Need Advice on Repairs to Bridge

[Gizzy]

My elderly mate John slipped and fell on his bridge.

I'd like to get it repaired for him but my mechanical engineering skills are limited.

So could anyone suggest how I go about it, or could help me get it straightened please....

 

[FatherMcD]

My elderly mate John slipped and fell on his bridge.

I'd like to get it repaired for him but my mechanical engineering skills are limited.

So could anyone suggest how I go about it, or could help me get it straightened please....

View attachment 329764

My two cents...it looks like it was only the gussets that bent. I would try to gently pull it back into position then take a look at how the gussets fared. Those that look to be too damaged could then be replaced. Use a length of lumber flat against the right side to spread the strain as you pull it back into position. I would clamp on the right side toward the top of the bridge (in the picture) and pull the end closest to the camera toward the left bracing against a length of lumber clamped along the bottom on the left. The lumber on the left needs be small enough to allow the bridge to be pulled slightly beyond vertical so that it will rebound to vertical when the pull is released. Make the lumber as long as will fit in the space available to spread the load. You might find it straightens with minimal damage. Probably would help is there was a convenient grandchild in the teens to handle the grunt work.

 

[playmofire]

I think that as well as the bend to one side there may be twisting at the base of the struts nearest the camera and that may be difficult to sort out.

 

[viaEstrecha]

I had one very similar, given to me very bent and battered, I had to disassemble it but having done so, the sides flattened out fairly well (by hand manipulation and light hammering as it is very soft). To disguise the inevitable imperfections and add strength, I bolted strips of 10mm PVC equal angle and some other profile to the outside of the struts and painted it all with Hammerite. Not a particularly good shot from about 2008:

 

[korm kormsen]

what Ken and Martyn said, plus stiffening the right angles.
if you got a tool for pop-rivets, and can find some Meccano pieces - then i would rivet diagonals to the verticals and the horizontals that connect the two sides, to create right angled triangles.
if you use "six-hole" lengths of meccano, the perfile even for the biggest rolling stock should be undisturbed.

 

[Paul M]

Looks like it can be unbolted to some extent, so if all else fails, you may be able to dismantle it and reshape the necessary parts

 

[dunnyrail]

As has mostly been said, much of it looks to be Ally, bending the bent bits back to shape once dismantled as Martyn says should be pretty easy. Deconstruction may be a bit of a job with rusty screws, a good dose of penetratingboil left for a day or two should help withbthat. Put the screes in a box till you reconstruct it so none are list. If you need help I have a pop riveter and could come over to wield it if needed.

 

[Gizzy]

Thanks chaps!

I'm going over tomorrow evening for a quick look to see how it is constructed.

I do have a pop riveted somewhere JD. You know the chap as you sold him a Playmo EMU for his grandson a couple of years ago....