I was the planning officer that processed the listed building consent necessary to remove the lifting mechanism of this bridge so that it could no longer be raised. Permission for that was then eventually granted by the Government's English Heritage Dept. As for the comments re selling this bridge and the Transporter Bridge, that's a load of tripe - they're both owned and maintained by local Councils.
I'm surprised - you were actually allowed to stand on the bridge when it was lifted? - I would have thought it would have been cleared before lifting. Or perhaps this was just a special one off?
People on the bridge was only for the last lift. Note: The bridge is perfectly balanced. The chains below the counterweights are there to counter the weight of the cables as they shorten on each side. Therefore having people on the bridge would have made the bridge imbalanced. If the gears or ropes had failed it would have fell with no backup safety devices. On the last day it lifted 3 times. By the third time the vast majority of people, including the safety guys had gone. It was able to go right the edge and take the two halves coming together from inches away, 6000 tonnes of moving bridge. .
So was I. The structure is finely balanced with only 4 cables doing the lifting of any imbalance, and I would assume no safety brakes if any were to fail.
@@MrZenitJ 4 cables on each corner. Making 16 in total. How can I be sure. I have 25 photos taken specifically to document bridge details. ( Some can be seen on the Bridgemeister website. ) Someone if used to knock around with went up on that last lift.
@@davecooper3238 I have had a trawl through the internet and found some close up pictures and admittedly I can now see there are 2 cables lifting on each corner. The other 2 are returns for lowering. Still not much to lift out of balance, but I guess at least having two gives some safety. Wonder if they had to clear snow before lifting.... I've just realised they would have to return the cables or the mass of the cables on wound drums would have increased the lifted mass. Also note the chains under the counterweights to balance out the weight of the balance ropes as they move from one side to the other......
Wonderful. Thank you for your work in collecting and editing the footage, and for sharing.
I fixed that bridge once, about 38 years ago 😛
This is cool approach for a drawbridge it's like my poly bridge 2 drawbridges that just the entire bridge is lifted for more space for boats
I talked to a Welder in Hull that told me that his first job was to weld it shut
Was this video made by Joe Powton? If so it is a brilliant historical record. Excellent!
I was the planning officer that processed the listed building consent necessary to remove the lifting mechanism of this bridge so that it could no longer be raised. Permission for that was then eventually granted by the Government's English Heritage Dept. As for the comments re selling this bridge and the Transporter Bridge, that's a load of tripe - they're both owned and maintained by local Councils.
Or not maintained, in the case of the Transporter Bridge!
@@IanAnthonyMartin Middlesbrough council has the funding for fixing transporter
Have you seen how hacky the water is? The Barrage sorted all that out like.
the amount of traffic nowadays , there would be a tailback to billingham , if they ever lifted it :D
They close it every time there is high winds it's barely open....
That's not true but it's a standing joke around these parts we get high winds a lot
Maybe they could add hydraulics to pull the weight and hydraulics to help lift the bridge up and keep it safe
Sadly, the bridge doesn't lift anymore. I believe they've locked everything into place.
But it's sad it doesn't lift
incroyable
Does this bridge still lift?
kierenmgp no it doesn't
I'm surprised - you were actually allowed to stand on the bridge when it was lifted? - I would have thought it would have been cleared before lifting. Or perhaps this was just a special one off?
1990. Health and safety probably wasn't the same 😂
People on the bridge was only for the last lift.
Note: The bridge is perfectly balanced. The chains below the counterweights are there to counter the weight of the cables as they shorten on each side. Therefore having people on the bridge would have made the bridge imbalanced. If the gears or ropes had failed it would have fell with no backup safety devices.
On the last day it lifted 3 times. By the third time the vast majority of people, including the safety guys had gone. It was able to go right the edge and take the two halves coming together from inches away, 6000 tonnes of moving bridge.
.
No so many snowflakes about
Pity it no longer lifts. I’m surprised that people were allowed on the bridge while it lifted.
So was I. The structure is finely balanced with only 4 cables doing the lifting of any imbalance, and I would assume no safety brakes if any were to fail.
@@MrZenitJ 4 cables on each corner. Making 16 in total. How can I be sure. I have 25 photos taken specifically to document bridge details. ( Some can be seen on the Bridgemeister website. )
Someone if used to knock around with went up on that last lift.
@@davecooper3238 I have had a trawl through the internet and found some close up pictures and admittedly I can now see there are 2 cables lifting on each corner. The other 2 are returns for lowering. Still not much to lift out of balance, but I guess at least having two gives some safety. Wonder if they had to clear snow before lifting....
I've just realised they would have to return the cables or the mass of the cables on wound drums would have increased the lifted mass. Also note the chains under the counterweights to balance out the weight of the balance ropes as they move from one side to the other......