East Somerset Railway Heritage Footbridge — Piled Foundations
We were proud to support the East Somerset Railway — a much-loved heritage railway charity based in Somerset — with the piled foundation works for a new heritage footbridge. This was a project that required careful planning and a considered approach, working sensitively within an active heritage railway environment.
Working on a live heritage railway site presented unique logistical challenges — our team delivered all materials and equipment across the line using the railway's own link trolley system, keeping the site safe and operational throughout.
A Unique Working Environment
The East Somerset Railway is home to a wonderful collection of historic steam locomotives, rolling stock, and railway infrastructure — including a beautifully restored Victorian water tower and original semaphore signals. Working within this setting required us to plan every aspect of the operation carefully, with full respect for the heritage assets surrounding us.
Delivering Materials by Link Trolley
One of the most distinctive aspects of this project was the method of materials delivery. With the work taking place across the railway, a road vehicle could not access the site directly. Instead, all materials — including rebar, aggregate bags, and piling equipment — were loaded onto a link trolley and moved along the railway track to the work area.
Our mini piling rig itself was also carefully crossed over the railway line, as seen in the photographs, using trackway boards to protect both the rig and the historic infrastructure beneath.
Excavation and Piling Works
With the site accessed and materials in place, our team got to work on the excavation and piling programme. A compact JCB mini excavator was used to dig out the pile cap positions, with spoil loaded directly into a link trolley for removal from site — an efficient and tidy solution given the restricted access.
Pile Cap Foundations
Once piling was complete, the pile cap excavations were prepared and reinforced ready for concrete. The rebar mats were fabricated and placed carefully within the shuttered excavations — a neat and precise result, as you can see in the images below.
Heritage Carriages and Rolling Stock
Throughout the project, the East Somerset Railway's wonderful collection of heritage carriages and rolling stock provided a memorable backdrop to the works. It was a genuine privilege to work within this historic environment and to play a small part in preserving it for future generations.
We'd like to thank the team at East Somerset Railway for their co-operation and support throughout the project. It's always rewarding to work on projects that contribute to the long-term future of a cherished local charity.
"We approached Advanced Mini Piling for assistance on an awkward foundation job with difficult access at a heritage railway. The company provided us with an excellent service completing the job within our time constraints and were very tidy workers. Their specialist piling rigs were able to gain access and work successfully on our station platform and we ended up with a highly professional quality job at an economic price. All of their staff were easy to work with. I can highly recommend the company if you have a piling/foundation job with awkward access."
GA — Project Manager, Heritage Railway
If you have a project in a challenging or restricted access location and would like to discuss how we can help, please get in touch with our team.
Restricted Access Piling — We Can Help
Talk to our team about piling in difficult or sensitive locations.