Royal Albert Bridge
Royal Albert Bridge, Railway truss bridge in Plymouth, England
Description
The Royal Albert Bridge extends 414 meters across the River Tamar with two large iron lattice trusses resting on a central pier. The deck sits roughly 30 meters (98 feet) above the water and carries a single railway track between Plymouth and Saltash.
History
Isambard Kingdom Brunel completed this railway link between Devon and Cornwall in 1859 after several years of construction. The design used new methods for building foundations in deep water and stands as one of the last projects of the renowned engineer.
Culture
The name honors Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, whose support for technical progress in the 19th century was well known. Trains cross daily, linking the counties of Devon and Cornwall on a route that has been in operation for over 160 years.
Practical
The structure is visible from several viewing points along the riverbanks in Plymouth and Saltash, especially from car parks and footpaths near the waterside. Trains pass regularly over the structure, so visitors can watch it in operation.
Did you know?
The construction required the use of a cylindrical caisson roughly 11 meters (36 feet) in diameter to establish the foundation in the deep riverbed. Brunel himself crossed the finished structure during the opening journey, although he was already seriously ill at that time.
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