Potain cranes chosen for major new high-speed rail link in the UK

• The joint-venture managing construction will use 11 Potain MR 225 A luffing jib cranes to construct the Colne Valley Viaduct in northwest London as part of the high-speed rail line.
• Once complete, the viaduct will be the longest railway bridge in the UK and carry trains 3.4 km across a series of lakes and waterways between Hillingdon and the M25 highway.
• All 11 of the 14 t capacity cranes will be configured with 50 m jibs and used to lift concrete formwork and precast sections.

The largest infrastructure project in Europe has called on Potain cranes to deliver essential lifting support to build the longest railway bridge in the UK. The cranes are all being supplied by UK construction and civil engineering company Sir Robert McAlpine, which is one of three infrastructure companies in the Align joint-venture building 21.6 km of the groundbreaking HS2 rail line.

The first four Potain MR 225 A luffing jib cranes are already working on construction of the Colne Valley Viaduct, which will form part of the rail line assigned to the Align JV. Once complete, the Colne Valley Viaduct, which sits on the outskirts of London, will measure 3.4 km making it the longest rail bridge in the UK. Sir Robert McAlpine is one of the UK’s best-known construction companies and has been a Potain customer for more than 30 years, running a fleet of 55 cranes.

Each of the 11 Potain MR 225 A luffing jib cranes the company is using on the project will be configured with a 50 m jib, enabling them to lift up to 3.25 t at its jib end, while up to 10 t can be handled out to 25 m. All cranes will work with the same configuration, erected on reusable fixing angles, with a 17.5 m height to the jib foot.

The first MR 225 A was erected in June 2022 and the last one will be dismantled in March 2024. The cranes will work 10 hours a day for five days a week, lifting concrete formwork and precast sections.

“Sir Robert McAlpine and Potain have a longstanding relationship that continues to improve through collaboration and innovation. Our expectations are met with full commitment from both teams to ensure we achieve our aims and objectives to the highest standards,” said Steve Wright, commercial plant manager at Sir Robert McAlpine.

Although configured with 50 m jibs for the Colne Valley Viaduct project, the Potain MR 225 A luffing jib crane can work with up to 55 m of jib when needed. It has a maximum capacity of 14 t and can lift up to 2.15 t at its full 55 m jib end.

The Align joint venture comprises Bouygues Travaux Publics and VolkerFitzpatrick as well as Sir Robert McAlpine.

CONTACT

Dominique Leullier
Marketing Director Europe
Manitowoc
+ 33 4 72 18 21 60
dominique.leullier@manitowoc.com