The Project Manager of the Lesbury New Bridge site gave me permission to photograph the historical event of the bridge when the lifting of the main beams that carries the new road across the river were lifted onto the bridge support. The Project Manager is in overall charge of the construction site. He does all the forward planning and he makes sure that all materials are order weeks before and is on site when it is needed. When the material has to be manufactured he makes sure that the manufacturers receive the order for such materials in good time, any late delivery would be costly and add more to the contract value of 3.1 million pounds.

The photos displayed below show an example, the girders that were lifted in place had to be ordered weeks ago and had to be on site when the bridge supports were ready to lift those girders in place. The next phase of the work will be the arches for the bridge, the order was place weeks in advance for the steel to be manufactured, 40 millimetre thick or inch and a half, transported to a rolling mill and rolled into tubes of 1.067 metre or 42 inches in diameter and then bend into shape to look like the arches on the previous page of the artists impression photos of the bridge, and the delivery date is the 21st of July. I have included that to let every body know how much work there is involved in constructing a bridge and a road and making sure the work is completed at the time predicted. Besides all the planning ahead the Project Manager is responsible for the safety on site and that everybody who is employed sticks to the safety at work rules and I came under those rules as soon as I entered the construction site.

The site team have always welcomed me onto the site and ensured my safety which is the main priority of the company, escorting me around wearing the safety helmet and fluorenscent jacket. And so I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their kindness and help I received. Please do keep looking in on this website it will be updated every so often with the progress of the work.

Simon Rudman who designed the bridge told me that it took 2 years from the surveying of the site and the designing. He started the designing with a blank piece of paper before putting everything together on the computer. Wednesday the 11th of June 2003 was the historical moment when Simon's planning was put into practice when the south of the river steel girders were lifted into place. On Thursday the 12th of June 2003 the north of the river girders were lifted and swung over the river to connect with the south side girders, they fitted together like a glove. Phase 1 was a complete success.

These photos and text are Copyright of NMP and Max Gerum - they must not be reproduce in any form unless permission has been granted by both parties.