Bridges for CrinklyLion (and everyone else!)

[Kim]

I've just discovered there's an official website for the project which includes many interesting photos of the construction of the two bridges:

http://www.sellyoaknewroadphase2.co.uk/4.html

Even more impressive than the canal diversion is the construction of the railway bridge: they molished an earthwork platform at bridge-height off to the side, on which to mantle the bridge, then jacked the completed article up on hydraulic trolley things and *drove* it into position while the railway was closed over Christmas.  When they first jacked it up the bridge sagged a bit too much for the travel of the jacks, so they bunged 125 tonnes of railway ballast in the middle to straighten it out!

The new road is apparently now open, but my legs are on strike after battling with incessant headwind yesterday and keep cramping when I try to walk, so I'm going to have to wait to try out exciting new shared-use paths.

[mcshroom]

A couple from our ride today.



The new bridge at Low Lorton which replaced the one washed away in the floods (when it looked like this: -)






Ouse bridge at the top of Bassenthwaite Lake

[Deano]

A few Parisian walkways bridges. Hopefully I've labelled them correctly.

Pont au Double:

Notre Dame and Pont Louis-Phillippe:

Lantern Rouge at Petit Pont:

Pont Saint-Michel:

Pont Louis-Phillippe:

Pont Alexandre III:

Pont Neuf:

[CrinklyLion]

ta muchly. Today is a day in need of bridges!

[sas]

A couple of years ago I went on a canal boat trip on the Oxford canal, and for some reason decided to take a photo of every bridge we passed...


Bridge 215: Caravan Lift Bridge


Bridge 214: Pinsey Bridge


Bridge 213: Pigeons Bridge


Bridge 212: Old Brighton Bridge


Bridge 211: New Brighton Bridge


Bridge 210: Northbrook Bridge


Bridge 209: Dashwood Bridge


Bridge 208: High Bush Bridge


Bridge 207: Cleeves Bridge


Bridge 206: Heyford Wharf Bridge

[Salvatore]

Some people may have the impression that I went to France to ride PBP.

In fact the main purpose of the trip was to gather photos for this thread.

For starters here's the bridge over the Sarthe at Fresnay-sur-Sarthe. The PBP route passes through this town, but you don't get to see its best bits. I had ridden through it eight times before this trip and never realised what a gem it is.

Seen from the ramparts of the castle


From the opposite bank, showing the old mill


And again in the evening sunshine

[PH]

A couple from the cycle route across Wicken  Fen near Mildenhall;

[Salvatore]

Beaumont-sur-Sarthe. Not on the PBP route (unless you're ESL and go straight on at Fresnay).

[L CC]

Some people may have the impression that I went to France to ride PBP.

In fact the main purpose of the trip was to gather photos for this thread.

[Salvatore]

The Viaduct at Saint-Georges-le-Gault

The decision to construct the 82km Le Mans - Alengon tramway was made on 13th July 1908. In 1913, after having decided to go through St Georges le Gaultier, it became evident that a long viaduct would be required to carry the tramway. The 150m viaduct spans the Vaudelle valley. The builder Louis Parenfeau from Angers, using the then revolutionary Hennebique Technique of reinforced concrete, built a structure which towers.

The two end sections of the Alencon - Asse-le-Boisne and Le Mans - Segrie passing by the viaduct came into service in 1914 and 1915 respectively, but the War stopped construction. Despite its huge cost the viaduct was never used for it original purpose. Rails were never laid, and trains never crossed. Today the viaduct is used for bungy jumping.

The paradox of this construction is summed up in its comic name, "The Father Ubu Viaduct" (le pere Ubu is a hapless, comic character in French literature).

[Salvatore]

A bridge over a disused railway line, now a voie verte which runs for 65 km between Alençon and Condé sur Huisne, via Mortagne au Perche (which must defy the laws of physics by being a flattish route into and out of Mortagne).



with the extra bonus of a JCB crossing

[CrinklyLion]

Some people may have the impression that I went to France to ride PBP.

