Plan the access
Establish how people, plant and materials can reach the structure while accounting for navigation, towpath users, tides and site boundaries.
Discuss a project ↗Bridges, rail & structures
Work around the structure.
Keep everything moving.
WHH provides marine support for bridge and rail works, developing barge access, working platforms, lifting arrangements and waterborne logistics for inspections, repairs and programme-critical structural operations.
Access from the water
A working method shaped around the constraints.
Bridge work brings several live interfaces into one restricted space.
The structure may sit above an operational navigation, an open towpath, a live railway or tidal water. Land access can be limited and the available working area changes as the project progresses.
WHH plans the marine operation as part of the wider construction method—bringing together platforms, plant, lifting, materials movements and experienced crews in a configuration that can adapt on site.
South Park Gardens · Berkhamsted
Build the access.
Preserve the navigation.
Working with Osborne, WHH supported scaffolding for repairs to the concrete bridge over a live canal and open towpath. A fixed modular pontoon reduced the channel to a controlled boat-width passage, while the WHH crane boat delivered scaffolding and materials from a nearby laydown area.
The setup remained dynamic: the crane boat could move clear when required, allowing boats to pass through the bridge while the works continued.
Marine access · materials delivery · navigation maintained
How we support the project
From access problem
to an integrated marine plan.
We develop the floating workspace and its operation around the structure, programme and interfaces that must remain live.
Configure the platform
Combine barges, modular pontoons, lifting equipment and access plant to suit the loading, reach and available water space.
Manage the interfaces
Coordinate movements and working areas around live navigation, public access, rail possessions and programme-critical operations.
Adapt during delivery
Provide crews and craft able to reposition, reconfigure or clear the channel as the work and surrounding waterway require.
Different structures, tailored solutions
Standard craft.
Project-specific engineering.
Each configuration responds to a different combination of access, loading, reach, closure and navigation requirements.
Inspection access
Northern outfall sewer
A mobile elevating work platform mounted on a barge provided stable waterborne access for close inspection of the structure where conventional access was not practical.
Rail possession support
Crash deck and working platform
Multiple barges were bolted together to create a substantial crash deck and working platform for a rail bridge replacement carried out during a full navigation closure.
Tidal river access
Richmond Bridge
A scissor lift positioned within a WHH barge created mobile access from the Thames for works to the bridge structure.
Bespoke lifting arrangement
Heatherwick Studio’s Rolling Bridge
This unusually complex operation required WHH to fabricate a turntable and jacking platform within a barge. The bridge was lifted from beneath, rotated into the profile of the vessel and removed by water so that work could be undertaken on its hydraulic system.
Typical applications
Access, support and lifting for critical structures.
- Bridge inspection and access↗
- Concrete and structural repairs↗
- Rail bridge replacement support↗
- Crash decks and working platforms↗
- Lifting, jacking and removal↗
- Plant and materials logistics↗
Involve us early
Plan the marine method before the programme becomes fixed.
Send us the structure, access information, loading requirements and programme constraints. We can help identify a practical floating arrangement and the space, interfaces and mobilisation it needs.
Discuss a bridge or structure project ↗