Walthamstow Reservoir

Another interesting job enquiry for a pontoon on a reservoir meant a large mobilisation for our team.

The request was for a modular pontoon capable of carrying a lifting gantry that was being used to raise a water pump up out of its housing located on a reservoir. With the gantry measuring 8.5 metres tall and 8 metres wide and weighing 5.5 tonnes this was going to be a considerable installation. Adding in the SWL of 5 tonnes to lift the pump also meant that additional reinforcing needed to be considered in the shape of heavy duty timber bog mats . To be able to get the gantry over the pump housing a U shaped pontoon design was needed. To add a further complication site access was limited.

It was decided on this occasion we would once again use our transport partner AR Banks utilising their truck plus trailer combination and Fassi crane. Having arrived at our Fishbourne yard and been fully loaded with modular pontoon and bog mats, the plan was to rendezvous with the lorry on site the next day. Not being able to get close to the side of the reservoir due to weight restrictions was not a problem for the 20 metre plus reach of the Fassi crane. The pontoon sections were quickly unloaded onto the water where our team “zipped” them together.

Once built the pontoon then had the bog mats put in place and the whole U shaped structure was floated out and secured around the pump house tower rising out of the water. This was then left for the specialist lifting team to erect the gantry ready to lift the pump. Part of the works required divers on site and so there was a request for a dive access ladder on the side of the pontoon. A bespoke service is what many of our clients request which we can provide.