As bridges project manager with Spencer Group, Joe DiMauro admits that refurbishment projects do not get much better than this. After all, he is currently responsible for dismantling, tagging, inspecting, refurbishing and replacing 31t of wrought iron chains, 170 wrought iron hangers, 444 chain rods and 800 cast iron chain pins; not to mention installing a new timber deck, placing new anchorage systems, and repointing two bridge towers: all on one of the oldest suspension bridges still carrying road traffic in the world. Since 1820, the Union Bridge has spanned the Scottish-English border marked by the River Tweed, linking the village of Horncliffe, Northumberland and Fishwick, Scottish Borders, around 60km south-east of Edinburgh. When it opened it was the longest wrought iron suspension bridge in the world with a span of 137m, and the first vehicular bridge of its type in the UK. The suspension bridge designed by Captain Samuel Brown comprises two masonry towers and three pairs of chains above each other on each side of the 5.5m-wide, 110m-long timber deck. Individual chains are formed by 4.6m-long elongated eye bar links between masonry towers. The tower on the English side is embedded in a rock embankment and its Scottish counterpart is free standing at 18m high, with anchorage behind.
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