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14th June 2018

AINSCOUGH ARE SWITCHED ON IN MANCHESTER

crane lifting

The Ainscough Manchester depot has carried out vital work around the dismantling of the giant electricity pylons that stretch across Salford in Manchester, where they have been powering 88,000 homes for over 85 years.

The 87ft towers were dissembled bolt by bolt, with the galvanised metal then heading off to become scrap. Once dismantled the Ainscough team helped to lift each section of the new pylons into place using a number of different cranes, including a 95t, 90t, and two 75t models. Each tower took up to three days to change, so the team had to stagger the work.

Unusual due to their location amongst residential areas, the original seven pylons within the scheme carried 132,000 volts and stretched over two and a half miles, but have now been taken down under a £3.5m engineering project.

Gary Rathburn, manager of the Manchester’s depot said: ‘Because of the nature of this project both timing and precision were essential.

“The biggest challenge for the team was operating in such close proximity to a busy residential area and having to lift sections of the pylons over people’s roofs. This meant it was all the more important to keep disruption to a minimum, ensuring residents didn’t lose their supply of electricity at any point over the eight weeks the work was taking place.

“The overall project was a real example of how detailed planning, professional operators and the right range of machinery can be combined to deliver for the client. I know I speak for the whole team when I say we’ve really enjoyed working on this project.”

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