations at Port of Echuca when it set on its journey

Barham Bridge Lift Span Repairs

Barham Bridge Lift Span Repairs

AfterBefore

Barham Bridge Lift Span RepairsTower Access & Sheave Wheel Testing

Swan Hill Bridge Lift Span RepairsComplex Drive Gears & Shafts

Swan Hill & Barham Bridge Lift Span Repairs

•Successful openings:• Barham = 1.00pm Monday 27 August 2012• Gonn Crossing = 9.30am Tuesday 28 August• Swan Hill = 10.30am Friday 31 August• Nyah = 5.00pm Friday 31 August• PS Adelaide broke down Saturday 1 September• Tooleybuc = 8.00am Sunday 2 September• Abbotsford = Saturday 8 September

•Excellent achievement for RFS to be involved in assisting this voyage and has attracted a lot of publicity and spectators along the way•Estimated 1000 spectators at Barham to watch paddle steamer pass under bridge including local school children; hundreds lined banks at Gonn Crossing, Swan Hill, Nyah and Tooleybuc•Return voyage late September 2012 also managed successfully

Day of Test Lift

The Lift Span Opens for River Traffic

Barham Lift Span Opens for River Traffic

Thank you

Swan Hill & Barham Bridge Lift Span Repairs

Play Audio File:Regional Manager, Steve WarrellABC Bendigo radio interview 30 August 2012