Clifton Suspension Bridge

Type of works: supply and installation of Lindapter International's structural fixings.

Lindapter 5/8” Type B clamps secured the grade 1 listed structure’s timber deck to lattice girders for over 40 years, a proven method that was again repeated as part of the latest refurbishment.

The fixings were replaced due to the original coach bolts suffering from corrosion whist the Lindapter clamps remained impeccable, successfully enduring the harsh conditions subjected to the 245 ft high deck for 4 decades.

The bridge has a suspended deck of wrought iron lattice girders which in turn support the timber sleepers and planking topped with asphalt which forms the roadway. The use of Lindapter clamping systems eliminated the need to drill through the lattice girders which would not only be difficult as situated below the bridge deck, but also cause significant damage to the protected structure.

Lindapter’s fundamental clamping concept remains as relevant to today’s engineering as it did 40 years ago, and indeed since the brand’s foundation in 1934, however new product innovations allowed a faster installation this time round. The Type LR clamp was selected as the fixing self-adjusts to the thickness of the flange, without the need for packing pieces, a benefit of particular significance as the Victorian bridge’s iron beams vary in size. Lindapter’s solution enabled the rapid installation of a standard product to be applied to all connections, regardless of flange depth.