| Summary : Cross Keys Bridge was opened in 1897 as a road and rail hydraulic swing bridge. Two bridges spanning the river Nene had been built previously; the first, was opened in 1830-1 and the second in 1850. The current Cross Keys Bridge replaced the latter bridge and was used for both road and rail traffic. However, with the closure of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway in 1965, the tracks were converted to road use and Cross Keys Bridge became a road bridge. The first bridge, built in 1830-1, was designed by Rennie & Telford. It was built of timber with cast iron opening spans. The replacement bridge, built in 1850, was designed by Robert Stephenson. It was initially a road bridge, however in 1864, it began to be used by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway. The current bridge was built in 1897 at a cost of £80,000. It is made of steel, iron and wood. The swing span has three parallel bowstring braced girders on a pivot pier. The bridge is topped with a wooden podium with a hexagonal wood and glass viewing chamber. The bridge is connected by an underground passage to the hydraulic engine house. Now converted into a house, the hydraulic engine house housed accumulators with direct-acting double cylinder pumps. Before 1936 these were powered by two locomotive type boilers, and afterwards by two electric motors. The hydraulic machinery was made by Sir W G Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. Ltd, and the steel girders made by the Staffordshire Steel Co., Bilston. This information is displayed on a plaque on the bridge. |
More information : (TF 48212102) Cross Keys Bridge (NAT). (1)
II* Cross Keys Bridge
Opened in 1897. Hydraulically powered swing bridge over River
Nene. The swing span has three parallel bowstring braced girders carried on a pivot pier. There are two fixed spans of steel plate girders at the east end.
The Hydraulic plant consists of two accumulators with direct-
acting double cylinder pumps. The motive power was originally
from two locomotive type boilers, but they are now replaced by
two electric motors.
The first bridge of 1830/1 designed by Rennie, was timber with
cast iron opening spans. The second bridge of 1850, designed by
Stephenson was used for rail traffic when the line from Spalding
to Sutton Bridge was extended to King's Lynn in 1866. It is now
used as a road bridge. (2)
Cross Keys Bridge was erected by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway in 1894-97 (see TF 82 NE 24) with one carriageway for road traffic and the other for the railway. It has been used solely for road traffic since 1963.
It replaced earlier toll bridges of 1830, the toll-house of which
still remains, and 1850. The hydraulic accumulator, still used
to operate the bridge, is 200 yards to the south. (3)
Bridge shortly to be demolished. (4)
Road and rail hydraulic swing bridge, now only a road bridge. It was opened in 1897 and erected by A. Handyside & Co. Ltd. It is made of steel, iron and wood. The-swing span has 3 parallel bowstring braced girders on a pivot pier. There are 2 fixed spans of steel plate girders at the east end. The bridge is topped with a wooden podium surmounted by a hexagonal wood and glass viewing chamber. There is a plaque on the bridge inscribed with: 'Made and erected by A. Handyside & Co. Ltd. Derby and London 1897. Hydraulic machinery by Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. Ltd. Steel for girders made by the Staffordshire Steel Co., Bilston'. The bridge is connected underground to the hydraulic engine house.
The first bridge was built in 1830/1 and designed by Rennie. It was timber with cast iron opening spans. A second bridge was built in 1850, designed by Stephenson. It was used for rail traffic when the line from Spalding to Sutton Bridge was extended to King's Lynn in 1866. (5)
The current Crosskeys swing bridge, built in 1897, was the third bridge to span the river Nene. The first was designed by Rennie & Telford and opened in 1831 as part of the Wash Embankment works. It was made of timber and cast iron and was similar to Tower Bridge in London. Due to problems with its location it was replaced in 1850 by a bridge designed by Robert Stephenson. It was a swing bridge, only for road traffic until 1864 when it became used by the Midland railway for rail traffic. The current bridge was built in 1897 at a cost of £80,000. The Stephenson designed bridge was removed for this bridge to be built. The new bridge was dual purpose, for road and rail traffic, up until 1965 when the railway closed.
The hydraulic machinery used to lift the railway bridge used by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway is housed in the Hydraulic House, now converted into a house. Before 1936 the pumps were powered by two locomotive engines. After it was converted to electricity and the Hydraulic House continued to power the bridge until 1988. (6)
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