Taking a tour of the newly refurbished Redcliffe Bascule Bridge

Councillor Don Alexander is pictured, smiling, with trees and College Green in the background.
Today’s guest blog is from Councillor Don Alexander, Cabinet Member for transport and Labour Councillor for Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston Ward.

I recently visited Redcliffe Bascule Bridge on Bristol’s floating harbour to find out more about all we’ve done to refurbish it and to see the repairs up close.

To look at the bridge in its normal state, when it’s lowered, it looks like a simple construction over the harbour from Redcliffe Way to Welsh Back. However, when the section that lifts up (known as the bascule span) goes into the upright position, that is when you realise there are complicated mechanics at work.

Built in 1942, the bridge needs to open to let larger boats in and out of Welsh Back, a wharf alongside the floating harbour. The last time any significant repairs took place to the bridge was in 1996 but, since then, the deck anchoring and lifting system had deteriorated to the point that it had become noisy under the heavy traffic flow. We needed to solve that issue, and bring it up to modern standards.  

The project was designed by Jacobs Consultants UK between late 2018 and 2020, mainly concentrating on structural problems and upgrading the mechanical and electrical elements of the bridge.

Redcliffe Bascule Bridge is picture with new paint.

Cleveland Bridge UK originally started the repairs back in January 2021. However, they went into administration in July 2021 so we needed to find a new contractor who could hit the ground running. Griffiths, the council’s maintenance contractor, took on the project and the refurbishment work started back up again in June 2022.

Griffiths brought in Fairfield Control Systems to upgrade and replace various electrical components that control the bridge’s critical functions and surroundings, and Fairfield Engineering Solutions to focus on refurbishing the crucial mechanical elements essential to the bridge’s structural integrity.

Glyn Evans, Project Manager for Bristol City Council, and Mike Clark, Site Agent for Griffiths, took me on a behind-the-scenes tour to find out more about the bridge and its refurbishment, which was fascinating.

I got to see the workings of the lifting mechanism, which all goes on out of sight in the bascule electrical distribution centre.

The tour also took in the main plant room, which houses the new high-tech electrical control systems and the bascule cabin, which is where the bridge is operated by our harbour staff.

The lifting mechanism room of Redcliffe Bascule Bridge is pictured, happening out of the bascule electrical distribution centre.
Redcliffe Bascule Bridge's main plant room, housing the new high-tech electrical control systems and the bascule cabin, which is where the bridge is operated by our harbour staff.

What the works involved

The scope of work covered a range of critical components, including:

  • steelwork and concrete repairs
  • electrical works to upgrade and replace vital parts 
  • mechanical works
  • waterproofing the deck of the bridge, replacing joints, and surfacing and paving works
  • painting the structure
  • installing CCTV, fire and intruder alarms and lighting

One of the big issues was the sound of larger vehicles crossing the bridge. The clamping system, at the end of the deck that is raised into the air when the bridge lifts, had become worn over time and allowed the bridge to ‘flap’ under the load of traffic, albeit by a few millimetres, but sufficient to create a loud clank from every passing heavy vehicle. Happily, this has been resolved by creating a new nose bolt for the bridge, which keeps the decking securely in place. It means we’ve been able to improve the road surface, reducing noise for locals and creating better journeys for everyone who crosses the bridge.

I am delighted to say the refurbishment works are now complete and Redcliffe Bascule Bridge reopened to all users in August 2023.

Since then, we had an issue with the south pinion bearing, which is a geared cog bearing that drives the span of the bridge upwards. It was not in the original scope of the project, but it had deteriorated over the course of the works through lack of use. After a thorough assessment and some quick problem solving, our team successfully resolved the issue, illustrating their dedication to finding cost effective and practical solutions.

Councillor Don Alexander is pictured looking at the lifting mechanism room of Redcliffe Bascule Bridge.

Final steps

The final commissioning phase, when we will do our last tests on the lifting mechanism and train our harbour team to use the updated equipment, is all that remains left to do.

We are hoping to carry this out in February 2024 to avoid the busy run up to Christmas. It will mean we may need to close the bridge for a short period of time to all users. Signage will go up on the road and we’ll divert everyone over Bristol Bridge, if that’s the case. 

Thank you

Many thanks to everyone who has been involved in this project – it is a huge feat of engineering work. Your dedication and expertise has made sure that Redcliffe Bascule Bridge will stand strong for generations to come. I would also like to thank everyone, from road users to nearby residents and businesses, for your patience throughout the refurbishment works needed to future-proof the bridge and bring it back into full working order.

The old control systems for the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge.
Old hinges are pictured from the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge.