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[[File:VictoriaBridge5643_20090926.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Victoria Bridge seen from the bank of the River Severn.]]
Victoria Bridge (Bridge 15) carries the railway Severn Valley Railway across the [[River Severn]] ½ mile south of [[Arley]]. It is the only place between [[Shrewsbury]] and [[Hartlebury]] where the railway crossed the river.
==Construction==
The bridge was designed by the Severn Valley Railway's chief engineer, [[John Fowler]]. It is largely constructed from cast iron; manufacture of the ironwork was subcontracted to the Coalbrookdale Company. The foundation stone was laid on [[The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership# Construction: 1858-1861 | November 24th 1859]] by the SVR's resident engineer, [[Henry Orlando Bridgeman]], and the bridge was completed in May 1861. Its span, of 200ft, was at the time the largest iron arch span in the country.<refName = "Nabarro">Nabarro, G (1971), ''Severn Valley Steam''</ref>.
There is a near-identical double track railway bridge spanning the river Severn upstream at [[Buildwas]]. This bridge is known as [[Albert Edward Bridge]], named after the eldest son of Queen Victoria, who was later crowned as Edward VII.
Although the deck of Victoria Bridge was built to single track width, the abutments were built wide enough for [[double track]], meaning the bridge could have relatively easily been converted to double track.
The original [[The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership#Before construction: 1845-1858 | 1852 estimate]] for the construction of the Railway, which included £8,500 for "a girder bridge at Arley"<ref>[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17612/17612-h/17612-h.htm Handbook to the Severn Valley Railway, by J. Randall 1863]</ref>, also showed the station at Bridgnorth sited in the Low Town, east of the river. Although more convenient for the public, this would have required two further bridges, one south of the town near Quatford costing £8,000 and another north of the town near the present day golf course costing £9,000. A fourth bridge costing £10,000 was included near Shrewsbury in order to reach a junction the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway. Cost saving measures adopted in the final railway plans resulted in the line remaining on the west bank and passing under High Town through [[Bridgnorth Tunnel]] instead, and joining the Shrewsbury & Hereford Railway instead, removing the need for these additional bridges.<ref Name = "Nabarro" />
==Victoria Bridge in preservation==
Another major refurbishment was carried out during the winter of 2003-04. The estimated cost was £320,000, of which a significant portion related to scaffolding. The work included the replacement of the 1970s wooden bridge deck with a new steel mesh deck. The bridge was re-opened by a young lady named Victoria Bridge from Cradley Heath. It was her first visit to the SVR.<ref>SVR News 146</ref>
==Gallery==