Construction update January 2015

Completing the main spine up the Pier has given full access to the Pier Head.

The steelwork there has been surveyed and there are 135 trusses to be replaced, as well as most of the deck beams. This is slightly more than expected.

The replacement of the trusses will utilise two small cranes which will make the operation easier and quicker.

The other area of concentration is the Visitor Centre.

The installation of the six piles (replacing those that bridged the WW2 gap) will support the Visitor Centre, has now started (first one being driven in, in photo above) and hopefully will be straight forward.  Clearly there is always a degree of unknown, when you are coring into the ground for 10 to 15 metres. Trial bores give a good idea of what to expect but remember, Eugenius Birch encountered a lot of buried trees when the original piles were installed and that delayed them quite significantly. It would not have quite the same effect with the piling machine now being used, but could cause delay.

Elsewhere, the Old Pavilion is progressing well, the new zinc roof is almost complete, as are the service pods, which have been clad with 75 year old wood from the old decking.