Clifton Suspension Bridge (Bristol, 1864)

Clifton Suspension Bridge

Clifton Suspension Bridge.Commemorative Plaque.

Clifton Suspension Bridge.Contemporary Engraving.

There is a total of 16 images

General Information

Structural Type:	Chain suspension bridge
Function / usage:	Road bridge
Built:	1836 - 1864
Status:	in use

Geographic Information & Related Structures

Location:	Bristol, South West England, England, United Kingdom, Europe
Crosses	Avon

Technical Information

Dimensions

	main span	214.05 m
	total length	412 m
	tower height	26 m
	clearance	75 m
	weight	1 500 t
	weight	1 500 t

Materials

chains	wrought iron

Chronology

27 August 1836	First stone is laid in a big ceremony.
1860	Hungerford chain suspension bridge is demolished, the chains are reused later in the construction of the Clifton bridge.
18 December 1864	Inauguration

Notes

Clifton Bridge would have been the longest-spanning bridge if it had been completed soon after it was designed, but for financial reasons it was not put into service until 1864. Brunel never saw this bridge finished, he passed away before the funding problems were resolved. An alternative design by Thomas Telford would have had the same span as the Menai Straits Bridge.

Participants

Owner

Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust

Relevant Web Sites

Relevant Publications

Bridges under the spotlight in UK awards, in "Bridge Update", April 2007, n. 67
Chamber of secrets, in "Bridge Design & Engineering", 3rd Quarter 2003, n. 32 v. 9
Light touch, in "Bridge Design & Engineering", 4th Quarter 2006, n. 45 v. 12
Barlow, William Henry Description of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, in "Bridge Engineering", March 2003, n. 1 v. 156
Beckett, Derrick Great Buildings of the World: Bridges, Paul Hamlyn, New York (USA), 1969; pp. 65-75
Body, Geoffrey Clifton Suspension bridge, Moonraker Press, United Kingdom (United Kingdom), ISBN 0239001583, 1976
Brown, David J. Bridges, Macmillan Publishing Company, New York (USA), ISBN 002517455X, 1993; pp. 67
Deswarte, Sylvie & Lemoine, Bertrand L'architecture et les ingénieurs, Moniteur, Paris (France), ISBN 2281190994, 1997; pp. 134
Dietrich, Richard J. Faszination Brücken (1^st edition), Callwey, Munich (Germany), ISBN 3766713264, 1998; pp. 162-169
Graf, Bernhard Bridges that Changed the World, Prestel, Munich (Germany), ISBN 3791327011, 2002; pp. 64-65
Graf, Bernhard Brücken, die die Welt verbinden, Prestel, Munich (Germany), ISBN 3791327003, 2002; pp. 64-65
Hobley, Matt Bristol fashion, in "Bridge Design & Engineering", 2nd Quarter 2006, n. 43 v. 12
Mason, Peter & Kumar, Arvind Large deflection analysis of Clifton suspension bridge, presented at Ponts suspendus et à haubans. Cable-stayed and suspension bridges, Deauville, 12.-15.10.1994.
Portman, D. R. A Business History of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, in "Construction History", 2002 v. 18
Prade, Marcel Les grands ponts du monde: Ponts remarquables d'Europe, Brissaud, Poitiers (France), ISBN 2902170653, 1990; pp. 268
Quaranta, Arnaud Le Passage (1^st edition), Everest Communication, Luxembourg (Luxembourg), ISBN 287996976X, 1999; pp. 164-165

Internal Information

Structure-ID:	s0000018
Created:	28/10/1998
Last Updated:	21/05/2013

Structurae