Section of Railway Underbridge

Made:
1848

Section of Railway Underbridge, to Fairbairn's patent 11401, 1846, Half Moon Lane Bridge, Gateshead, by Robert Stephenson & Co., 1848, demolished 1976, sectioned by Vickers, Scotswood, 1994. William Fairbairn (1789-1874) devised new techniques in bridge construction and is said to have built a thousand bridges, including collaboration with Stephenson on the Britannia Bridge. See also 1975-68

William Fairbairn was a civil engineer who is known for his design and construction of iron bridges made from long riveted, tubular section girders. The bridges which best exemplify this design are the Conwy bridge of 1848 and the Britannia bridge of 1850 which were both overseen by Robert Stephenson. Fairbairn built 1000 bridges and worked during the most important development years in UK bridge building from 1845-1864.

The Half Moon Lane Bridge was a railway bridge crossing built in 1848 and displayed an early form of the box girder. The box girders were made with riveted wrought iron plates, with a cast iron beam sandwiched riveted to these plates. Bosses at intervals along the cast iron beams enabled wrought iron hangar rods to be supported which carried cross beams carrying the deck. The bridge is of unusual construction due to the street diverging beneath the girders which means the girders were of different lengths.

Details

Category:
Civil Engineering
Object Number:
1995-478
type:
section of rail
credit:
Rennison, R.W.

Parts

Composite double-skin plate girder

Composite double-skin plate girder

Main girder: Composite double-skin plate girder (aka Box girder) of rivetted wrought iron plate with cast iron upper flange

More

William Fairbairn was a civil engineer who is known for his design and construction of iron bridges made from long riveted, tubular section girders. The bridges which best exemplify this design are the Conwy bridge of 1848 and the Britannia bridge of 1850 which were both overseen by Robert Stephenson. Fairbairn built 1000 bridges and worked during the most important development years in UK bridge building from 1845-1864.

The Half Moon Lane Bridge was a railway bridge crossing built in 1848 and displayed an early form of the box girder. The box girders were made with riveted wrought iron plates, with a cast iron beam sandwiched riveted to these plates. Bosses at intervals along the cast iron beams enabled wrought iron hangar rods to be supported which carried cross beams carrying the deck. The bridge is of unusual construction due to the street diverging beneath the girders which means the girders were of different lengths.

Measurements:
overall: 730 mm x 2130 mm x 610 mm,
Materials:
iron
Object Number:
1995-478 Pt1
type:
girder
Half section of cross girder

Half section of cross girder

Half section of cross girder: Composite double-skin plate girder (aka Box girder) of rivetted wrought iron plate with end piece of cast iron bolted to `L' section of plate

More

William Fairbairn was a civil engineer who is known for his design and construction of iron bridges made from long riveted, tubular section girders. The bridges which best exemplify this design are the Conwy bridge of 1848 and the Britannia bridge of 1850 which were both overseen by Robert Stephenson. Fairbairn built 1000 bridges and worked during the most important development years in UK bridge building from 1845-1864.

The Half Moon Lane Bridge was a railway bridge crossing built in 1848 and displayed an early form of the box girder. The box girders were made with riveted wrought iron plates, with a cast iron beam sandwiched riveted to these plates. Bosses at intervals along the cast iron beams enabled wrought iron hangar rods to be supported which carried cross beams carrying the deck. The bridge is of unusual construction due to the street diverging beneath the girders which means the girders were of different lengths.

Measurements:
overall: 180 mm x 640 mm x 410 mm,
Materials:
iron
Object Number:
1995-478 Pt2
type:
girder
Tie-bar of wrought iron

Tie-bar of wrought iron

Tie-bar of wrought iron

More

William Fairbairn was a civil engineer who is known for his design and construction of iron bridges made from long riveted, tubular section girders. The bridges which best exemplify this design are the Conwy bridge of 1848 and the Britannia bridge of 1850 which were both overseen by Robert Stephenson. Fairbairn built 1000 bridges and worked during the most important development years in UK bridge building from 1845-1864.

The Half Moon Lane Bridge was a railway bridge crossing built in 1848 and displayed an early form of the box girder. The box girders were made with riveted wrought iron plates, with a cast iron beam sandwiched riveted to these plates. Bosses at intervals along the cast iron beams enabled wrought iron hangar rods to be supported which carried cross beams carrying the deck. The bridge is of unusual construction due to the street diverging beneath the girders which means the girders were of different lengths.

Measurements:
overall: 120 mm x 2760 mm x 120 mm,
Object Number:
1995-478 Pt3
type:
tie-bar