Spider Lift Assists With Inspection & Repair on Grade II Listed Evesham Abbey

Challenge: The Churches Conservation Trust wanted to conduct some inspection and repair work to Evesham Abbey Bell Tower in Worcestershire, at heights of up to 33 metres. However the only access to the Grade II listed building was via a narrow gate - and through the soft, uneven ground of the graveyard. The area where the equipment would be set up was also just above an ancient crypt, which meant weight - and particularly ground pressure – was also an issue. The Trust was planning on hiring in scaffolding for an extended period in order to carry out the work.

Solution: Avon Access, a Bristol-based specialist access rental company, was able to demonstrate that an Ommelift 3700 RJ spider lift would be able to pass easily through the gateway, and over the rough terrain. Furthermore, its long tracks distributed its weight so well that ground pressure above the ancient crypt was not an issue. With a 37 metre working height, the Ommelift 3700 RJ could easily take inspectors up to the top of the abbey tower. Avon Access purchased the Ommelift from Access Platform Sales (APS). Spider lifts have a narrow width and low height for passing through interior doorways; tracks instead of wheels to distribute their weight; and fold-down outriggers to stabilise the machines so they can still reach significant heights.

Outcomes: By deploying the Ommelift, Avon Access helped the historic abbey save tens of thousands of pounds on inspection and repair work. The Trust had been resigned to spending £30,000 on scaffolding, which would have taken a considerable amount of time to erect and dismantle. However, with an Omme Lift from Avon Access, the stonemasons were able to get the job done in just two days and at considerably lower cost.

“The Omme 3700 RJ was an absolutely ideal machine for this job. Being mounted on long tracks means significantly reduced ground pressure over an ordinary self-propelled boom lift - and moving through the graveyard and did not create any issues.

“We also had to get through an historic, narrow gateway - and although a big machine it is only 1100mm wide in travel mode. The Omme’s mixture of compact dimensions and tremendous manoeuvrability got the job done.”

– Lee Roberts, Avon Access founder and Managing Director