Trowse Bridge Replacement
Trowse, Norwich, Norfolk, UK · 1987
The judgement call
Account action unavailableThe replacement was necessary to ensure the continued safe operation of the Great Eastern Main Line. - The new bridge, despite being replaced, is still considered a bottleneck due to its single-track nature, highlighting the long-term impact of design decisions. - The project involved specialized engineering for swing bridge mechanisms.
Key engineering challenges
Replacing an existing swing bridge with a new one while maintaining railway operations as much as possible. - Coordinating the civil works with the fabrication and installation of the mechanical and electrical components of the swing bridge. - Working within the constraints of the River Wensum and its navigation requirements.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- Network Rail (or British Rail at the time)
- Lead contractor
- May Gurney Ltd. (civil works), Butterley Engineering Co. (swing bridge fabrication, mechanical and electrical)
- Lead designers
- —
- Project type
- replacement
- Scale
- Single-track railway bridge; swing bridge mechanism.
- Disciplines
- civil; structural; mechanical; electrical; project management
- Standards & frameworks
- British Rail standards (at the time)
Sources: Wikipedia (Trowse Bridge, undated, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trowse_Bridge); Facebook (Butterley Ironworks Trust, Apr 2021, https://www.facebook.com/100083053114940/posts/the-trowse-swing-bridge-was-replaced-in-1987-by-the-butterley-engineering-co-who/837336636872572/); George Plunkett (Norwich River Bridges, undated, http://www.georgeplunkett.co.uk/Norwich/riverbridges.htm)