Giant crane brought in to replace Burnley rail bridge

The near 100-year-old rail bridge next to Burnley Barracks is replaced

A worn-out railway bridge over the canal in Burnley was replaced at the weekend by Network Rail engineers as part of the Great North Rail Project.

The rotten and rusted old bridge next to Burnley Barracks was craned out before an 80-tonne new one was lifted in using a 1,000-tonne crane.

Twenty-five Team Orange workers grafted round the clock to get the job done.

The task include installing a temporary pontoon across the Leeds and Liverpool Canal to catch falling debris as the structure, approaching 100 years old, was removed.

Workers grafted round the clock to ensure a smooth operation

The £1.4m job was done by Network Rail in partnership with contractors Murphy and Story.

Chris Atkins, scheme project manager, said: “This work was excellently planned and excellently delivered. Well done, everyone involved.

“Replacing this bridge is a must-do job that is essential for the continued safe running of the railway for customers in Burnley.”

Fifty metres of new bi-directional track was laid across the new bridge, which is a bi-directional, lesser-used branch line.