Stanley Dock is home to Liverpool’s only surviving ‘Bascule’ Bridge. A bascule bridge is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances the span, throughout the entire upward swing in providing clearance for boat traffic. Although the bridge would have seen a lot of action in it’s hey day, the 78 year old bridge had fallen into a state of disrepair.

It was closed in 2008 to traffic after it opened for the last time allowing a tall ship to pass through for the filming of a movie. At one time the bridge was being considered for demolition but Peel Holdings decided to employ Manchester & Cheshire Construction as Main Contractor to undertake the £600,000 restoration project, as part of their regeneration plans for the Stanley Dock area.

Peel Holdings contracted Bagnalls to blast clean the bridge and fully repaint it, including the internal and external of the engine room. Fixed scaffolding was erected, which was fully encapsulated whilst the blasting and painting works were undertaken, due to proximity of the waterways.

Bagnalls worked in accordance with the National Highways Sector Scheme 19A requirements, and a team of Bagnalls directly employed, fully trained and qualified ICATS (Industrial Coating Applicator Training Scheme) operatives to prepare the bridge to Swedish Standard SA2.5 before applying a Leighs Paints Highways Agency approved specification.

Various other trades were also working on the bridge and close coordination was required with each other to ensure key programme dates were met, including the sections on the underside of the bridge which still had to allow small boats to pass through on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.

The bridge was re-opened for traffic again on August 25th 2010.