Victoria Bridge (Stockton-on-Tees) - <>

The Victoria Jubilee Bridge is a road bridge carrying Bridge Road east west across the River Tees between Stockton-on-Tees and Thornaby-on-Tees in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees in the north east of England. Commonly referred to as the Victoria Bridge, it is located just south east of Stockton town centre.Under an 1881 act of Parliament, the bridge was constructed at a cost of £69,051 by Whitaker Brothers of Leeds, financed by the local council, a tramway company, North East Railways and the water board, and commemorates the 50th year of the reign of Queen Victoria.HistoryBefore the existence of a bridge at this location communication was provided by Bishop's Ferry. The first bridge was a five arch Stockton (stone) Bridge completed in 1771, designed by Joseph Robson of Sunderland and which was toll free by 1820.DesignThe design is a wrought-iron arch bridge by Charles Neate and consulting engineer Harrison Haytor. The foundations of the abutments and piers are five cylindrical columns, 40ft deep and 14ft in diameter. The abutments are faced with granite and sandstone and are filled in with large stone rubble. The bridge has three arches – the centre arch is 110ft wide and the side arches are 85ft. The arches each have eight wrought iron ribs that vary in thickness from 3ft at the centre to 4ft at the bearings. The deck is carried on buckled plates resting on secondary beams. The road is 40ft wide and the pavement 10ft wide. The balustrades are cast iron with an open design of interlocking circles, and on the parapets are ornamental cast iron lampposts carrying modern lights while the spandrels are open cast iron work with a design of diminishing interlocking circles.

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