ANOTHER GETNOTICEDONLINE.CO.UK EXCLUSIVE

A county surveyor who examined the Northside Bridge shortly after it was built in 1902 had concerns over the way it was constructed.

Eighteen months later George Bell, also described as a Bridge Master, still had doubts over whether the County Authority should undertake to permanently maintain the bridge.

The startling facts have been produced by a former Cumberland County Councillor, and also a member of Workington Borough Council in the 60’s, 72-year-old Tim Edwards (pictiured alongside).

Bell’s verdict on the Derwent Bridge (as it was known then before the Northside estate was built) is included in the 1904 bound minutes for the Cumberland County Council.

“I don’t think anything was done after those observations by the surveyor so it sounds as if this may have been an accident waiting 107 years to happen.

“I was a Workington Borough Councillor in the 1960’s when work was carried out to raise the road bridge and I remember at the time pointing out cracks in the parapet. I don’t recall anything being done,” says Mr Edwards.

In his first interim report to the members of the Highways and Bridges committee on May 23, 1902, Bell had said: “The north side abutment is only nine feet thick, supported behind by three counterforts.

“This is quite insufficient to stand the pressure of the masonry in the arches and the load of backing, spandrils, parapets and roadway.”

He concluded: “I found signs of yielding in both arches – a considerable opening was visible (fully seven eights of an inch) between the back of the springers and the first arch stone, also other joints showed slight partings, clearly showing that something was giving way under pressure. The cause is clear, but it is not my duty to locate the responsibility.”

When reported again on the Derwent Bridge on December 22, 1904, Bell clearly still had concerns.

He wrote: “On referring to my interim report, May 23rd, 1202, it will be seen that I pointed-out the insufficient strength of the two land abutments of Derwent Bridge, and t is clear that the suspicion I expressed was well founded, because it is plain to anyone that the parapets above the centre pier are cracking and have been pointed up more than once.

“The height of the girders above the Maryport road is 14 feet 5 inches. Your clerk requested before these girders were placed in position that they should be 17 feet clear above the road, but no notice was taken of the request.

“Finally the material and workmanship to be found in this bridge are of such a character that I could not conscientiously certify that it is such a structure as the County Authority should undertake to permanently maintain.”

PC Bill Barker was killed on Friday when Northside Bridge collapsed after storms and floods battered west Cumbria.

To hear our interview with Tim Edwards about his research and experiences, listen on http://www.getnoticedonline.co.uk/audio/dave-smith-the-founder-of-the-rising-sun-trust/tim-edwards.html

For a video account from Tim on the bridge concerns juct click on http://www.youtube.com/user/yutuguru#p/a/u/0/GBb1Ln2dQCw

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