Project profile: Aurs Burn Viaduct

What is the project?

The impressive six-arch concrete viaduct, built in 1901, needed extensive renovations, which our contractor Balfour Beatty tackled over two phases.

Phase one of the work was completed in November 2021 and included the resurfacing of the deck and repairs to the concrete arches in spans five and six which were most in need of attention.

(Phase one of works under way in September 2021)

Phase two began with detailed inspections, at a height, on the remaining spans using access cradles to gather information to help our engineers develop a plan for repair work to the other spans.

(Concrete repairs being undertaken by rope work during phase 2)

(Parapet repairs under way during phase 2)

Some of the repairs required steel anchor studs to be drilled into the underlying concrete, to anchor the repair mortar to the existing structure.

Repairs were carried out to four closed-up refuge areas, making the structure safe for public use. The deck was resurfaced and pipes cleared to minimise damage from water ripping onto the structure. Japanese knotweed and lots of other vegetation was also removed, so the deck could be turned into a public footpath.

(Span two after concrete repairs)

(Span four after concrete repairs)

What stage is it at?

Work was completed in May and the viaduct is open for public use.

History

The Paisley and Barrhead District Railway was a railway in Scotland that ran between the towns of Paisley and Barrhead.

Paisley was an important manufacturing town, specifically in the textile industries. The line opened initially for goods trains only in 1905, serving industrial sites and eventually closing in 1984.