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Type
Lecture

ICE Exeter City Club and Early Careers Network: Tamar Bridge site visit

Event organised by ICE

Date
04 September 2024
Time
18:00 - 20:30 BST (GMT+1)
Location
Bridging the Tamar Visitor Centre
Pemros Road
Arne Road
Plymouth
Devon, PL5 1LP
United Kingdom

This event has now ended

Overview

Construction of the Tamar Bridge began in 1959 and was opened to traffic in 1961. As the longest suspension bridge in the UK at the time it still provides a vital link into Cornwall. Many of the features of the bridge are noted for their engineering excellence and informed bridge builders not only in the UK but worldwide.

The two-hour long tour will focus on two key factors of the bridge, beneath the road deck and in the anchorage. Led by Tamar Crossings, the organisation that manages the bridge, the visit includes the catwalks under the road bridge, offering great views of Brunel’s Royal Albert Bridge. The tour will also walk to the main tower on the Devon bank and back. Following the under bridge tour, the group will then descend to one of the anchorages on the Devon bank to view where the main cable enters the ground.

Attendees must be comfortable walking a reasonable distance and climbing steep steps. Certain aspects of the tour may not suit someone with mobility issues. 

The meeting point is at the Bridging the Tamar Visitor Centre, where free parking is also available.

Spaces are limited, so early booking is advisable. Attendees are required to bring a high-visibility vest and a hard hat.

Speakers

Richard Cole

Richard Cole

Tamar Crossings

engineering manager

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Richard Cole

Richard has overall responsibility for managing the engineering, construction, maintenance and inspection functions at both the Tamar Bridge and shore facilities at the Torpoint Ferries. His projects have included electronic toll Collection, Rendel Park Remediation Project, Tamar Bridge Access Gantries Principal Inspection, Main Deck Resurfacing Project, Illuminated Lane Studs Project, Bridge Access Improvement Project, Tamar Bridge Recoating Project, and Bridge Office Development Project.

Mark Tebbs

Mark Tebbs

Tamar Crossings

heritage officer

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Mark Tebbs

Mark started his career as an apprentice in the motor industry before joining the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm in the early 1980s as an Aircraft Engineering Mechanic (Weapons Electrical) maintaining and servicing Seaking helicopters aboard ship and ashore. After leaving the Navy, he joined British Rail during the privatisation of the industry, where he serviced and maintained locomotives and rolling stock. Later, Mark studied at university and gained a history degree, followed by a PGCE in primary school teaching. However, an opportunity to work on the Torpoint Ferry arose as an assistant electrician, which later led to him becoming Heritage Officer at the company's new Visitor and Learning Centre. 

Robert Venn

Robert Venn

volunteer

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Robert Venn

Robert has always had an interest in structures, probably because his father was an Architect, although he didn’t follow in his footsteps. He trained as a photographer, with real film, pre-digital. Although he had various jobs before getting paid to take pictures, which included working on phase one of Derriford Hospital and printing bank notes and travellers’ cheques. After a period of self-employment as a commercial photographer, he became a civil servant, working for HMRC in counter avoidance, before retirement.

For more information please contact:

Yasemin Gurbuz

Sustainable Development Goals: