Wansbeck Railway humpback overbridges

[ejstubbs]

We recently spent a few days in Northumberland.  On one of the days we were there we ended up driving back from Keilder to Alnwick via Redesmouth and Rothley.  We encountered a number of notably severe humpback bridges on that route, which later research revealed were overbridges crossing the remains of the trackbed of the Wansbeck Railway.  I can't remember when I last has to negotiate such uncomfortably abrupt humpback bridges, and certainly not so many in such a short relatively short journey,  Is the Wansbeck Railway known for its rather basic civil engineering - or would it be more likely that some combination of deterioration/subsidence of the surrounding land and/or modern higher traffic volumes, vehicle weights & speeds, has caused these veteran bridges to arrive at their current potentially hazardous condition?

Edited September 4, 2021 by ejstubbs

[MarkC]

I think that they were built like that, simply because it was cheaper to do them that way - no expensive long approach inclines to construct. Remember, when it was built, nobody could predict the size & speed of road vehicles some 150 years later.

 

Sadly, though, the bridges you mention may well end up falling victim to Highways England's agenda...

[DaveF]

Having lived in Northumberland for over 40 years I have got used to them and take care going over them.

 

They are very severe!

 

I might add that in the county there are many other bridges, usually over rivers and streams, which are flat but very narrow, often only wide enough for one vehicle at a time.

 

It does slow the tourists down though.

 

David

[kevinlms]

15 minutes ago, DaveF said:

Having lived in Northumberland for over 40 years I have got used to them and take care going over them.

 

They are very severe!

 

I might add that in the county there are many other bridges, usually over rivers and streams, which are flat but very narrow, often only wide enough for one vehicle at a time.

 

It does slow the tourists down though.

 

David

Tourists would only make the mistake once!

[lmsforever]

Who would want to speed through Northumberland it is one of the most scenic and atmospheric places in the UK.We spent seventeen years on the trot having holidays there mainly staying at Lucker one of the best things I found was the lack of traffic if I saw cars coming the other way it was rush hour.  The bridges on the Wansbeck line are wonderful reminder of times gone by.Of course the book shop in Alnwick is the jewel in the crown with so many books that you need a full day there.  The routes can be traced easily and at the junction of the old rail line to Rothbury it is easy to work out where it went and a shop selling clothes etc in the old station is worth a visit.Overall Northumberland is a county worth visiting and looking for old railways and many other things to do. 

[Michael Hodgson]

1 hour ago, lmsforever said:

Who would want to speed through Northumberland it is one of the most scenic and atmospheric places in the UK.We spent seventeen years on the trot having holidays there mainly staying at Lucker one of the best things I found was the lack of traffic if I saw cars coming the other way it was rush hour.  The bridges on the Wansbeck line are wonderful reminder of times gone by.Of course the book shop in Alnwick is the jewel in the crown with so many books that you need a full day there.  The routes can be traced easily and at the junction of the old rail line to Rothbury it is easy to work out where it went and a shop selling clothes etc in the old station is worth a visit.Overall Northumberland is a county worth visiting and looking for old railways and many other things to do. 

Such bridges had been built for men on horseback and horse-drawn carts before motor cars were around, as all that was required was that Queen's Highway could cross the line.  The gradients of hump-backed bridges were evidently not so steep and long a climb as to give Dobbin a problem.  Bridges were more common in hilly and undulating countryside like the borders, as level crossings were the norm if the ground was flat, but those still required construction of a cottage for the keeper, and even then the ongoing cost of wages would be seen as undesirable.  I recall most bridges like that used to have diamond shaped cast irons signs issued under the Motor Car Acts "Notice is hereby given that this bridge is insufficient....."  and a weight limit.  They are now collectable items of railwayana.    You would have to stop and get of your "Heavy Motor Car" etc if you wanted to read it.  Maybe the raised lettering was originally painted a different colour but I remember them as being plain black, but perhaps that was just neglect during and after the war.   Bridges over canals had similar signs