List of lattice girder bridges in the United Kingdom
![Close up of ironwork construction, bridge at Llandeilo,Powys.jpg](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Close_up_of_ironwork_construction%2C_bridge_at_Llandeilo%2CPowys.jpg/90px-Close_up_of_ironwork_construction%2C_bridge_at_Llandeilo%2CPowys.jpg)
This list is intended to help identify a particular early form of lattice girder bridge which was popular with bridge engineers particularly in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the 19th century.
The term "lattice girder", is used in the UK and "lattice truss" is more widely used in the USA. A lattice girder or truss is often defined only in two dimensions, that is (in the case of a bridge) the structure as seen from the side.[1] Such definitions sufficed for the early lattice girders such as the US Town truss which was designed for construction in timber. Early iron structures using a Town-type lattice replicated this appearance, leading to the instantly recognisable lattice-work shown in the bridges in Part A of this list. However, design considerations required that an iron (as opposed to a wooden) structure required many of the latticed bars to be stiffened in the third dimension. Thus, on closer examination, the delicate appearance of these early iron lattices is belied by this much more complex stiffening in the thickness or third dimension. This complex stiffening is itself also sometimes described as a ‘lattice girder’, being composed of (typically) two or four parallel flat or angled steel bars, closely spaced but linked by lattice work. Such a member is better described as a "laced strut", and such members frequently form a significant part of a lattice girder. The use of laced struts within a lattice girder can be seen in the two photographs of the c1860s lattice girder bridge at Llandeilo.
The first table lists these early examples. (Note that some bridges, for example the New Clyde Viaduct (or Second Caledonian Bridge) in Glasgow, appear to be of lattice construction whereas in fact the latticing is used solely for the protective parapet.)
In later forms, various developments took place: for example, the lattice became less dense and each individual diagonal thus much more substantial; vertical members were introduced; and eventually both diagonal and vertical members achieved cross-sectional dimensions comparable to those of the main top and bottom components, thus forming what is more commonly known as a truss.
The second table lists these later developments.
Bridges with dense latticing constructed from flat iron bars or angles[]
Name | Date of construction |
Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Bennerley Viaduct | 1877 | One of only two iron trestle bridges still in situ in the UK. | ![]() Bennerley Viaduct photographed from Nottingham Canal Towpath in 2006 |
Kew Railway Bridge | 1869 | Kew Railway Bridge | |
Runcorn Railway Bridge | 1868 | Also known as Ethelfleda Bridge or Britannia Bridge. Carries the Liverpool branch of the West Coast Main Line over the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal. | ![]() Runcorn Railway Bridge with Silver Jubilee Bridge behind |
Marton Junction Bridge | 1851 | ![]() | |
Darcy Lever Railway Bridge | 1848 | Rebuilt in 1883, but it is thought that the original girders were used. | ![]() Darcy Lever Bridge |
Cadishead Viaduct | 1892 | ![]() Cadishead Viaduct, bridging the Manchester Ship Canal west of Manchester | |
Fulham Railway Bridge | 1889 | ![]() Fulham Railway Bridge | |
Wandsworth Bridge | 1873 | Replaced by the current bridge in 1937 | ![]() The first Wandsworth Bridge |
Cornbrook Viaduct (Castlefield) | 1877 | ![]() Cornbrook Viaduct is the upper bridge, it lies just behind the lower bridge in the foreground | |
Great Northern Viaduct (Castlefield) | 1894 | ![]() The Viaduct and Potato Wharf | |
