The Beacons is a large new build development in Bath, and like many significant construction projects in the city, it presented a foundation challenge that required more than a standard approach. To erect temporary scaffolding across a steep bank adjacent to the site, the scaffolding contractor needed robust pile foundations driven into the slope — piles that a conventional rig simply couldn't install in that location.

That's where we came in. Using the Noakes Engineering DHX5010 piling attachment — a purpose-built, excavator-mounted system developed by our sister company — we were able to install 220mm diameter steel-cased bottom-driven piles directly into the bank, delivering exactly the foundation solution the scaffolding contractor needed.

The Challenge: Piling on a Steep Bank

Driving piles into a sloping bank is a very different proposition to piling on flat ground. The rig needs to be stable, the pile needs to be driven vertically despite the slope, and the operative needs full control over the driving sequence throughout. On a steep, uneven bank like this one — with a stone retaining wall to one side and restricted space to manoeuvre — a conventional piling rig would simply have no room to set up.

The DHX5010, mounted to an excavator, changes that entirely. The excavator provides the stability and reach, while the piling attachment handles the driving — giving the operative precise control from the cab without needing to deploy outriggers or set up a separate mast system on the slope.

The Noakes Engineering DHX5010

The DHX5010 is one of a growing range of piling attachments developed by Noakes Engineering to extend what's possible in restricted and difficult access piling. Mounted directly to a standard excavator, it turns a machine that's already on site — already stable, already tracked in — into a capable piling unit without the need for a separate, dedicated rig.

For bank piling specifically, this approach has a significant advantage: the excavator can position itself on whatever ground is available, reach across or down the slope with its arm, and drive piles with the DHX5010 in positions that no traditional mast-and-rig combination could achieve. It opens up a whole category of piling work that was previously either impossible or prohibitively expensive.

220mm Steel Cased Bottom-Driven Piles

The pile specification for this project was 220mm diameter steel-cased bottom-driven piles — the same proven pile type we use across a wide range of foundation projects. The steel casing provides structural integrity through variable or poor soils, while bottom-driving ensures a positive set is achieved at depth rather than relying on friction alone.

For temporary scaffolding applications, the pile's role is to anchor the scaffolding standards against lateral movement on the slope — carrying both the vertical load of the scaffold and the horizontal forces imposed by wind loading and working loads above. Getting the pile specification and positioning right is therefore critical to the safety and stability of the scaffold structure throughout the build.

The works were completed efficiently and to specification, with the bank left clear and the pile heads at the correct level for the scaffolding contractor to connect directly above.

If you have a piling project in a difficult or restricted location — a bank, a tight urban plot, or anywhere a conventional rig can't reach — get in touch with our team. The DHX5010 and our wider range of specialist equipment means we can often find a solution where others can't.