We are delighted to announce that Livett’s has been appointed as the principal marine contractor for the extensive refurbishment of the historic Hungerford Bridge.
A crucial part of London’s infrastructure, Hungerford Bridge – also known as Charing Cross Bridge – carries the railway line into Charing Cross Station and has played a key role in the capital’s transport network for 161 years.
VolkerFitzpatrick’s Southern Renewals Enterprise (SRE) team is leading the project on behalf of Network Rail.
What work is being carried out at Hungerford Bridge?
Work on Hungerford Bridge kicked off on Saturday 18 January 2025.
As part of the refurbishment, engineers will prepare and paint the bridge, test the truss pins (which join the supports together) and replace the pin end caps on the girders.
The bridge includes spans made from wrought iron lattice girders dating from 1864. A key aspect of the project is the preservation of this original metalwork, all of which will be carefully retained and refurbished.
How Livett’s are contributing to the Hungerford Bridge refurbishment
Livett’s marine civil engineering services will play a critical role in supporting the engineering teams working on the bridge for the duration of the works, which are expected to last three years.
A safety boat will be operational and on standby 24/7, seven days a week or as the works dictate, ensuring the security of workers operating on and over the river. Scheldemond I is being utilised as a work platform and barge.
Additionally, a bespoke mooring system has been designed to facilitate Livett’s flat top pontoon Dart, which is being fitted out for accommodation, storage, waste disposal and to act as a mothership to the project.
Our common user berth at Durham Wharf, Charlton, will act as a consolidation centre to facilitate deliveries to site being shipped by water aboard Livett’s craft. This will remove hundreds of lorry movements, in turn cutting pollution and meaning zero harm to London’s road users.
The Hungerford Bridge project marks another major involvement for Livett’s in the renewal of London’s historic railway bridges. Previous large-scale projects include the repainting of Cannon Street Railway Bridge and the extensive reconstruction of Blackfriars Rail Bridge.
Taking lorries off London’s congested roads
Speaking about the project, David Davidson, Network Rail’s Kent Route Director, highlighted the benefits of maximising use of the Thames for the project: “Refurbishment of Hungerford Bridge will take three years, and we won’t need to close the bridge to trains during this first phase as we’ll be working at times that cause the least disruption to train services. This means we are carrying out some of our work during the night.
“To avoid further disruption, we will also use barges to deliver and remove waste materials to Surrey Pier for the period of the works to avoid creating extra traffic and the resulting pollution. This will avoid the equivalent of six truck freight deliveries through central London a week.”
“An incredibly proud moment for Livett’s”
Ed Livett, Managing Director of Livett’s, said: “We are incredibly proud to be providing all marine support for this vital refurbishment of Hungerford Bridge.
“Our team has a long history of assisting with the renewal of London’s historic bridges, and we look forward to working closely with VolkerFitzpatrick, Network Rail, and everyone else involved over the coming years to ensure the project is completed safely and efficiently.”
We’ll be sharing updates on our involvement with the project over time, so stay tuned to our website and social media channels for more pictures and information.