- 20 Aug 2019
Congratulations to Sidney Goodman, who last week completed 40 years with C J Thorne & Co., joining an elite band of 7 staff to have reached that milestone during the Company’s 80 year history. Sid joined Directors and colleagues at the pub to celebrate the event and was presented with an original newspaper from the day that he joined the Company.
- 6 Aug 2019
Work was completed on Friday morning to replenish the shingle on the naturist beach in Brighton ahead of a busy “Pride” weekend. The project was part of our Coastal Defences Framework Contract for Brighton & Hove City Council, and involved movement of shingle to form a berm at the top of the beach that gives some privacy to users of the naturist facility.
- 2 Aug 2019
Warm congratulations to our Quantity Surveyor, Ashley and his beautiful bride, Charlotte. They tied the knot yesterday on the most perfect day for a summer wedding, which is quite a coincidence as they make the most perfect couple! We wish them every happiness. xx
- 24 Jul 2019
The £180k project to construct a replacement 2.4m wide reinforced concrete spillway to relieve the embankment impounding a privately owned fishing pond in Surrey is nearing completion. The project also involved the construction of a permanent berm along the downstream side of the existing 3m high dam, along with associated tree works and temporary road construction to provide access to the site. Credit to Vic and the team for an excellent job in a challenging environment.
- 12 Jul 2019
CJ Thorne & Co were delighted to welcome Amy and Luke from Uckfield College for a week of work experience with the company. Having spent time in our head office, in our workshop and on several site visits, they told us they thoroughly enjoyed themselves and have learnt a great deal about the world of Civil Engineering and how everything is put in place for projects, etc. Perhaps the experience might have inspired them to, one day, pursue a career in Civil Engineering. Well, whatever they do, the staff at Thornes can safely say they’ll both make model employees. It has been a pleasure to spend time with them, and we all wish them well for the future. Amy and Luke are pictured with Jake from our workshop, where they cleverly created some souvenirs out of spare materials to remind them of their time with us!
- 25 Jun 2019
We have recently completed some work which included the improvement of the existing road junction at the entrance to the British Gypsum, Mountfield works in East Sussex. The site is situated approximately 75 metres south of a Network Rail level crossing. We also constructed a new retaining wall, we widened the British Gypsum Mine access road over a length of approximately 250m, and completed pavement resurfacing and other associated works.
- 7 Jun 2019
Congratulations to our Training Manager Jools Schneider on reaching another important milestone! Chocolate and alcohol seemed to be a familiar theme amongst the gifts – maybe that’s the secret of the youthful looks!
- 13 May 2019
Thorne’s environmental credentials are clearly on show at Hooe WWTW in East Sussex, where our value engineering input has resulted in design developments that have reduced our carbon footprint. Firstly, we used lime stabilisation techniques when creating the site compound, significantly reducing the amount of material required in what was a very wet area; and secondly, to avoid removal of excessive amounts of waste from site, we instigated the decision to crush and recycle concrete and demolition material from the redundant sludge beds and the access road.
- 16 Apr 2019
15 years after the award winning reconstruction of the Cascade between the Upper and Lower Women’s Way Ponds at Sheffield Park Gardens, we returned to repair and refurbish the Cascade Bridge. The work was carried out in our workshops at Head Office in Uckfield, and the photo shows the bridge being lowered back into position.
- 6 Mar 2019
In conjunction with sister company Hobart Paving, Thorne won the contract to plane off and resurface the main drive into Hampton Court Palace, and we have since won additional work to carry out resurfacing and drainage works to a separate access road in this iconic royal setting.
- 11 Feb 2019
Work is well underway on the extension to Windmill Hill WWTW and it is good to see our wholly owned and maintained fleet of plant completing the bulk earthworks on one of the last schemes undertaken by Southern Water in AMP6. Congratulations to all involved in maintaining high standards of safety if a tight and compact working area.
- 18 Jan 2019
Regular Health & Safety training is absolutely vital to ensure everyone is kept safe and knows their responsibilities whilst working on sites. It also gives staff the chance to be updated on changing legislation, look at case studies and be able to ask questions and give feedback. The whole Thorne Group staff attended the annual Back to Work meeting on 4th January 2019. As well as key updates and messages from the MD Chris Thorne, Asbestos Awareness & Working at Height training was also carried out by our Health and Safety lead Lance Milton.
