Broads Railway Bridges.

[JennyMorgan]

At one time Oulton Broad/Mutford, Reedham, Beccles, Aldeby, Somerleyton & Somerleyton railway bridges were all single track. As demand increased several were rebuilt as twin track, as we see today. A friend discovered this picture of the original single track bridge at Oulton Broad, interesting because apart from Beccles all the others were of similar design.

[JennyMorgan]

In the background of this one you can see the single track Somerleyton Bridge.

[JennyMorgan]

Beccles old railway bridge, a fixed bridge.

[JennyMorgan]

The Beccles bridge again, the second one showing it being demolished.

[JennyMorgan]

I've always known this as the Aldeby Swing Bridge but railways buffs tell me it is, or was, the Beccles Swing Bridge. Here is the original 1900's, single track bridge. The wherry is wearing the burgee of the Nobs & Snobs, Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club. Was she the 'Gypsy', a wherry that crossed the North sea & toured Friesland & the Polders of Holland in the latter years of the 19th century? She was owned and sailed by a Lord, presumably as such he would have been an RNSYC member.

[JennyMorgan]

The Beccles/Aldeby Swing Bridge in the 1950's.

[NorfolkNog]

Fascinating photos JM - many thanks for sharing. Its strange looking at the Aldeby one as there is now so much tree cover its difficult to imagine how it was. Do you have any of the Haddiscoe bridge?

[JennyMorgan]

56 minutes ago, NorfolkNog said:

Fascinating photos JM - many thanks for sharing. Its strange looking at the Aldeby one as there is now so much tree cover its difficult to imagine how it was. Do you have any of the Haddiscoe bridge?

See this thread:

 

[webntweb]

Thanks for the pics JM.

Lovely pic of Britannia class 70003 John Bunyan crossing the Waveney at Aldeby.

Bit of a light load of four very mixed coaches for a 94 ton locomotive originally designed for mixed (freight and passenger) traffic but mainly used on express passenger trains.

[AdnamsGirl]

This thread has been rather timely. I'm working on an album of photographs from 1895 at the moment which covers "The Cruise of the Mayflower from Wroxham to Oulton Broad."

Amongst them is the photograph below which, I believe shows the original, single track swing bridge at Haddiscoe/Herringfleet. Am I right that Aldeby & Heringfleet were "twin" bridges as were the original Somerleyton and Reedham? When I first saw Peter's photograph of Aldeby, I wondered whether my holiday party had actually made it's way to Beccles, although there is no photographic evidence to suggest that they made it any further along the Waveney than Oulton Broad.  The hill to the right in the background of my photo do look like the Herrigfleet hills to me - the view would be looking back towards St Olaves if I am right There is another photograph in the album taken of the big house which, at that time, seemingly stood alone atop the hills there, near to where the rail bridge crossed the Waveney.

I would appreciate others thoughts as I can't find any other photographs of the original bridge here to help with identification.

 

Carol

 

[ranworthbreeze]

38 minutes ago, AdnamsGirl said:

This thread has been rather timely. I'm working on an album of photographs from 1895 at the moment which covers "The Cruise of the Mayflower from Wroxham to Oulton Broad."

Amongst them is the photograph below which, I believe shows the original, single track swing bridge at Haddiscoe/Herringfleet. Am I right that Aldeby & Heringfleet were "twin" bridges as were the original Somerleyton and Reedham? When I first saw Peter's photograph of Aldeby, I wondered whether my holiday party had actually made it's way to Beccles, although there is no photographic evidence to suggest that they made it any further along the Waveney than Oulton Broad.  The hill to the right in the background of my photo do look like the Herrigfleet hills to me - the view would be looking back towards St Olaves if I am right There is another photograph in the album taken of the big house which, at that time, seemingly stood alone atop the hills there, near to where the rail bridge crossed the Waveney.

I would appreciate others thoughts as I can't find any other photographs of the original bridge here to help with identification.

 

Carol

 

Hi Carol,

The pillars that are still visible towards the hill would seem to fit in with your theory.

Regards

Alan

 

[JennyMorgan]

I thought that all of them were to a similar design, at least as far as the iron works were concerned.

[JennyMorgan]

This one won't help Carol with her question but it will bring most of my bridge pictures into one place. It shows the old Aldeby/Beccles bridge being replaced.

[JennyMorgan]

Somerleyton from the other direction to Carol's picture.