A round-up of the most impressive construction pictures from the past month.
Second nuclear reactor arrives at Hinkley Point C
Hinkley Point C’s second nuclear reactor has arrived at the power station site in Somerset, following the delivery of the first reactor in 2023.
The arrival of the second ‘reactor pressure vessel’ marks a major milestone for the project.
When complete, Hinkley Point C is expected to generate enough low-carbon electricity to power 6 million homes for 60 years.
York Minster goes solar
World-famous Gothic cathedral York Minster has achieved significant energy and cost savings following the installation of a rooftop solar system from SolarEdge.
Installed by Associated Clean Technologies, the 184-panel array has generated more than 42,000kWh of clean electricity, saving nearly £20,000 in electricity costs and offsetting 8 tonnes of CO2 emissions in the first six months since commissioning.
Demolition begins for Glasgow Charing Cross revamp
Demolition and site clearance works are underway as part of the first phase of Glasgow’s Charing Cross Gateway project.
Reigart Contracts has been appointed by CXG Glasgow to remove two 1960s buildings that currently occupy the Elmbank Gardens site to make way for student accommodation.
The site sits beside Charing Cross train station and is part of the £250m transformation of the area.
Murals celebrate the people shaping construction
Construction employer Milton Walcott, further education teacher Rosa Wells, and apprentice D’ontae Rock unveil a mural in Walthamstow as part of an initiative from the Department for Education and the Teach in Further Education and Skills for Life campaigns.
The murals in London and Manchester have been designed to celebrate and promote the role that construction and education play in shaping England’s future workforce.
Marr’s mega tower crane deployed at Walsall ERF
Marr Contracting has been awarded the contract to deliver specialist heavy lifting crane services for the construction of the Walsall Energy Recovery Facility in the West Midlands.
Working with the project’s principal engineering, procurement and construction contractor, Kanadevia Inova, Marr has developed a single-crane solution using a M2480D heavy lift luffing tower crane.
The M2480D is believed to be the highest-capacity tower crane in the world.
Design update for Bridgwater tidal barrier
The Environment Agency is undertaking a design efficiency review of the Bridgwater Tidal Barrier Scheme.
As part of the review, a design change development has been led by the scheme’s technical design partner , AtkinsRéalis. The changes, including a 10m reduction in overall height, aim to streamline the tidal barrier structure to reduce costs and construction complexity.
An updated timeline for the project is expected to be published later this year.
