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Harrogate bridge collapse 1864
Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 2:44 pm
by Bryan
Found this photo this morning.
Bower Rd bridge collapse 1864, apparently just after a train passed over it collapsed.
The bridge is on the stretch between Harrogate station and Dragon Jcn.
Anybody know any details?
Re: Harrogate bridge collapse 1864
Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 10:03 pm
by 52D
Thats a new one on me as well Bryan lets hope the grapevine has some info.
Re: Harrogate bridge collapse 1864
Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 9:37 pm
by Starbeck50D
The bridge collapsed shortly after construction but not (as far as I know) when a train was crossing. The date is known - Tuesday 29 April 1862 - as the Inspecting Officer (Col. F.H. Rich) made the following remark when he inspected the new line through Harrogate on Tuesday 29 July 1862: "This latter bridge fell on the day that I inspected the Pateley Bridge Branch of the North Eastern Railway" (which he did on 29 April). According to Col. Rich, weak mortar was suspected. The line through the new Harrogate station opened on Friday 1 August 1862.
The Nidd Valley inspection report is at the National Archives (MT6 25/51) as is the Harrogate report (MT6 26/8).