Corporation Bridge

The Corporation Bridge is a Scherzer rolling lift bascule bridge over the Old Dock (Alexandra Dock) in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, England. Built in 1925, it replaced an earlier swing bridge dating to 1872.

Corporation Bridge
Coordinates53.57075°N 0.08276°W / 53.57075; -0.08276
CarriesRoad, Walkway
CrossesAlexandra Dock, Grimsby
LocaleGrimsby, North East Lincolnshire
Maintained byNorth East Lincolnshire Council
Characteristics
DesignSingle-leaf Scherzer rolling lift bascule bridge
Total length490 feet (150 m)
Width39 feet (12 m)
History
OpenedOriginal bridge 1872
Current bridge 1925

1872 bridge

The Great Grimsby Improvement Act of 1869 allowed the land west of the old dock to be developed, and a bridge built across the dock.[1][2]

The bridge was constructed by Head Wrightson and the Teesdale Ironworks to the design of Charles Sacre. Situated between the two sets of spans was a horizontally turning swing bridge of 91.25 feet (27.81 m) of asymmetric hogback plate girder design with a clear space when open of 45 feet (14 m).[3]

The bridge opened in 1872[4]

1925 bridge
View from street (2008)

The bridge spans Alexandra Dock near Victoria Mills, Victoria Street and replaced a swing bridge.

The bridge is an electrically powered road bridge built on the Scherzer rolling lift bridge principle road bridge, built in 1925 to the design of Alfred C. Gardner, docks engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway. The contractors were Sir William Arrol & Co. It was formally opened by the Prince of Wales (Edward VIII), commemorated on a plaque on the bridge.[5]

The bridge was restored by Great Grimsby Borough Council c. 1980.

Operation

Although the old dock is now virtually inactive of shipping, the bridge is covered by an act of parliament requiring it to be lifted upon certain requests. Requests were made in the 1990s to allow the historical Ross Tiger and Lincoln Castle vessels to enter the old dock and be permanently berthed to serve as museum pieces and restaurants respectively.

The bridge is still occasionally lifted for testing purposes, most recently being done so in May 2016. In 2017, after weeks of repair work, engineers were not able to carry out a test lift of the bridge. [6]

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References
  1. 32 & 33 Vic., Cap.10 (1869), Grimsby Improvement Act
  2. "Grimsby Corporation. Powers as to Building, &c., on West Marshes; Construction of Bridge over Old Dock, and of Foot Bridge over Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway; [...]", The London Gazette (23442): 5951–5952, 17 November 1868
  3. "Swing Bridge at Great Grimsby" (PDF), The Engineer, 31: 247, illus. p.248, 14 April 1871
  4. Ellis, S.; Crowther, D.R., eds. (1990), Humber Perspectives - A region through the ages, Hull University Press, p. 241, ISBN 0859584844
  5. Historic England. "CORPORATION BRIDGE, CORPORATION ROAD (1379432)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  6. "Corporation Bridge re-open to traffic but couldn't be lifted despite repairs". Grimsby Telegraph. 14 July 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.

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