A port bridge too big to fit a Bridgeport, that is.

Weymouth Town Bridge is a twin-bascule lifting structure, built in the 1930s I think, that in the past served mainly a commercial ship-repairer and paddle-steam operator, Cosesn & Co. That is long gone and the Inner Harbour – "the Backwater" to use its proper name – is now populated with fishing-boats, dive-charter boats and private yachts.

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Its deck asphalt originally covered cast-iron grids infilled with oak blocks, but this gives a rather fragile surface prone to breaking up earlier than on a solid hard-cored road. So quite some years ago now (1970s?) the iron and wood were replaced with steel plates stitch-welded to their under-frames. The welds are each about 150mm long.

The bridge is heavily-used, including by some buses,, and over the years the welds have deteriorated, started to crack and need replacing.

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This entails not grinding, but milling, the old welds out to the appropriate depth and profile.

The MIG welding is performed within a tent to protect everyone else including the public – one footway is still in use, alongside the fenced working area. I noticed the welder himself wears not only a full helmet but one with a filtered air-supply, that unit worn on a waist-belt.

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The bridge is still opened at at least one of the two or three daily scheduled times, which must be very inconvenient for the contractors. Probably quite annoying as it only really needs be opened for the tall-masted yachts – surely their owners could have had their pleasure-sailing curtailed slightly for a couple of weeks, to expedite the repairs?

With the agreement of the rather startled operators, I photographed their milling-machine, built, they told me, by the company itself. I'd disturbed their afternoon tea-break but without my even asking they obligingly moved out of their gazebo!

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As illustrated, Allen-screws secure the machine to the deck via faced steel blocks temporarily tack-welded to the deck itself. The long and cross-feeds have power was well as manual feeds, the cutter is held in an ER collet.

The photos tell the rest of the story, with some of the mounting-blocks and weld-grooves visible, surrounding objects giving scale, and a snap of the van sign-writing as credit.

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I should add I have no connection with the contractors Mactech (Europe) Limited, to whom I give thanks.

Nor to Weymouth or Dorset Councils or the Harbour authority, except as being a local Council Tax paying resident and services-user!

(Apologies for the black corners on 2 pics: sticky shutter-cover.)

Edited By Nigel Graham 2 on 28/10/2022 14:55:41

By Weymouth Harbour's own web-site, the The Town Bridge is opened at set times of the day from April to September; and by request with a minimum notice, October – March; so the work was timed to cater for this.

It spans the entrance of an enclosed harbour, not along a canal or strait.

I did wonder about the bridge lifts. I passed the harbour late yesterday afternoon, by bus, along a road some distance from the bridge. I could see it was open, just starting to close; but I do not know if for boat passage or in connection with the repairs. By then it was past 5:30 with the daylight fading, so the contractors had probably finished for the day anyway

The contractors seem to use part of the approach ramps to keep their vehicles, and as much plant such as the welding generator as possible, off the lifting parts, to minimise the equipment movement. The milling-machine and its fastenings might be robust enough to be safe to lift with the bridge. The gazebos would be a bit awkward but the rest is hand-tools or like the vacuum-cleaner, on wheels.

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I attach this photo with full acknowledgements to Weymouth Harbour, as it is from the official web-site so its copyright, but I don't think they'll mind me giving it free publicity! The view is up-stream, with The Backwater beyond. The actual town of Weymouth is on the left ( the estuary's true right bank); the much larger Melcombe Regis, forming the bulk of the commercial centre, to the right.

"Regis" after that renowned Ornamental Turner, King George III, visited the town for the sea-bathing his physicians thought might relieve his illness. (Items made on the lathe by Geo. Rex are in the Royal Collection.)