The Challenge

Next to the beautiful Breacon Beacons, is the village of Cil-y-Cwm. Home to an array of plant and animal life, this area boasts spotless beauty and a wealth of untouched landscapes. For over 50 years, the local farmers and residents have used an existing Bailey bridge for access in and out of the area. However, due to the age and condition of the bridge, the local farming community has been unable to cross the bridge using farming vehicles, such as tractors, to tend to the surrounding fields and animals. The capacity of the bridge was reduced to 3t, meaning a replacement bridge was needed quickly to ensure farmers, tourists and the local community could access this area of natural beauty with ease.

The Solution

Mabey Bridge was chosen to replace the faulty bridge with a new one-lane Compact 200™ (C200™), 33m long and 3.15m wide. In collaboration with Carmarthenshire County Council, time was initially spent designing a solution that would have minimal impact on the environment and surrounding areas, whilst ensuring the project was completed as quickly as possible. It was decided that the new bridge could not be crane-lifted in due to access restrictions, so the old bridge was used as a launch nose to install the C200™ replacement. The existing bridge was then dismantled and removed by the contractor, Tregaron Trading Services (TTS Wales).

Narrow roads in the area created logistical problems for the site team, who conducted a full investigation of the transport route and reduced the size and type of the vehicles used accordingly. The team had to accommodate difficult access challenges including a low bridge and a bridge with weight restrictions. Additionally, the bridge components had to be stored on a neighbouring farmer’s field via a timber mat system, due to a small build footprint. Significant site preparation work was conducted by TTS Wales to create access through the site to enable a trouble-free bridge installation.

The Results

The new bridge has restored critical access to the area, reconnecting the wider community, and enabling local agricultural businesses to maintain their fields and livestock safely and efficiently. The bespoke SmartEdge™ System enables safe access and features the council logo, bridge name and construction date - an aesthetic touch that both the local community and tourists can enjoy.