Llandeilo Railway Bridge | 1852 | Llandeilo bridge carries the Heart of Wales railway over the River Towy | |
Partick Railway Bridge | 1900 | ![]() Partick Bridge over the River Kelvin | |
Westburn Viaduct | 1897 | ![]() Westburn Viaduct (also known as Carmyle Viaduct), over the River Clyde, disused and blocked off | |
Burntisland | 1888 | ![]() The easternmost spans of Burntisland Viaduct looking towards the harbour | |
Irlam Viaduct | 1873 | ![]() Irlam Viaduct over the Manchester Ship Canal | |
Monk Bridge | ![]() Bridge carrying Whitehall Road over the River Aire | ||
Sheffield District Railway Bridge, Brightside | 1900 | ![]() Disused railway bridge over the River Don | |
Logierait Bridge | 1865 | ![]() Logierait Bridge over the River Tay | |
Warmsworth Viaduct | 1910 | ![]() Warmsworth Viaduct over the River Don | |
Pont Goed Bridge, Pentre Berw, Isle of Anglesey | 1867 | ![]() | |
Halkirk Bridge | 1874 | ![]() Town lattice girder bridge on Far North Railway near Halkirk, Caithness | |
Kinbrace Railway Bridge | 1874 | ![]() Bridge over River Helmsdale, Kinbrace, Highland Region | |
Darwen Street Bridge, Blackburn | 1847 | ![]() | |
Wishaw Railway Bridge | 1849 | ![]() | |
Gallowgate Railway Bridge | 1870 | ![]() | |
Oykel Viaduct, Invershin | 1868 | ![]() | |
Sainsbury's Bridge, Bath | 1870 | ![]() The apparent 'roof' covers the modern footbridge adjacent to and immediately behind the railway bridge | |
Waterloo Railway Bridge | 1864 | ![]() Lattice girder bridge carrying railway tracks from Waterloo east towards Hungerford Bridge | |
Oxford Gasworks Bridge | 1882 | ![]() Old railway bridge, used as a footpath since the gasworks closed in 1960 | |
Llangefni Railway Bridge | 1866 | ![]() | |
Bowshank Railway Bridge | 1849 | ![]() | |
Brixton Railway Bridge | 1867 | ![]() | |
Rochester Railway Bridge | 1891 | ![]() | |
Coatbridge Railway Bridge | 1898 | ![]() | |
Montrose Viaduct | 1880 | The end span (see photo) is a conventional Town-type lattice. However, the bulk of this long viaduct consists of longer spans each of which has been strengthened by adding a small degree of upward curvature to the upper horizontals. This makes this structure a unique example of a Town-type bowstring lattice. | ![]() |
Bath Station Railway Bridge | 1878 | ![]() | |
Dolemeads Bridge, Bath | ![]() | ||
Croxley Green Railway Bridge | 1912 | ![]() | |
River Trent Bridge, Melbourne, Derbyshire | 1868 | ![]() | |
Dutch River Bridge, Goole | 1848 | ![]() | |
Fortyfoot Bridge, Lincolnshire | 1882 | ![]() | |
Wick River Bridge, Sibster, Caithness | 1874 | ![]() | |
Broadford Bridge, near Guildford, Surrey | ![]() | ||
Cragganmore Railway Bridge | 1863 | ![]() | |
Crow Road Railway Bridge (1), Glasgow | 1885 | Estimated date of construction. Railways in this part of Glasgow were opened in the mid-1880s. | ![]() |
Crow Road Railway Bridge (2), Glasgow | 1885 | Estimated date of construction. Railways in this part of Glasgow were opened in the mid-1880s. | ![]() |
Burnham Road Railway Bridge, Scotstoun, Glasgow | 1907 | ![]() |
Bridges with simpler use of diagonal and vertical members[]
Name | Date of construction |
Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Dowery Dell Viaduct | 1883 | A rare example of a lattice girder superstructure supported on trestles. Built by the Halesowen Joint Railway. Demolished 1964. | ![]() Dowery Dell Viaduct with steam train |
Hungerford Bridge | 1864 | Hungerford Bridge - looking from the footbridge towards the rail bridge | |
Wicker Viaduct | 1848 | ![]() Viaduct over the River Don, Sheffield |
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Merriman, Mansfield (1920). "A Text-book on Roofs and Bridges ...: Bridge design. 5th ed., partly ... - Mansfield Merriman, Henry Sylvester Jacoby - Google Books". Retrieved 13 September 2012.
- Bridges in the United Kingdom
- United Kingdom transport-related lists
- Lists of bridges in the United Kingdom