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Victoria Bridge

3,385 bytes added, 19:51, 22 May 2023
1994 renovation. The accounts refer to it 'resplendent in its new livery'
[[File:VictoriaBridge5643_20090926.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Victoria Bridge seen from the bank of the River Severn.]]
'''Victoria Bridge ''' (Bridge 15) carries the 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.
==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]]:''Main article: [[Construction details of Victoria Bridge]]''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>
It The foundation stone was reported at laid on [[The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership# Construction: 1858-1861 | November 24th 1859]] by the time of construction that SVR's resident engineer, [[Henry Orlando Bridgeman]]. The ceremony was attended by a defective rib casting large crowd and accompanied by cheering and firing cannon. A paper was tested to destruction placed under a load of 430 tons.the foundation stone which read:<ref name Name = "SVRNews58"Nabarro>SVR News 58Nabarro, G (1971), article ''Severn Valley Steam''</ref>:''The foundation stone of this bridge was laid by Henry Orlando Bridgman, Esq., C.E., Resident Engineer, on the 24th day of November, in the year of Our Lord one thousand, eight hundred and fifty-nine, and in the twenty-third year of the reign of Her Majesty, Queen Victoria. The arch of the consulting engineer bridge is to be constructed principally of cast iron – 200 feet span – and, up to the 1979present time, will be the largest cast-iron arch constructed in these Kingdoms. John Fowler, Esq., Engineer-in-80 refurbishment</ref>Chief, London; Messrs. Brassey, Peto and Betts, contractors, also of London. The railway works were commenced in the autumn of 1858, and are expected to be completed and the line opened to the public in the spring of 1861. This railway commences at Shrewsbury, and terminates at the Hartlebury station of the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway, a distance of 40 miles''.
There is a near-identical double track railway bridge spanning In February 1860 Fowler reported that "''the river Severn upstream at foundations are well advanced and [[BuildwasCoalbrookdale#The_Coalbrookdale_Company|the Coalbrookdale Company]]have been entrusted by Messrs. Brassey, Peto and Betts with the execution of the castings and wrought ironwork for the superstructure. This ''"<ref Name = Nabarro/> The bridge is known as [[Albert Edward Bridge]], named after was completed in May 1861. It was reported at the eldest son time of Queen Victoria, who construction that a defective rib casting was later crowned as Edward VIItested to destruction under a load of 430 tons.<ref name = "SVRNews58">SVR News 58, article by the consulting engineer to the 1979-80 refurbishment</ref>
The wording on each side of the bridge is listed Grade II* by Historic England for its special architectural or historic interestreads "[[Peto, Brassey and Betts | Messrs.<ref> [https://historicenglandBrassey & Co.org, Contractors.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1100657 ]]" "Victoria Bridge on the Historic England list]1861 John <noglossary>Fowler</refnoglossary>, Engineer" "Cast and erected by the Coalbrookdale Company".
The wording on each side deck of Victoria Bridge was originally built to [[double track]] width with overhanging walkways, similar to Albert Edward Bridge, the bridge reads four arched ribs being at 4'11"[[Peto, Brassey 6' and Betts | Messrs. Brassey & Co4'11" 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, leaving the other side of the bridge clear for the possible laying of a second track, Contractorsbut was moved to its current central position in the 1950s.]]" "Victoria Bridge 1861 John <noglossary>Fowler</noglossary>The overhanging walkways were removed, Engineer" "Cast and erected by the Coalbrookdale Company"handrails moved inwards, at an unknown date.
Although <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">File:Victoria Bridge Figs 1 to 9.jpg | Details showing the deck position of the ribs under the rails.File:Victoria Bridge was built Figs 10 to single track width, 16.jpg | Details showing the abutments were built wide enough for [[double track]], meaning and plan of the bridge could have relatively easily been converted to double trackdeck construction.</gallery>
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" />
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> 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> There is a near-identical double track railway bridge spanning the river Severn upstream at [[Buildwas]]. This bridge, which was also designed by Sir John Fowler and opened in commercial operation1864, is known as [[Albert Edward Bridge]], named after the eldest son of Queen Victoria, who was later crowned as Edward VII. ==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 railway photographer Paul Riley was killed by a fall from Victoria Bridge in August 1976.<ref>Krause, I, ''Paul Riley - An Appreciation'', retrieved 28th January 2015. [http://gwrarchive.org/site/sitel2ph/sitel3ph/tribute.php Link]</ref> Lineside photographers are not currently permitted to cross Victoria Bridge on foot.<ref>SVR (H) corporate document SMS-POL-135, ''Lineside Photographic Policy (Permits & PTS Course)'', Issue 1 (19th September 2012). [http://www.svrlive.com/Pages/Downloads.aspx Link to download page]</ref>
The In 1978 the Board was advised that the time had come for a major refurbishment of the bridge has featured . This began in several films and television seriesNovember 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 which the best known appearance is probably plate-work by 6 tons of new top plate, and the scene in 1978 film [[replacement of 3,500 rivets by high tensile friction grip bolts. The Thirty Nine Steps]] where Richard Hannay (Robert Powell) escapes from amount of plate replaced was necessary to achieve the required structural strength for a train and hangs beneath 21 ton axle load as specified by the Railway Board. At the same time the bridgereceived a complete repaint using 1,200 litres of paint. The scaffolding used around 2 miles of tube and 2&frac12; miles of planking. The bridge also appeared in final cost was approximately £94,346, equivalent to almost £&frac12; million at 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 1977 Walt Disney Productions live action film winter closure meant that [[CandleshoeChristmas services|Santa Special services]] and were moved to the 1987 TV series [[Knights north end of God]]the line.<ref>SVR News 54</ref>
In 1978 the Board A further renovation and repaint was advised that the time had come for a major refurbishment of the bridge. This began completed 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 31994,500 rivets part funded 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 pricesEnglish Heritage. 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 lineReport and Accounts for year ending 31 December 1994.<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>
 
===Victoria Bridge in film and television===
The bridge has featured in several films and television series, of which the best known appearance is probably the scene in 1978 film [[The Thirty Nine Steps]] where Richard Hannay (Robert Powell) escapes from a train and hangs beneath the bridge.
 
Other film appearances include the 1977 Walt Disney Productions live action film [[Candleshoe]] and the 1992 Merchant Ivory production [[Howards End]]. Television appearances include [[God's Wonderful Railway]] in 1979, the 1987 TV series [[Knights of God]], [[L For Lester]] (1982), [[Lost Empires]] (1986), an episode of [[Rosie and Jim]] (1991) and [[Dalziel and Pascoe]] (2002).
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
File:39steps4.jpg|The Thirty Nine Steps: SVR volunteer Barrie Geens as a policeman during filming
Howards End screenshot 3.jpg | Howards End: City of Truro crossing Victoria Bridge
</gallery>
==Gallery==
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