Inglis Bridge

[aggyaggy]

Hello All

I am trying to assist my neighbouring local authority.

In a nutshell they are establishing a WW1 Centenary area of remembrance which will incorporate a memorial, landscape gardening, designated open space, etc and one of the features they are hoping to reconstruct is a replica Inglis Bridge.

Their intention is to be as exact to an original as practically possible and so I am appealing for any details, plans, diagrams, drawings, photographs, documentary evidence, etc, etc to help create a comprehensive portfolio of details of the Inglis Bridge to be able to pass on to the design team.

It is a great opportunity to not only provide the area with a poignant commemorative open space but also, while the funding is there, to fabricate a famous piece of engineering and ingenuity.

Any help, guidance or direction would be greatly appreciated.

[mebu]

I have some photos of types of the Inglis Bridge, will scan/post them tomorrow if no-one does first.

Peter

[NigelS]

There are still, to the best of my knowledge, two Inglis bridges in existence in the UK, one - a simple version in use as a pipe bridge across the Basingstoke Canal in the Aldershot area (definitely still extant) and a larger one in the Monmouth area (probably still extant). Some further details can be found in this thread Click (I've updated the patent links, which now includes the one from which aggyaggy's diagram in the opening post came from, but unfortunately can't guarantee that other links given will still be valid)

Sounds like an interesting project.

NigelS

[NigelS]

The Monmouth bridge does survive, and now has a Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales listing Click; There has also been a recent (Feb 23 2014) Think Defence Article: The Inglis Bridge

NigelS

[Terry_Reeves]

There are several different types of the Inglis bridge: the (triangular) light pattern, designed as an infantry bridge (as illustrated) which was 8ft high, 8ft wide, and 8ft high to the apex.

The 2nd pattern was 12 ft x 12ft x 12 ft which was designed to cover all arms. It had a central roadway with outer footways , one on each side. It was designed to carry 1st line transport not exceeding 7 tons over a 96ft gap.

Ther rectangular Inglis was designed to take heavier loads over a 96ft span or a 108 ft span depending on the weight. At the end of the war, The rectangular Inglis was also being experimented with as a tank bridge, the tank also being utilised to launch the structure.

There is an Inglis bridge, first type think, that spans the Basingstoke Canal , just outside Aldershot. It has no walkway, and is used to carry a pipe across the cut.

TR

Edited 21 March , 2022 by Terry_Reeves

[mebu]

plenty of info already posted; here's a few extra pics, from History of RE.

Peter

few more

pics seem to have been cropped. if a problem let me know and I'll rescan. Peter

[aggyaggy]

These are excellent responses, thank you everyone. I have been feeding back the information and been asked if anyone can shed light on the specific materials used in their construction, sizes of nuts, bolts, brackets, etc etc. I am impressed at just how detailed and true to the original they want to try and make this project.

[NigelS]

Recently came across a further 'Think Defence' article  The Inglis Bridges which gives further information on Inglis's designs and their history.  It includes mention of the two surviving bridges in the UK given above (Basingstoke Canal,  Aldershot & river Monnow, Monmouth) plus another, since removed (with some sections subsequently restored & preserved at the RE museum, Gillingham, Kent), which had been  located  adjacent to the M180 motorway near Doncaster having been used for access to RAF Sandtoft during WWII (see Historic military bridge makes final journey for more details) Also covered are  the one in New Zealand (Simpson Domain) discussed in Inglis & Hopkins Bridges, details of a further bridge more recently identified at Emmerich in Germany and a WW1 centenary commemoration replica constructed for  South Ribble Borough Council  across the River Lostock (Dandy Brook)  in the Central Park there which, I would imagine, is likely to be the fruition of the project  aggyaggy opened this topic with.

 

NigelS

[NigelS]

For anyone interested, there has been a further update to the 'Think Defence' article given in the previous post - the original link (above) will find it.

NigelS