River Tale

The team was mobilised to undertake essential scour remediation works at the River Tale, adjacent to a brick railway bridge. The primary task involved placing sixteen tonnes of rock into a substantial scour hole to reinforce the riverbed and protect the bridge structure.

To complete the operation, three trucks and accompanying trailers transported all necessary equipment to site. The delivery included a Manitou telehandler, bog mats, a tipping trailer, two tracked carriers, forty square metres of double-float pontoon, ten square metres of double low floats, additional single floats, and edge protection barriers. The Manitou was also equipped with a lifting bracket, forks, and a bucket attachment to accommodate the varied lifting requirements throughout the project.

Bog mats were strategically laid both in the field and along the riverbank, providing crucial ground protection and stability for the Manitou as it lifted bags of stone and other equipment on and off the pontoon. The pontoons were then assembled and positioned in the river, forming a large, stable working platform. This allowed the tracked carrier and trailer to be manoeuvred safely to the designated position, where the trailer could tip the stone directly into the scour hole to enable precise placement and spreading.

Throughout the works, ratchet straps and ropes were utilised to secure the pontoons and equipment in place, ensuring both operational safety and accuracy in stone placement.

The stone required for the infill works was delivered to site by lorry. Upon arrival, the stone was unloaded and safely stored at the designated location using the Manitou telehandler. To transport the stone from the storage area to the riverbank—approximately 200 metres across the field—the team utilised both the Manitou and a 4x4 vehicle with a trailer. This ensured efficient movement of materials over the uneven terrain.

The modular pontoon system was adapted in both size and shape throughout the project to accommodate the changing outline of the river and enable access to various sections of the large scour hole. The initial configuration consisted of a 20-metre by 2-metre pontoon, which was slightly offset at one end to follow the contour of the riverbank and provide adequate space for manoeuvring the trailer at the opposite end of the scour. As the work progressed and the team advanced from the far end of the hole back towards the starting point, sections of the pontoon were removed to match the reduced working area.

The Manitou was used to lift each bulk bag of stone onto the tipping trailer from the riverbank. From there, the tracked carrier and trailer transported and positioned each bag before it was tipped directly into the scour hole. To ensure safety and control, a ratchet strap was used to secure each bag in the tipping trailer during tipping operations. The relatively low water depth at the time meant the pontoon provided a stable and effective platform for the tracked carrier and tipping trailer to operate from.

Throughout the project, the Manitou played a crucial role in unloading and loading trailers as well as transferring equipment on and off the pontoon as required. These operations were carried out by a team of three operatives working over five shifts, ensuring the continuous and safe progress of the works.