A big thank you to my webmaster John Hazell for his hard work over the winter to update the structure of the website and ironing out problems.

As you may have read on the updated homepage I have been busy updating waterway descriptions and am now making an effort to write the stories of the people, organisations and companies that have been involved in designing and building these bridges. This latter task was one of the two main thrusts of my research when I set out on this task 20 years ago.

Designing bridges is in itself a highly skilled and technical task requiring a deep understanding of the stresses that will be exerted on the structure from the loads that cross it and other factors contributing to stress such as wind and water flows. A knowledge of the type of ground the bridge stands on is essential to ensure that foundations are adequate along with a deep knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of all materials used in the structure. Building a movable bridge introduces a whole new set of challenges. First of all knowledge of the different types of power and mechanisms that can be employed to operate the bridge and how those varying types are best employed in each situation along with assessing the amount of power needed bearing in mind the amount of power needed for the style of bridge and the weight of the moving deck.

Such a project requires a cooperative approach from people in several different disciplines – architects, structural engineers, civil engineers, electrical engineers, fabricators, construction teams and planners all willing to listen to and interpret the requirements of the customer and the impact on the various forms of transport affected by the creation of a movable bridge.

This website is intended to serve as both recognition and a memorial to all those involved over the 2,400 years that this website already seeks to embrace.

Due to many other commitments I have had very little time over the last 3 or 4 years to work on my movable bridges project – and I apologise to anyone who has offered feedback on the website and not had a response from me. My wife Sally has now retired from her post as a Vicar and we have moved house – so I am looking forward to getting back to my hobby once again!

If you have any comments about or photographs of a movable bridge please do submit your information on a feedback form. I am slowly catching up with emails and will get back to you asap!

Stewart Marchant

I am back on the case!

After a very hectic couple of years since we moved house so that my wife Sally could take up her new living as a Team Vicar and Schools Coordinator I have finally found some time to put in a few hours updating this website!

I have so far added sequences of photographs of 2 new bridges. The first is the Pont Y Ddraig (Dragon Bridge) on the River Clwyd in North Wales. This is a fascinating design with 2 lift arms that are hinged in the middle of the river so that when they are moved it is like a pair of wings being flapped!

The second is the very stylish Greenwich swing bridge at the entrance to Deptford Creek.

I have also added an image of the drawbridge at Cawdor Castle in Nairnshire. Taken from an old postcard this was quite an unusual design for a defensive structure – more like the bascule bridges we see on the Llangollen Canal.

Unfortunately due to the long gap when I was busy getting the Vicarage house and garden sorted out and didn’t have time to monitor the website Fasthosts closed my email box and wiped the contents. This means that any reports submitted by visitors to the website since about April 2014 have been lost. First of all my sincere apologies for my rudeness in not responding to those reports – and please do re-submit any information you offered. My webmaster John Hazell is has re-direct reports and emails to my Hotmail account – Hotmail are a lot more tolerant about busy subscribers not visiting their mailboxes regularly!

I look forward to hearing from all my supporters and from new contributors.

Stewart Marchant

At Rhuddlan Castle I discovered that the historians are suggesting that the bridge at the Town Gate into the Castle Wards was a turning bridge not a drawbridge. This is fascinating as it pre-dates any other reference to turning bridges by over 400 years! Further investigations will be made!

There are some new and exciting things happening in the world of movable bridges!

Several new projects are under way and some new bridges have been opened recently.

On the River Hull the new Scale Lane crossing has come into operation. I look forward to sitting on the bridge drinking a cuppa when the planned café opens!

Other new bridges include one at the Circus Fields Marina on the Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union and a replacement for the Ebley Mill Bridge on the Stroudwater.

Another very exciting development is the installation of a replica drawbridge linking the riverside wharf to the White Tower in the Tower of London. The original 1834 drawbridge was replaced in 1915, but this bridge was then removed in the 1970’s. So it is great news that the Tower of London once again has a working drawbridge.

Projects in the pipeline include a new Greenwich Bridge over the mouth of Deptford Creek. The bridge is being constructed on the dockside before being slid into place.

At a personal level Sally and I have now almost completed our move to Hampshire to enable Sally to take up her new living, and as we settle into the vicarage I am once more able to find some time to follow up on the movable bridges project – so I expect to be adding lots of new information and photographs over the summer!

I want to assure all my supporters and visitors that I am still working on this bridges project!

I have to acknowledge that I have not done much work on the website over the last couple of years due to various changes in my life. Having re-married in December 2011 and with the demands of a busy post of church warden in a very busy parish church bridges have had to take a bit of a back seat!

But as things settle down I expect to be fully engaged again with this hobby in 2014.

So if you have been in touch through the website but have not had a response please be patient and I will get back to you as soon as possible – and if you have new information for me please send it!

Best wishes to all

Stewart