Bailey Bridges

Preserved Bailey bridge built by the Canadians in October 1944 in the first phase of at the first phase of Operation Switchback.

Bailey-bridge named “Lievebrug” across the Leopoldkanaal between Maldegem and Sint Laureins, Belgium

 

The LAC caption is partly wrong: this is LONDON 2 bridge over R ORNE north of Caen, not over R ODON south of Caen:



Michel

 

Crossing the River Brent under the M4 motorway,Brentford,London.

 

That's how to conceal a bridge!

 

I bet they weren't even being shelled when they erected that.

Pah!

 

Here's a similar one across the River Mersey below the M6 Thelwall Viaduct, Warrington. It's actually referred to in council documents as a Bailey Bridge and is used by lorries to reach nearby deposit grounds.

 

How many panels wide is that bridge under the Thelwall Viaduct?
Looks like 4 panels to me. I thought the maximum was 3 wide.

 

Sorry, I don't know anything about the technicalities. Here's an aerial photo which might help ...

 

Looks like a T/D to me; ie Triple/Double.

 

Not sure how authoritative it is, but this link The Bailey Bridge | Truss | Bridge shows the relationship between gap distance, weight of crossing load and bridge construction type.

 

The maximum for the WW2 Bailey Bridge was three panels wide. However they continued to be built in a variety of forms. They were certainly still being manufactured in UK and Belgium 20 years ago. Basically you only need a longer stronger girder to carry more panels. This one seems to have four trusses from the underneath shots.

Mike

 

A few more shots of the Thelwall Viaduct Bridge.

 

Looks authorative, Royal Engineers Reconnaissance Pocket Book 1944 gives the same figures.

 

Here's some excellent drone footage of the Thelwall Viaduct Bailey Bridge (from 3mins onward) ...

 

April 2019 - Bailey bridge erected to replace 30 year old Bailey bridge swept away in flood
Waiho River Bailey bridge opening 13 April | West Coast, New Zealand
There are links to time lapse videos etc. which are well worth watching.
The design is still going strong in today's world!
Cheers
Geoff

 

Strictly speaking this isn't correct. The SWBB design, which came into service, just before the war ended and was used in the final months and in the immediate post-war period, utilised a maximum of 4 panels per truss. By 1950 the SWBB was superceded by the EWBB and this reverted to 3 panels per truss. Generally speaking any Bailey built since 1953 would be EWBB or Standard BB so I wouldn't expect to see am SWBB unless it's been left over since 1945-49 period!

 

Near the Elan Valley Visitors Centre in mid Wales.

 

Oops commented on an old post that's already been addressed please ignore - sorry!

 

Interesting Crib work under that Bridge, some of the parts are standard Thos Storey parts. I'd be interested in seeing some details of the broken span connectors, just above the crib work. Quite Possibly standard Thos Storey parts also, from the early to min 1960's.

 

When did transoms bearing on the base of the 'diamonds' come into fashion?