Weston Mill Viaduct

At more than 110 years old and 400m long, the structure spans an expanse of reclaimed land locally known as ‘Camel’s Head Creek’. The steelwork was rapidly deteriorating and there was considerable corrosion in some areas, prompting Network Rail to engage Taziker to carry out extensive refurbishment. The structure also carries a redundant public footpath which Taziker was tasked with removing.

Added Value

The Network Rail Project Manager specifically cited our ability to provide a complete service and our technical expertise as key factors in their decision to award the works to Taziker. They also understand the value they receive from our provision of directly-employed staff. This enables the site to be managed in a consistent manner with better management of health and safety and improved overall communication with Network Rail.

Work on site was continuous 24 hours a day, with only short possessions required to carry out steelwork repairs. By planning our works carefully, we were able to ensure we could make the most effective use of our time during these possessions. This limited the disruption caused to rail services and meant that the prestigious Paddington to Penzance sleeper train service was not interrupted.

Learning and Innovation

The security surrounding this project was extremely tight, due to its proximity to the HM Naval Base & Royal Dockyards in Plymouth. This meant that all staff needed to be heavily vetted prior to commencing work on site – a process that can take a significant amount of time. This was complicated by the fact that the viaduct spans the security fence bordering the MOD site, restricting the area in which scaffolding is allowed. To address these security problems and ensure that the MOD are comfortable with the works taking place, we installed a swipe card and keypad barrier at the scaffolding access point; ensuring that only people that have been vetted could gain access.