A day at the races

UK contractor General Demolition has started work on the demolition element of phase two of the redevelopment of the Epsom Downs racecourse - home of the historic Derby horse race. The £0.4 (US$0.8) million contract involves the demolition of the Epsom Grandstand, built in 1927.

The old grandstand consists of a steel framed, reinforced concrete structure - ferrous and non-ferrous metal waste will be recycled by a specialist contractor, and an estimated 3,500 m³ of concrete debris will be crushed on site using two Powerscreen Warrior crushers, and used as fill during the construction of the new grandstand.

General Demolition came on site at the beginning of June, carried out an internal soft strip of the grandstand, with demolition commencing at the end of that month. A Hitachi Zaxis 460 LCH carrying a Kocurek 21 m (69 ft) is being used to bring the upper part of the building down, with other Hitachi excavators being used for debris processing. Demolition is due to be completed by September 2007, with construction of the new stand beginning in October.