Victoria Bridge

Revision as of 17:37, 15 February 2015 by Boldford (talk | contribs)
Victoria Bridge seen from the bank of the River Severn.

Victoria Bridge (Bridge 15) carries the railway across the River Severn ½ mile south of Arley.

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 November 24th 1859 by the SVR's resident engineer, Henry Orlando Bridgman, and the bridge was completed in May 1861. Its span, of 200ft, was at the time the largest iron arch span in the country.[1]

The railway photographer Paul Riley was killed by a fall from Victoria Bridge in August 1976.[2] Lineside photographers are not currently permitted to cross Victoria Bridge on foot.[3]

After the pre-December 2008 refurbishment the bridge was re-opened by a young lady named Victoria Bridge from Cradley Heath. It was her first visit to the SVR.

The bridge featured in the 1978 film The Thirty Nine Steps, in the scene where Richard Hannay (Robert Powell) escapes from a train and hangs beneath the bridge.

There is a near-identical railway bridge spanning the river Severn upstream at Buildwas. This bridge is known as Albert Edward Bridge.

Notes

  1. Nabarro, G (1971), Severn Valley Steam
  2. Krause, I, Paul Riley - An Appreciation, retrieved 28th January 2015. Link
  3. SVR (H) corporate document SMS-POL-135, Lineside Photographic Policy (Permits & PTS Course), Issue 1 (19th September 2012). Link to download page

See Also