The Project

Severn Partnership supported the planned replacement of a twin-track railway bridge over the M6 near Clifton, Penrith through the delivery of specialist monitoring and survey services. The project involved monitoring approximately 190 metres of twin track, bridge piers and supporting structures in preparation for bridge deck replacement works carried out in January 2026. Working

within both a live railway and major motorway environment, the project involved track, structural and environmental monitoring along with multidisciplinary surveys undertaken to support the bridge replacement and associated works.

Integrated Survey and Monitoring Solution

Severn Partnership delivered:

  • Tilt monitoring to track and bridge structures
  • Manual monitoring targets and coordination for traditional survey verification
  • Baseline track geometry surveys using Amberg GRP System
  • PAS128 utility detection surveys
  • CCTV drainage condition surveys
  • Ferro scanning for reinforcement location within the bridge structure
  • Borescope inspections
  • Noise monitoring
  • Vibration monitoring

The following technologies and equipment were used across the project:

  • WiSenMesh NET tilt sensors and tilt beams
  • Webrail targets and L-Bar mini prisms for manual monitoring
  • Amberg GRP System and Leica TS60 for baseline track geometry surveys
  • Stream DP GPR scanner, RD8100 EML locators, Sonde and Cobra equipment for PAS128 surveys
  • Pushrod CCTV Camera System for drainage inspections
  • Leica C-Thrue Rebar Scanner for ferro scanning
  • Class 1 solar-powered noise monitoring stations
  • Building and ground vibration monitoring station

Challenges and Solutions

Challenge 1: Working alongside a live motorway and railway environment – The project required monitoring works to be undertaken adjacent to the M6 and within trackside environments.

  • Solution: Monitoring installations were delivered across multiple mobilisations, with works coordinated around planned access and traffic management arrangements provided by the client.

Challenge 2: Maintaining monitoring coverage across multiple asset types – The project required monitoring of track, bridge structures and environmental conditions throughout the replacement works.

  • Solution: A combination of remote monitoring systems and manual survey verification points was used to support continuous monitoring coverage across the site.

Challenge 3: Reducing site attendance while maintaining oversight – Routine manual monitoring would have increased time spent working trackside and adjacent to the motorway environment.

  • Solution: Remote monitoring systems

and automated alerting were implemented to reduce the need for routine site attendance while continuing to provide monitoring data remotely.

Deliverables

  • Continuous monitoring data with automated tilt alerting
  • Baseline track geometry survey data
  • Continuous noise and vibration monitoring data, with trigger breach alerting
  • CCTV drainage condition report with video files
  • 2D & 3D CAD with manhole cards for PAS128 surveys
  • Ferro scanning reports and scan data

These outputs supported ongoing monitoring, planning and investigation works across the bridge replacement project.

Project Outcome

The monitoring and survey approach enabled project activities to be delivered safely and efficiently across a complex infrastructure environment while reducing the need for prolonged on-site activity.

Key project outcomes included:

  • Reduced site attendance through remote monitoring systems
  • Automated email alerts when monitoring thresholds were exceeded
  • Financial savings achieved through cost planning of long-term deployment as opposed to ongoing weekly hire arrangements
  • Coordination of multiple survey and monitoring disciplines within a single project environment