Building a new bridge using Azobe tropical hardwood railway sleepers
It was time for a replacement bridge over the stream. The original structure had been built many decades ago using creosoted softwood railway sleepers and some undersized steels, which had both inevitably started to decay, threatening potential collapse. We decided to construct the supports of the new bridge with six no. 6 metre lengths of top grade Azobe tropical hardwood railway sleepers (crossing timbers) that were laid on their strongest narrow edge and sat on 'pads' of Azobe. We then surfaced the bridge with 3.6m lengths of Azobe railway sleepers laid and bolted on their wider edge. All in all an immensely strong and durable bridge that will last for multi decades. The very same material as used in Europe's longest cycle bridge, the 800 metre 'Blue Carpet' in Holland, that they estimate will last at least 80 years!
RailwaySleepers.com Says..
Brilliant to see the the construction of your bridge and the wonderful recycling of these astonishingly strong and durable railway sleepers. A simple and sturdy structure that gently fits into it's environment with a mininimal amount of concrete or steel. Very satisfying.
