Stage 2 starts on £1.5million project to renovate Victorian Bridge

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The panels, weighing a total of 13 tonnes, are being put into storage where they can be inspected by Historic Scotland as part of Renfrewshire Council's application for listed building consent for the project. It's expected that the bulk of the panels will have to be recast.

The first stage of the massive project saw two prototype parapet panels being cast for use in crash tests designed to simulate a vehicle hitting the railings. The data from these tests will be used to confirm the results from a mathematical model of the prototypes which was created using the latest structural analysis software. Once the tests are complete, a full set of new parapets and facia panels will be cast and installed.

Councillor Marie McGurk, convener of Renfrewshire Council's environment and infrastructure policy board, said, "The Abbey Bridge spans the White Cart river and is a major part of Paisley's road network. Maintaining that network is a key part of our regeneration strategy for the town centre.

"Removing the fascia panels is an important safety measure. It also reveals the full extent of the corrosion and provides us with the patterns we need to cast the new parts. The council has only recently completed refurbishing the Abercorn Bridge and this gives Paisley people a great before and after view of how the finished Abbey Bridge will look."

The Abbey Bridge parapets do not have the movement joints that are built into modern structures to allow them to expand and contract in changing temperatures. This has led to the original cast iron components buckling and fracturing over the years. The way the fascia panels were attached to the supporting girders also meant that it was impossible to maintain the outer girders and this has contributed to the deterioration.

The Abbey Bridge was built by Hanna, Donald and Wilson in 1879 and was widened in 1933. The original ironwork was made by the Abercorn Foundry in Paisley.

In 1993 a survey of the bridge found the 1933 era carriageways could cope with 40 tonne vehicles but the footways, dating from 1879, could only take the weight of pedestrians. Bollards were installed as a temporary measure to protect the footways from vehicles accidentally mounting the pavement.

Press release: Monday 30 June 2008