Victoria Bridge is a cast iron arch bridge, with four arch ribs each of nine parts bolted together. The arch elements were cast by the Coalbrookdale Company, and the bridge built by the company of Thomas Brassey, Samuel Morton Peto and Edward Betts. When constructed it was the longest span in the world at 61 m (200 ft). It has been used as a location for many films - including the version of 'The Thirty Nine Steps' in which Robert Powell escapes from a train by climbing beneath the bridge, and in the next scene is in Scotland!
The bridge is expensive to maintain for train operations. In 2004, it was closed for six weeks during which it received a significant overhaul, including installation of a new steel deck, and repainting. The deck had previously consisted of secondhand timber sleepers, which were rotting away. The refurbishment work was commended in the 2005 Historic Bridge and Infrastructure Awards by the Institution of Civil Engineers. To preserve the structure the SVR's engineers have placed a 15 mph speed limit over it.




CLIVE HANLEY(C)