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Britannia bridge North wales , Feb 2012
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the kwan is Offline
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: wirral merseyside
Default Britannia bridge North wales , Feb 2012 - 13-02-2012, 00:33

A solo visit to this Bridge and despite driving over it many times I was really pleased to see its lower levels.

Construction of the bridge begun in 1846 and was completed and opened by 5 March 1850. it was first used as a railway bridge linking anglesey to the mainland. It was constructed of large wrought iron tubular sections that were assembled on shore then floated out and hoisted into place using jacks.
In 1970 the bridge caught fire and being wooden it took light easily, the damage to the bridge was severe and there was little that the emergency services could do due to the height of the bridge so the fire was left to burn out,
By 1972 the bridge had been reconstructed and redesigned and was opened once again to rail traffic, this time instead of having 2 rail lines only 1 was in place an there were no wrought iron tunnels.
By 1980 a upper section to the bridge was opened which carried the
A55 single carridgeway.

The Bridge from the menai straights looking up



from underneath the bridge



The Lions at the beginning of on side of the bridge



On the bridge and approaching one of the gantry ladders



Beneath one of the columns, the ladder just led to a platform with no walkways, it was getting down to this platform that I discovered that my new manfrotto tripod may not be ideal as it got caught in the ladder frame..bit of a shitter really.



from the same platform looking towards the mainland



Under the bridge on the maintenance walkway



The same walkway



Between the railway line and the pipe run



On the upper roadway is the samaritans telephone because this bridge is reknowned for suicide leaps



It is Freephone number


Thanks for looking
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