New Cut

[JennyMorgan]

Found this one via Google, brings back memories. There used to be a bridge keeper at Haddiscoe back in time, he'd hold out a purse on a stick as a boat passed through the bridge channel. If you thought that you could get through without paying then it was best not to make a return journey, the bridge would stay closed! 

[Regulo]

Anyone remember how much? My uncle remembered paying, but couldn't recall what the charge was.

[grendel]

in Arthur Ransomes Coot Club it was 2 shillings for a Thames Barge 

"“’Ere y’are, ’Awk,” said Mr. Whittle, putting his hand in his trouser pocket. “’Ere’s the money for the butterfly net.”
Almost as he spoke, the bridge seemed to split in half, and both halves cocked up in the air. Two men appeared, one of them with a little bag at the end of a long pole. Mr. Hawkins went to the side. The barge swept through, and as she passed the bag was held out and Mr. Hawkins, holding his hand high above it, dropped two shillings in it."

[Samuel]

From a selfish perspective damn shame it isn't still a lifting bridge. How did they manage to make the new bridge clearance just high enough to think you might get through with the mast up but know that you won't.

[LizG]

Its interesting seeing the new bridge under construction in the back ground.  What year was it built by the way.  I recollect going it under as well as seeing all three old swing bridges (still intact but closed to trains) but have no idea what years that might have been and for how many holidays?

Is there anything written down about what height was available if it wasn't lifted - at say high water?

[LondonRascal]

Found some more piccies here:

 

 

 

 

[Regulo]

1 hour ago, w-album said:

Its interesting seeing the new bridge under construction in the back ground.  What year was it built by the way.  

Opened 15th May 1961.

Robin's last photo brings back sad memories of the tragic death of a young man who backed his car into the cut, after stopping to rest after a night out, apparently. I believe the yellow buoys were left there for a while after the car was recovered.

[FairTmiddlin]

Opened 15th may 1961

By 1962 the construction company had to come back and underpin the bridge with massive amounts of concrete, as a hill started to appear in the Haddiscoe dam side of the bridge, on the northern marsh. Seems that the bridge pier on that side had sunk and all the earth was being pumped into the marsh.

That is why the bridge is a strange shape on that side.

And the contractors didn't make a profit on building it.

 

[LondonRascal]

I found this this interesting:

Although it is outside the geographical limits of this study of Herringfleet, this may be the place to record the erection of the further bridge over the Haddiscoe Cut, to replace the old single-track hand operated lever bridge, over which some 4,000 vehicles had passed daily. This was closed every time the level crossing at its foot was opened for rail traffic on the Norfolk side. It carried a 5 ton weight limit for road traffic and a toll was charged for river traffic each time it was raised. Coach passengers had to walk over it. The new Haddiscoe Bridge of a great single span was built in 18 months and was officially opened on the 15th May 1961. It is 820ft long in 13 spans, 36ft wide with a carriage way of 24ft and two 6ft verges, and has a

headroom over the new cut of 24ft. Subsidence of the soil during construction made it necessary to extend the bridge because the embankment would not take the load. The builders, Messrs. A. Monk & Co. of Warrington, Lancs, ran into difficulties because of the marshy land on which they were working. Originally planned to have 8 spans, the soft embankment necessitated 13 spans, increasing the cost from £98,000 to £175,000.

One of the greatest tasks was raising 7 steel beams each 82 ft long and of 11 tons into place across the 22ft high central concrete piles. A 45 ton railway crane was hired from Cambridge and the work was done by floodlight one night in August 1960. Altogether 91 such beams (the rest of them 84ft long) were hoisted into place.

This was taken from http://www.lothingland.co.uk/hso4.htm

[Vaughan]

17 hours ago, LondonRascal said:

 

Found some more piccies here:

 

 

The locomotive is an ex LNER class L1, designed by Edward Thompson, in the original British Railways livery. This would date the photo as between 1948 and about 1952.

Now call me an anorak if you will!

[BroadScot]

2 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

Now call me an anorak if you will!

Being a staunch LMS supporter, I best call you an anorak 

 Iain

[MauriceMynah]

Vaughan, You're an anorak.