ROCHEFORT FERRY BRIDGE: RESTORATION OF THE POCLAIN HYDRAULICS POWER PLANT OF THE HISTORIC MONUMENT
The Transbordeur de Martrou bridge, now unique in France, has been crossing the Charente between Echillais and Rochefort since 1900. Its mobile gondola carries pedestrians and cyclists from one bank to the other, while allowing cargo and pleasure boats to reach the port. The bridge was originally designed so that warships leaving the Rochefort military arsenal could reach the sea. The opening scene of "The Young Girls of Rochefort", Jacques Demy's famous musical, is an excellent way to understand how this metal structure, classified as a Historic Monument and equipped with a Poclain Hydraulics power plant for nearly 30 years, works.
30 years of service before being updated
Last December, the Rochefort Ocean Agglomeration Community (CARO) commissioned our partner Hydro-Rénovation, a Poclain Hydraulics Certified Repair Center (CRC), to remove the power plant, which dates back to 1993, and to renovate it and bring it up to current standards before the summer reopening of the ferry bridge, as part of a preventive maintenance operation. The 22 kW Poclain hydraulic power unit with a 54 cm3 closed circuit pump drives a single displacement, braked MS50-2 type wheel motor. The hydraulic wheel motor drives a winch to move the gondola by cable. The power plant is also equipped with a small emergency diesel engine to ensure the displacement even in case of power failure. Until 2020, the hydraulic power station perfectly conducted transportation between the two banks of the Charente.
One of the largest restoration projects undertaken by the French government with that of the Grand Palais in Paris
Previously, from 2016 to 2020 for a budget of 23.7 M€ with the sponsorship of the Ministry of Culture and the OPPIC (the Operator of Heritage and Real Estate Projects of Culture), the State began major restoration work representing one of the largest restoration projects ever undertaken by France with that of the Grand Palais in Paris. The project was entrusted to the Baudin-Châteauneuf company under the responsibility of Philippe Villeneuve, chief architect of the “Monuments Historiques”. The bridge deck, 50 meters high and 175 meters long, was replaced by a new deck assembled on site, which is identical to the one designed by the engineer Ferdinand Arnodin in 1900. The gondola was sandblasted and repainted. At the time of construction, it was a steam engine that operated the gondola. It was used until 1927 before being replaced by an electric motor, then by the Poclain hydraulic power plant in 1993. Horses and then vehicles were able to use the bridge for several decades.
Several Ministers visited the site
The public was able to follow the major stages of this exceptional construction site, which was open to visitors. Several ministers have visited the site, which has received numerous awards: the Heritage For All award in 2012, and the NF 526 Environment Eco-label in 2014. The Transbordeur Bridge is one of the key sites of the Grand Site de France Estuaire de la Charente - Arsenal de Rochefort, a label obtained in June 2020.
The technical challenges of this renovation project can be seen in this video made by the Baudin-Châteauneuf company - ©Baudin-Châteauneuf
The seasonal reopening of the bridge to the public took place on July 29, 2020. The site had a record number of visitors despite the health restrictions, with more than 84,000 people visited over three months, including many foreign tourists, before its premature closure due to covid-19 on October 29, 2020. Its upcoming reopening scheduled for May (depending on sanitary conditions) promises to draw crowds.
Practical information :
Opening of the tourist site of the Transbordeur Bridge of Martrou from May to November :Here
HYDRO-RENOVATION, Poclain Hydraulics Certified Repair Center : Here