General Progress and work to the wall
Since the last blog at the start of November, the project team discovered that the assumed solid basement wall (left by the previous Lancashire Yorkshire Railway Building when it was demolished) is not in fact solid. In fact, it has a series of lightwells that were used by the Victorians to source natural light from the ground floor level above – probably using some sort of glass block at pavement level.
This result of this is that the lightwells – which look like a series of arches - need to be infilled with concrete to ensure the proposed ground anchors can be installed in their correct positions so the wall can be adequately supported.
The first stage of excavation has occurred, where around 3m of the ground was excavated and removed from site, leaving a platform for the contractors, Bethell, to work on the installation of the ground anchors.
Bethell have now undertaken a further dig down of around 3m after completing the first row of ground anchors on Victoria Station Approach and Hunt’s Bank elevations. We have called this Stage 2, with 5 stages in total.
To monitor the wall (as it does not belong to us), vibration monitoring points have been installed – ensuring any high frequency movements are logged, and we are informed if vibrations appear to be too high, thus potentially damaging the wall.
Trial Holes
Survey Systems have undertaken the survey of the River Irk culvert and hoarding line. The team have received the drawing and are using this information to progress the design of the main build.
Hoarding
The hoarding has now been straightened and Chetham’s are liaising with a Graphics Company to install the graphics, which we hope will be installed by New Year.
