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==Constructionand history==[[File:Victoria Bridge Illustrated London News 1859.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Laying the foundation stone of Victoria Bridge, from the Illustrated London News, 17 December 1859]]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 [[Coalbrookdale|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.<ref Name = "Nabarro">Nabarro, G (1971), ''Severn Valley Steam''</ref>

The bridge is listed Grade II* by Historic England for its special architectural or historic interest. <ref> [https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1100657 Victoria Bridge on the Historic England list]</ref>

The wording on each side of the bridge reads "[[Peto, Brassey and Betts | Messrs. Brassey & Co., Contractors.]]" "Victoria Bridge 1861 John <noglossary>Fowler</noglossary>, Engineer" "Cast and erected by the Coalbrookdale Company".

Although the The deck of Victoria Bridge was originally built to single track width, the abutments were built wide enough for [[double track]]width with overhanging walkways, similar to Albert Edward Bridge, the four arched ribs being at 4'11", 6' and 4'11" centres to place them almost directly under the rails. There is anecdotal evidence that at one time the single track was offset to one side, meaning leaving the other side of the bridge could have relatively easily been converted clear for the possible laying of a second track, but was moved to double trackits current central position in the 1950s. The overhanging walkways were removed, and the handrails moved inwards, at an unknown date.

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 with 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, removing the need for these additional bridges.<ref Name = "Nabarro" />  For a more in depth description of the bridge, see [[Construction details of Victoria Bridge]]. During the Second World War the bridge formed part of Western Command Stop Line No 1, which followed the River Severn from Tewkesbury to Llandrinio, and was protected by infantry trenches and a movable steel and concrete railblock, <ref>[https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/dob/ai_full_r.cfm?refno=11063&CFID=036777f5-1e72-4b37-bd8c-19c140bb71fd&CFTOKEN=0 Council for British Archaeology web site]</ref> <gallery>File:Victoria Bridge Figs 1 to 9.jpg | Details showing the position of the ribs under the rails.File:Victoria Bridge Figs 10 to 16.jpg | Details showing the abutments and plan of the deck construction.</gallery> ==Operating restrictions==The bridge was subject to restrictions on the weights and types of locomotives which could be worked ‘coupled’ or ‘double-headed’ over it. The definitions of classes such as "Blue", "Yellow" etc. may be found [[GWR Power and Weight Classification|here]].  The following restrictions were set out in the BR(W) 1948 working timetable: ''Engines in the "Blue" group and the following engines in the "Yellow" group are prohibited from working double-headed over Victoria Bridge, Arley; Tank Engines of the 2-6-2, 0-6-2 and 0-6-0 classes, but they may be assisted by "Uncoloured" tender engines. Other "Yellow" engines may be assisted by any other permitted engine except that "Yellow" tank engines must not be coupled together.''  ''When tender and tank engines are worked double-headed, the tank engine must be next to the tender.'' By June 1963, shortly before closure of the line, BR(W) had re-drafted the restrictions to read as follows: ''1. Permitted engines in the “Blue” Group and 55xx, 36xx and 74xx must not be coupled to any other engine.''<br>''2. 32xx may work coupled or coupled to an engine in the “Uncoloured” group.''<br>''3. When a tender engine and a tank engines are coupled, the tank engine must be coupled to the tender of the tender engine.''<br>''4. Not more than two engines may work coupled.'' The '36xx' numbered series locomotives are members of the 5700 Class pannier tanks; an example of the impact of these restriction being that SVR-residents 5764 and 7714 would not have been permitted over the bridge while coupled together.

The SVR began operations to Bewdley via Victoria Bridge in 1974. In that year they carried out a structural analysis of the bridge, which suggested that a loading of two tender locomotives with carriages would generate stresses in the main structure of the bridge not exceeding 2.6 tons/sq in (tension) and 6.2 tons/sq in (compression) against ultimate strength values of cast iron of 10 tons/sq in (tension) and 45 tons/sq in (compression). However it appeared that the bridge had last been re-decked by BR in the early 1950s, meaning a close watch would be kept on it.<ref name = "SVRNews58" />.

In 1978 the Board was advised that the time had come for a major refurbishment of the bridge. This began in November 1979; the work included the installation of 54 new steel beams to replace the old (rotten) transverse timber baulks which formed the decking, replacement of more than 50% of the plate-work by 6 tons of new top plate, and the replacement of 3,500 rivets by high tensile friction grip bolts. The amount of plate replaced was necessary to achieve the required structural strength for a 21 ton axle load as specified by the Railway Board. At the same time the bridge received a complete repaint using 1,200 litres of paint. The scaffolding used around 2 miles of tube and 2&frac12; miles of planking. The final cost was approximately £94,346, equivalent to almost £&frac12; million at 2015 2020 prices. <ref>[https://www.in2013dollars.com/uk/inflation/ UK Inflation Calculator]</ref> Despite adverse weather, the line was re-opened on time for Easter 1980,<ref Name="SVRNews58"/>, although the winter closure meant that [[Christmas services|Santa Special services ]] were moved to the north end of the line.<ref>SVR News 54</ref>.

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> The refurbishment received a commendation in the Institution of Civil Engineers’ 2005 Historic Bridge and Infrastructure [[Awards]].

To preserve the structure the bridge has a permanent speed limit of 15 mph and is also subject to operating restrictions which means that two large engines may not work double headed over it.A lower 5mph speed limit applies to any two engines coupled together while passing over Victoria Bridge. This lower limit also applies to [[LMR 600 Gordon]] when working solo.<ref>General Appendix to Working Timetables and Rules and Regulations, Section O6(a)</ref>