Behind-the-scenes Edinburgh pictures show true extent of North Bridge makeover

Jaw-dropping behind-the-scenes images show the true extent of the work being done at Edinburgh's North Bridge.

Edinburgh City Council has had the overpass covered in temporary scaffolding since work commenced on the complex project in June 2018 and it is hard to imagine what is really going on within the bridge.

But the new pictures show just how much work is going into the huge refurbishment job, which City of Edinburgh Council’s Capital Investment Programme has allocated £36.4m to.

In 2014, an inspection of North Bridge revealed 'identified defects' which resulted in the removal of loose material and installation of netting to temporarily make the underside of the bridge safe.

Then in 2017, Balfour Beatty carried out further investigations, assessments, and scoping works and they were later given the contract by the council to carry out the refurbishment works.

The extent of the temporary scaffolding at the site (ECC)

Steel work is being primed (ECC)

The full list of work being carried out at North Bridge is as follows:

• Repairing, grit blasting and repainting structural steelwork
• Repairing, grit blasting and repainting cast iron façades
• Repairing the underside of the bridge's concrete deck and installing corrosion monitoring
• Repairing and improving to the footway paving and underdrainage
• Repairing the waterproofing membrane and carriageway
• Improving the structural drainage systems
• Replacing the steel secondary structures over the abutments and piers with reinforced concrete slabs
• Removing all redundant utility pipes and ducts and rationalising those services that remain
• Replacing expansion joints
• Restoring and repairing the King's Own Scottish Borderers War Memorial located on the east plinth of the bridge's south pier
• Installing & improving access provisions for future inspection and minor maintenance
• All temporary scaffolding required to access the structure.

The workers are removing all redundant utility pipes and ducts and rationalising those services that remain (ECC)

Workers inside the bridge (ECC)

Extensive work is being done to the bridge (ECC)

It is hoped that the work will be completed in 2023, however, all works were suspended for almost three months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Edinburgh City Council said: "The project team have been able to open up and inspect sections of the bridge not seen since construction over 100 years ago.

"This access has revealed significantly more deterioration on all three spans of the bridge, leading to more extensive repairs than first anticipated."