- 21 Dec 2018
On behalf of all of us here at C J Thorne, we would like to wish all our friends, colleagues and Clients a very merry xmas and a healthy and happy 2019. We are looking forward to a busy year and to top it off celebrating our 80th year in Civil Engineering. Merry Xmas
- 11 Dec 2018
We are looking forward to giving out these bespoke 2019 calendars to our valued Clients this Christmas. We will be celebrating our 80-year anniversary in 2019 and thought that this calendar was an excellent way to tell our story. Many thanks to of Dowling Creative who worked closely with us to design and print these ready for distribution before Christmas.
- 29 Oct 2018
We have recently completed the reinstatement of Forest Row Bridleway 2F on behalf of East Sussex County Council. The bridle way connects Hammerwood to Forest Row and passes through Wetwood, which as the name suggests gets very boggy throughout the winter. Work included skimming off the top layer of mud and leaves and then laying down a hardcore base with type 1 limestone over the top. We then cleared out some of the existing ditches and installed some new cross drainage which will help keep the bridleway drier and allow much better use of the bridle way throughout the year. A great job by Rob, Steve and Richard.
- 29 Oct 2018
Employees regularly attend specialist safety courses and all operatives have taken the health & safety touch screen test to achieve CSCS cards as a minimum, with the majority going on to complete their NVQ’s in Plant Operating (CPCS) and specific activities such as drainage, kerb laying, concreting, etc. Over the past couple of months our Group SHE Manager and Trainer Lance Milton has taken operatives and Management staff through their National Water Hygiene Passport, an essential course for those working on potable water sites such as service reservoirs, pumping stations, water treatment works, wells, springs and boreholes.
- 20 Sep 2018
We are currently looking for a 360° Excavator Operator to join our team. You will be passionate about the work you do with outstanding attention to detail and the ability to work within a team. You will also take Health & Safety seriously and be aware and conscious of others working around you. You will ideally have and be able to demonstrate the following skills and attributes: Demonstrable experience and relevant qualifications A current CPCS ticket Strong work ethic in a team and work to the objectives of the Company Be approachable and happy to work both as a team and on your own initiative We offer an excellent package for the right person, so if the above sounds like you, please send us your CV and covering letter stating the position you are applying for to Chris Thorne, Managing Director at info@thornegroupuk.com. C J Thorne & Co Ltd. values diversity and promotes equality. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate against any of the protected characteristics that fall under the Equality Act 2010. We encourage and welcome applications from all sections of society and are more than happy to discuss reasonable adjustments and/or additional arrangements as required to support your application. Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.
- 23 Aug 2018
As part of Thorne’s term contract for Coastal Protection and Structures Maintenance with Brighton and Hove City Council we carry out a variety of projects from beach clearance to concrete repairs to full groyne reconstruction. For this particular project we rebuilt this section of balustrade wall at Adelaide Crescent in Hove with help from specialist sub contractor, Fullers Plastering. Traditional methods of construction were used, running moulds with Roman cement. The before and after picture shown here is the 3rd section of balustrade wall that has been rebuilt.
- 10 Aug 2018
Are you looking for a career in Civil Engineering? C. J. Thorne & Co Ltd is a family run specialist civil engineering company working with Clients in both the public and private sectors. Cost effectiveness is achieved through the Company’s directly employed workforce, extensive owned plant and transport fleet, and long-standing partnerships with trusted suppliers and specialist sub-contractors. In 2019 we will be celebrating 80 years in business. We are currently recruiting for the following roles: Site Engineers CPCS Certificated Plant Operators CSCS Certificated Skilled General Operatives Site Engineers An experienced Site Engineer, you will be responsible for all setting out and producing of as-built surveys and QA of our scope of works. You will be supported by the senior management and the senior engineer on site to ensure the smooth running of projects and solving any technical issues within the design. You will be a Degree qualified engineer with ideally groundworks/utilities experience and at least a year’s site experience. Graduate opportunities are also available. Ambitious and career driven Exceptional management skills and communication skills verbal and written Demonstrable experience in previous roles and the ability to deliver projects CPCS Certificated Plant Operators in all areas, including: Telescopic handler 360° Excavator Dumper Roller Skilled General Operatives Ideally you will have experience working as a skilled general operative specialising in a particular area for 2 years, and will be comfortable using tools and equipment on site. You will be conscious of health and safety on site and will be aware of others who are working alongside you A current CSCS ticket Strong work ethic in a team and ability to work to the objectives of the Company. What to do next: We offer an excellent package for the right person, so if the above sounds like you, please send us your […read more]
- 8 Jul 2018
CJ Thorne started working on an interesting project constructing an underground garage for a private customer in Kent. The site has now been cleared and the excavation work is well underway. We required an Archaeologist in attendance during this work as the adjacent house itself is over 800 years old!
