Gobbins Costal Path Reconstruction
- Customer: McLaughlin & Harvey Construction
- Designer: Design & Build – Doran Consulting
- Client: Larne Borough Council
- Project: Gobbins Costal Path Reconstruction
- Product(s) Supplied: Calenberg Sliding Bearings
Overview
The original Coastal Path, which was linked by a series of spectacular metal bridges, was designed in 1902 as a commercial venture to attract passengers to use the rail link between Belfast and Whitehead. The path was closed to the public in 1954, and fell into a state of disrepair, with many of the original metalwork structures and rails damaged or collapsed because of rust and the action of the sea.
In its day the coastal path was more popular than the Giant’s Causeway, and it is hoped that the £6m restoration will return the attraction to its former glory for a new generation to see.
Works have included the installation of approximately 1km of new coastal path, new hand railings, and 20 new bridge structures; including the replication of the famous tubular hoop bridge.
SDG Construction Technology were contacted by both McLaughlin & Harvey and Doran Consulting to seek advice on Sliding Bearings for the Bridge Structures. SDG have been working with Calenberg Ingenieure (Engineering) for some years now and with the assistance of their design engineers we recommended the use of Civalit Sliding Bearings – Reinforced Elastomer Sliding Bearings & Ciparall Sliding Bearings – Cross Tensile Reinforced Elastomer Sliding Bearings. These bearings were supplied and installed under the base plates of each structure to allow the loads to be taken up and the sliding function of the bridges during movement process.