New Bascule Bridge and Lock Gates delivered to Western Docks development

The bascule bridge has been designed to maintain vehicular and pedestrian access along the Esplanade and will span the new navigation channel connecting the existing Wellington Dock with the new marina that is being built in in the outer harbour.

The bridge deck is attached by tie bars to a pivoting arm, which sits on top of a pair of masts, designed to represent ship masts. The deck is lifted using hydraulic cylinders, attached to the pivoting frame. The lifting mechanism is assisted by a steel filled counterweight section at the end of the balance arm.

The deck is 16m in length and 15.1m wide, and weighs 96 tonnes. It has a mast height of 16m and was brought in by a sea-going barge from the fabricator, Victor Buyck, Belgium, and lifted into place by a substantial 1250t land based crane.

In addition to the bascule bridge, two sector lock and mitre gates are being installed to provide 24hr access for marine craft into the Wellington Dock Navigation Channel, and also to provide flood protection during extreme high tide and storm surge conditions.

The two sector lock gates, each 12m high, and weighing 50 tonnes, will be located at the entrance to the navigation channel; and the two mitre lock gates, each 6m high and 5.5m wide, and weighing 13 tonnes, will be installed in the middle of the navigation channel adjacent to the bascule bridge.

Alan Hicks, Project Director for VSBW, said: “This is another successful key milestone within this high-profile project. The close collaboration between VSBW, our supply chain and the Port of Dover, has allowed the installation to take place as planned and ensures the success of the regeneration project for the Port as a whole”.