Corporation Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Corporation Bridge in Grimsby
, North East Lincolnshire
is a lifting bridge
in the town's former fish docks. Road vehicles can pass freely over the bridge and it is part of one of Grimsby's busiest traffic spots, leading to a major junction at Freeport Wharfe and Victoria Street.
opened in 1873. At that time, it faced the Central Market and the Clock Tower. For a short time, following an incident in which a winch stripped a number of cog
s from the bridge's machinery, it was opened by a tugboat
. Later, in its life it was opened by manpower.
An Act of Parliament required that the bridge was opened at least once a year and on request of shipping.
Electrically powered Sherzer rolling lift road bridge, built at a cost of almost £
60,000 in 1925 by Alfred C Gardner, Docks Engineer to London and North Eastern Railway; Sir William Arrol & Co. of Glasgow, contractors, for Grimsby Corporation, it was opened by the Prince of Wales
three years later. The bridge was restored by Great Grimsby Borough Council c. 1980.
A cast-iron and steel bridge with timber-clad Bridge House, brick and ashlar abutments. 4 spans resting on short cylindrical
piers, those flanking the lifting bascule over the main channel having timber buffers. The bridge has lattice girder parapets which are ramped-up to the lifting section. Ornate cast-iron piers above the abutments, each with plinth, moulded cornice and lamp standards each carrying 5 lights. The plinths bear plaques on 2 sides, the north-east plinth with a commemorative inscription recording details of construction and the opening of the bridge by HRH the Prince of Wales on 19 July 1925; the other plinths have plaques bearing polychrome painted reliefs of the Grimsby Corporation Arms.
Makers names on girders include: Skinningrove, Frodingham Iron and Steel Co., Dalzell Steel GK. The Bridge House has wrap-around window with glazing bars, hipped roof with ridge louvre.
When rolling back on the track, the bridge is almost perfectly balanced. The decking of the lifting span is primarily wood on a latticework of steel beams with a skid resistant and waterproof surface of an epoxy resin material. Gates at each end of the lifting span, close automatically as the bridge is raised to close the span to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
The last Bridgemaster was one Jack Tartellian and the log of openings up to 1970 when the bridge was no longer needed to be opened frequently, as the wood yards (now Sainsbury's Supermarket and the Heritage Centre) were closed.
It requires eight men to drive the capstan mechanism to raise the bridge (two spells of 4 on a shift). It was last raised in October 2008 and is believed to be in fair mechanical condition.
It is briefly seen in the opening scenes of the video to pop duo Erasure
's song "The Circus".
The dedication plaque giving details of its construction and opening is shown(pictured right)
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
, North East Lincolnshire
North East Lincolnshire
North East Lincolnshire is a unitary authority in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, bordering the unitary authority of North Lincolnshire and the administrative county of Lincolnshire...
is a lifting bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
in the town's former fish docks. Road vehicles can pass freely over the bridge and it is part of one of Grimsby's busiest traffic spots, leading to a major junction at Freeport Wharfe and Victoria Street.
Original bridge
The bridge was originally a swing bridgeSwing bridge
A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...
opened in 1873. At that time, it faced the Central Market and the Clock Tower. For a short time, following an incident in which a winch stripped a number of cog
Cog
Cog may refer to:* A part of a gear system* Cog , a small sailing vessel* A tenon that extends all the way through another piece of wood, in joinery* The evil robots in Toontown Online...
s from the bridge's machinery, it was opened by a tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
. Later, in its life it was opened by manpower.
An Act of Parliament required that the bridge was opened at least once a year and on request of shipping.
Present bridge
The bridge spans Alexandra Dock near Victoria Mills, Victoria Street and replaced a swing bridge.Electrically powered Sherzer rolling lift road bridge, built at a cost of almost £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
60,000 in 1925 by Alfred C Gardner, Docks Engineer to London and North Eastern Railway; Sir William Arrol & Co. of Glasgow, contractors, for Grimsby Corporation, it was opened by the Prince of Wales
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
three years later. The bridge was restored by Great Grimsby Borough Council c. 1980.
A cast-iron and steel bridge with timber-clad Bridge House, brick and ashlar abutments. 4 spans resting on short cylindrical
piers, those flanking the lifting bascule over the main channel having timber buffers. The bridge has lattice girder parapets which are ramped-up to the lifting section. Ornate cast-iron piers above the abutments, each with plinth, moulded cornice and lamp standards each carrying 5 lights. The plinths bear plaques on 2 sides, the north-east plinth with a commemorative inscription recording details of construction and the opening of the bridge by HRH the Prince of Wales on 19 July 1925; the other plinths have plaques bearing polychrome painted reliefs of the Grimsby Corporation Arms.
Makers names on girders include: Skinningrove, Frodingham Iron and Steel Co., Dalzell Steel GK. The Bridge House has wrap-around window with glazing bars, hipped roof with ridge louvre.
When rolling back on the track, the bridge is almost perfectly balanced. The decking of the lifting span is primarily wood on a latticework of steel beams with a skid resistant and waterproof surface of an epoxy resin material. Gates at each end of the lifting span, close automatically as the bridge is raised to close the span to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
The last Bridgemaster was one Jack Tartellian and the log of openings up to 1970 when the bridge was no longer needed to be opened frequently, as the wood yards (now Sainsbury's Supermarket and the Heritage Centre) were closed.
It requires eight men to drive the capstan mechanism to raise the bridge (two spells of 4 on a shift). It was last raised in October 2008 and is believed to be in fair mechanical condition.
It is briefly seen in the opening scenes of the video to pop duo Erasure
Erasure
Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
's song "The Circus".
The dedication plaque giving details of its construction and opening is shown(pictured right)