Barnes Bridge Maintenance & Strengthening Works

As part of a collaborative team led by Southern Renewals Enterprise and VolkerFitzpatrick, we were tasked with providing a stable and adaptable marine platform to enable essential works beneath the bridge’s three arches.

The works involved the removal and replacement of three central cross girders – each requiring exacting precision, heavyweight lifting, and seamless timing.

The project also included the installation of over 100 pin retention units on each pin, and the replacement of all 48 wheel timbers with sustainable alternatives – all designed to increase the bridge’s long-term resilience over the next 50+ years.

We deployed our Remus barge as the main platform. She was chosen specifically for her large capacity, shallow-draught capability, and stability for the mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) to operate safely.

The first phase involved loading and transporting 90 tonnes of scaffold, which was used to build an innovative underslung scaffold deck beneath each of the bridge’s arches. This allowed maintenance engineers to safely access the structure from below, without impacting river navigation outside the blockade window.

Once the scaffold was fully erected, Remus returned to base to be reloaded with six new steel beams – the replacements for the existing cross girders.

These beams were then hoisted into position using a carefully coordinated lifting system designed to allow the bridge to support itself temporarily during the swap-out.

The project was made more challenging by the tidal constraints of this particularly shallow section of the Thames, meaning barge movements had to be meticulously planned within narrow tidal windows.

Our unrivalled experience operating in confined and time-critical river environments was instrumental in ensuring safe and successful barge handling throughout the operation.

In parallel, we were also appointed by Rebel Marine to deliver continuous safety and guard boat cover, operating 24/7 in line with PLA safety requirements.

We deployed three vessels – Artemis, Equity, and Indigo Lima – providing two guard boats when crews were working on the central arch, and a dedicated safety boat throughout the entire project.

This ensured total compliance and complete safety cover for the teams working above water.

Despite the complexity and environmental constraints, the job was delivered safely, ahead of schedule, and to spec – with the bridge being fully reopened on 1 September 2025.

This is a testament to the collaborative planning between all parties involved and the precision execution on site.

Ed Livett, Managing Director of Livett’s, said: “We are incredibly proud to have supported this vital infrastructure project on such a historically and operationally important structure.

“Delivering barge and safety boat operations under challenging tidal conditions required detailed coordination and expert execution – exactly what Livett’s marine civil engineering services are built for.

“It was a pleasure to collaborate with Southern Renewals Enterprise, VolkerFitzpatrick, and Rebel Marine, and we look forward to working together again on future projects of this scale and significance.”