In fact the main purpose of the trip was to gather photos for this thread.

This.  Presunktly this! 

Lovely, lovely bridges (and to think, someone said there weren't any on that ride!) and it makes it almost worth being back at work since here I can actually see them on a proper monitor rather than the somewhat limited screen of a not-very-smart-phone   It's like a cunning ploy to make me want to ride proper audax distances...

[Salvatore]

Some people may have the impression that I went to France to ride PBP.

In fact the main purpose of the trip was to gather photos for this thread.

This.  Presunktly this! 

Lovely, lovely bridges (and to think, someone said there weren't any on that ride!) and it makes it almost worth being back at work since here I can actually see them on a proper monitor rather than the somewhat limited screen of a not-very-smart-phone   It's like a cunning ploy to make me want to ride proper audax distances...

There aren't many - there's the one going into Brest, the Pont Albert Louppe with the new cable-stayed jobbie next to it (le Pont de l'Iroise, see below) which punctuates the ride nicely, much as the Menai Bridge does on the Chapman, and an old stone one at Ambrieres les Vallées, but I can't think of any more off the top of my head.

Mine were taken on my leisurely 2000 km ride to the start, and I didn't take a camera on PBP itself.

Le Pont de l'Iroise (PBP 2003)

[Salvatore]

A single-leaf bascule bridge at La Bastide over the river Aa. Here the canalised river forms the boundary between the Pas-de-Calais and Nord départements.

According to French Wikipedia, the river is well known to crossword enthusiasts.

[rower40]

Cross-reference alert: various pictures of bridges in this post amongst other items.

[David Martin]

A couple of bridges on the old railway line. I'm hoping that one day this can be opened up as a cycling/walking path. Needs a bit of weeding though..


Bridge at Coulson by davidmamartin, on Flickr

Millhole Bridge by davidmamartin, on Flickr

[Salvatore]

St Céneri le Gérei in the Alpes Mancelles. A pretty little village popular with artists but watch out for the bees.

[David Martin]

Came across a cute little stone bridge today. Don't know how old it is.

IMG_0069 by davidmamartin, on Flickr

IMG_0072 by davidmamartin, on Flickr

IMG_0075 by davidmamartin, on Flickr

[clarion]

We passed this unusual bridge today.  Sadly, as we were riding in close file along the towpath, we didn't want to stop to take a photo, but we did find a postcard, which we handed to Crinkly when we got back.

[Salvatore]

Does an aqueduct count?

Aqueduc de Maintenon. 955 m long, 28.5 m high, 47 arches. There were meant to be 3 levels of arches (like the Pont du Gard)

Work started in 1685. Part of a grandiose scheme to provide water for the Louis XIV's fountains at Versailles, involving damming the river Eure at Pontguin (near Senonches) and building a 80km canal. 30,000 men were employed in its construction, but work was abandoned in 1688, never to be resumed, when most of the workforce went off to fight in the Nine Years War. Various bits of the scheme can still be found (including the 'lake' next to the campsite in St Quentin en Yvelines).

[jane]

Saw this near Mallaig. What's that all about? I know the road now is new and the old one was much narrower and very windy, but still can't see how this would have worked or survived.

[Mr Larrington]

Bridge carrying US24 over the Eagle River in central Colorado.

[Salvatore]

The bridge over the Huisne at Montfort-le-Gesnois. A single arch remains of the original roman bridge, but it's mostly 15th century.

[JStone]

Saw this near Mallaig. What's that all about? I know the road now is new and the old one was much narrower and very windy, but still can't see how this would have worked or survived.

Farm access bridge over the railway line?

[billplumtree]

A single-leaf bascule bridge at La Bastide over the river Aa.

The River Aa?  Dammit!  I thought I'd finished after I'd been to Ae, but now I have to go to La Bastide...