Bridge building in Africa...more Baily Bridge bufoonery from Mr Burley. Only on Biglorryblog!

Biglorryblog's 'Good man in Africa' AKA Jerry Burley has followed up on his previous collapsing Baily bridge story and says: "Yesterday, via the jungle drums bush telegraph, we alerted any and all of your readership that might be passing through the Southern Sudan region by car in the next few days (as, of course, one so often does these days.....) of a bridge that was recently converted into a Parachute Regiment Aerial Confidence Course and then blocked by a wannabe gymnastic truck." He's referring to his original posting...

Now he continues: "Well, it wasn't as bad as it all seemed because working just downstream of this was someone who, for various technical reasons, cannot be named here (I don't think it directly relates to numerous estranged wives and abandoned babies but then you never know this day and age). And guess what he was doing? Bless my soul, how convenient! He's building another, bigger capacity bridge."

"After abutments are complete and cured, this gang with light cranes and basic hand tools can build and launch 10m of meccano-kit Bailey bridge per day - this unit was a 50m, 100 tonne assembly so less than a week and job done. In frankly quite difficult circumstances. You need a widget, you wait a week, so I recommend don't forget the widget. And back to the hotel at night? What hotel? The nearest one is probably in Northampton!"

Jerry adds: " The 7 P's are essential best-practice in this environment. So all's well that ends well then. Class 100 (tonne cap) wasn't it? Now where's my chap with that 150 tonne gross truck and lowbed for the empirical commissioning trial........trust me, it's the best and most reliable way to test things when in Africa, leaving no doubt as to the outcome!  Anyone out there got a spare 200 tonne bridge though, just in case? Regards, JB."

And here it is being slowly pushed back over the river bed on the concrete support.....now perhaps JB will send us a picture of it when a truck is driving over the finished thing..? Maybe even one of his own!