Support services and construction company Carillion's Civil Engineering division working on the Rugby Western Relief Road project for clients Warwickshire County Council has successfully completed deck works to two major structures in as many weeks.

Both the Parkfield Railway Bridge beams have been placed during railway possessions and the River Avon Viaduct deck pour has been completed.

An 800 tonne crane lifted into place the 12 Parkfield Railway Bridge beams. These weighed 50 tonnes each. The entire process was carried out in a series of Saturday night railway possessions. The beam lifts commenced on 9 May 2009 and were completed on 24 May 2009 - a total of 12 working hours.


The beam lift marked the culmination of months of planning. A key requirement was to minimise disruption to rail traffic on the West Coast Mainline; Europe's busiest railway. The achievement was accomplished through a collaborative working relationship between Carillion, Warwickshire County Council and Network Rail.

In between the railway possessions, the team tackled the deck pour to the River Avon Viaduct. This is the longest structure on the project at 120 metres and is a double curved 3 span bridge carrying the relief road over the River Avon and its floodplain. The sensitive environment adjacent the River Avon featured prominently in planning the works. The deck pour was successfully completed in 12 hours on 21st May.

Carillion Civil Engineering won the two year £37m contract which involves the 6km road stretching from Potford's Dam on the A4071 to the Avon Mill roundabout at the junction of Newbold Road and the A426 Leicester Road.

(CD/JM)