- 26 Jun 2018
Our very own Karen Thorne received a standing ovation on Saturday, as after weeks of training she performed her fantastic dance routine to Dolly Parton’s 9-5 with partner Stuart Dawes from the Brighton Academy at this year’s Midsummer Ball hosted by the DM Thomas Foundation. Four different acts representing their individual charities took to the stage to sing and dance, and Kaz certainly did not disappoint. Being the first act on stage, she wowed the audience with lifts, cartwheels and amazing footwork. Unfortunately, she just missed out on the top spot to fellow competitors Charman and Alison who were representing Action Medical Research, but everyone here at C J Thorne are so proud of Kaz and in our eyes she was definitely the winner! We are still awaiting the final figure of the total raised on the night, but we would like to thank all our suppliers, colleagues, friends and family, who helped Kaz personally raise £5,676.08.
- 18 Jun 2018
Major progress has been made at Eatons Footbridge as the new footbridge foundations have now been constructed and the soil/seed mix bagged wall has been installed to prevent the river from undermining the bridge foundations in what is an active tidal area. On 12th June, the new footbridge was lifted into position, re-connecting the footpath between Ashurst and Henfield after several years of waiting by local residents and Public Rights of Way. Now all that’s outstanding are the new steps, gates and landscaping to both ends of the bridge to complete the project.
- 18 Jun 2018
C J Thorne have this week started a new project in Uckfield at the local Community Hospital. The £37,000 project, which is being funded by the Hospital’s League of Friends will involve converting the grass verge opposite the ambulance station into additional car parking spaces for its staff.
- 30 May 2018
C J Thorne have recently started work on a new project at the National Cat Centre. The £250k project will involve upgrading the existing car park and providing additional parking spaces. A retaining wall will also be built in order to improve the line of sight on the site’s access road.
- 30 May 2018
C J Thorne has recently started work for West Sussex County Council to replace an existing historic footbridge that had fallen into disrepair. The bridge is located over the River Adur so gaining access to the bridge was a bit of a challenge! Fortunately, due to the recent good weather, work is progressing well. The old bridge has now been removed with sections salvaged for the local museum. The new piled foundations are nearly complete and the new 21 m footbridge was delivered to site from Holland this week, ready for installation.
- 30 May 2018
We have recently completed a project at Astral Towers in Crawley to extend the existing car park, which has provided 75 additional parking spaces. The £220k project included earthworks and landscaping in an environmentally sensitive area and combined the skills of staff from both C J Thorne and Hobart Paving Ltd to complete the works. Well done to Steve, Lee and their team for doing a great job.
- 26 Apr 2018
On Friday 20th April 2018, CJ Thorne visited Robertsbridge Community College to take part in their Careers Event. We met with students and introduced them to the world of Civil Engineering and were on hand to give guidance and answer questions as to what steps they could take to begin their career. A very informative event and we were thrilled to be part of it as well as helping students think about their future.
- 16 Apr 2018
Rosebery Park pond restoration was completed on Friday 6th April 2018. The construction involved the installation of Gabions designed to allow the surrounding area to filter the storm water into the pond. Cobbles, which were sourced from Scotland, have been laid to one side of the pond providing access for the public to be able to feed the ducks. A new water overflow system has been installed within a newly laid York Stone paved area and a new seating area has also been provided for the public to sit and enjoy the scenery.
- 14 Feb 2018
A new project for us at Thorne’s working on behalf of Epsom & Ewell Council to carry out the restoration of an historic pond in Rosebery Park, Epsom, Surrey. The pond was built in the mid 1800’s and was generally used as a boating pond. Even though the pond was never intended to store fish we caught and removed over 200 fish with some of them weighing over 10lbs! After pumping out the water it became clear that the silt levels were very high and as a result, Epsom Council have instructed us to arrange to have the silt removed. Despite weather conditions proving to be a challenge at times, the works are progressing and the fish all found a new home!
- 24 Jan 2018
Work began towards the end of 2017 to replace the staircase at Birling Gap, a project commissioned to us by Wealden District Council. Despite the weather causing a few challenges along the way, the staircase was reopened on the 21st of December 2017, in time for the busy Christmas holidays when the area attracts many visitors. The new staircase has been relocated 5.8m north of the previous position tight against the existing cliff face, which is eroding at a rate of approximately 0.7m per year. The plan going forward is to relocate the staircase every 8-10 years as a part of a Managed Retreat Programme that allows the chalk cliffs to erode naturally, instead of using man made techniques to try to halt the process. This is the third time that C J Thorne & Co have been involved in moving the staircase at this busy tourist location. Well done to Rob, Harry and their team for a first-class job.
