ECS Engineering to rebuild 26-tonne sluice gate on River Idle

The Environment Agency (EA) is continuing with its maintenance of several major water control structures with the replacement of the tidal sluice gate on the river Idle – where it meets the river Trent at West Stockwith, Notts. The contract will be completed by ECS Engineering Services as part of its framework agreement with the EA. It follows on from previous work done by ECS to refurbish the counterweight for the lifting system.

ECS will be responsible for the design, fabrication, installation and commissioning of the new 26 tonne sluice gate, which will be partially fabricated off-site. Due to its size and weight, the final assembly stages will be completed on-site at West Stockwith. The installation team will use a 250 tonne mobile crane to remove the top platform before lifting out the old gate and installing the new one.

The project includes the replacement of the steel ropes and the gate runners which guide the sluice gate into position during normal operation. It will also involve a specialist dive team to install two limpet cofferdams which allow engineers to remove and replace the gate running tracks under dry conditions. With these in place, the new sluice gate will be installed and the top platform replaced.

Clark Williamson, Engineering Director at ECS comments: “ECS has developed a successful working relationship with the EA and this project is one of many that demonstrates the scale of work that can be involved. With our new 50,000 sq ft fabrication facility, we have the capacity to ensure a variety of projects can be underway simultaneously and our CE accreditation provides reassurance of our professional approach.”

The sluice is located close to residential properties and following the previous project, ECS was commended on its sympathetic working practices that kept any disturbance of the residents to a minimum. ECS will look to maintain this good will during the project to replace the existing sluice gate which may involve some extended working hours.

The project will extend the operational life of the sluice gate which forms an important part of the local water control regime maintained by the EA, and completes the overhaul of this structure. ECS continues to work with the EA as a framework contractor, as well as other utilities and drainage boards to provide complete turnkey engineered maintenance solutions, even for complicated projects requiring specialist engineering underwater.