Cardiff, United Kingdown - This weekend the remaining two arch elements on the Southern preassembly area have been installed successfully during a full weekend closure. Having this phase completed, the A465 Heads of the Valleys sector 2 scheme has its centerpiece in place. The operation was a close collaboration between Victor Buyck, Costain and Sarens UK.

After the completion of the lifting operation on the North Preassembly area, the AK680 of Sarens UK was derigged and rebuilt on the other side of the valley during the week. By Friday night this massive mobile crane was ready for work. Saturday morning the first arch element was rotated on its temporary stools. After a successful test lift the element was positioned in place. The lift required the 155 tonnes element to be lifted to 37m, requiring a superlift of 200T. By midnight our erectors had secured the arch element onto its trestles and released it from the hook.

Next day the final piece, weighting 97 tonnes was test lifted and meticulously positioned at 58m in between the two previously installed arch element as the cap stone of the arch. The fitting of the key element was the most critical phase of the lifting operation. Before connecting it to its neighboring elements the South arch base was established as fixed point. Finally the element could be connected into the arch and released from the hook.

With the arch in place raising 50m above the A465 the Heads of the Valleys project shows visually its enormous progress to the Welsh public. The following steps for Victor Buyck are the welding of the arch in situ and the cable installation.