The contract includes the repainting and repair of the superstructure and gate leaves, the design and replacement of the controls and electrical system on the sluice and adjacent lock, and the design and refurbishment of the mechanical operation system.
The Dog in a Doublet Sluice is situated on the River Nene 5 miles east of Peterborough, and protects Peterborough, the Ortons and the near Nene Valley as far as Oundle, from the tidal influence of the East Anglian wash.
Installed in 1938 and used for both fluvial and navigation purposes, the sluice comprises 2 guillotine gates (North and South) and a navigation lock with 3 sequential guillotine gates. Due to the proximity of the North sluice gate to the control room, this gate was used far more frequently than the South gate and was condemned back in 2002 as a result of becoming 'slewed and stuck' in the closed position during operation. Since that time the South sluice gate has been used exclusively for river control, and both gates are now in urgent need of repair.
The project brings interesting logistics and challenges, for example, one of the sluice gates must remain fully operational at all times to ensure that correct river levels are maintained. All repainting will take place in situ, which requires taking various environmental issues into consideration. The contract also includes undertaking the refurbishment of the gearboxes, which are still in use after 70 years!
The refurbishment work will commence on site during August 2010 and is due for completion early 2011.
Client:- Birse Civils Ltd