Spoorbrug, Maasbandijk bij 66

English translation

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Description

Introduction

RAILWAY BRIDGE over the Maas, insofar as located on the territory of the municipality of Wijchen. The bridge was built on the railway line between Nijmegen and Tilburg, for which a concession was granted in 1871 by the State to Alexander Brodgen (English parliamentarian). The bridge, located between Gelderse Niftrik and Ravenstein in North Brabant, is named after Brodgen's daughter, the Edith Bridge and was locally known as the Whiskey Bridge. In 1937 the single-track lattice girder bridge (designed by an English architect) was replaced by the present steel tied-arch bridge. The concept of the tied-arch bridge originates from Austrian engineer J. Langer. In favour of shipping and ice passage, the number of old piers from 1872-1874 was reduced by one during the construction of the new bridge in 1937-1939. During the Second World War the bridge was destroyed twice. In 1940 two tied-arch bridges on the North Brabant side were damaged and restored. In 1944 the two middle bridges and pier were destroyed. Repairs to these took place around 1948.

On the western, downstream side, a narrow footbridge is suspended.

Description

The substructure of the present RAILWAY BRIDGE consists of two abutments and four piers in brick with tooled sandstone corner blocks from 1872-1874 and a fifth pier in the river from 1937, all with a width suitable for double track and provided with concrete coping slabs. Of significance is the sandstone relief portrait in moulded sandstone frame on the southern river pier (North Brabant side). The inscription reads: "First stone laid by Anne Edith Brogden 31st August 1872". The portrait depicts Edith. During the construction of the new bridge, the abutments were reinforced with brick and concrete. The superstructure consists of a stiffened tied-arch bridge in four sections. Each section is 62 metres long and 11.8 metres high. The total length of the bridge including the Gelderland section without arches is 400 metres. The section adjoining the arches is a solid-web girder bridge with two spans of approximately 42 metres each. The main girders are connected by cross beams. The material is riveted and sometimes consists of welded profile steel and plate steel. Underneath the superstructure hang movable painters' bridges. The single-track dike, which in North Brabant runs from the Maas dike through the floodplain to the bridge, also forms part of the structure.

Valuation

RAILWAY BRIDGE over the Maas.

- Of architectural-historical value as a typologically good example of the type of stiffened tied-arch bridge frequently applied in the Netherlands after approximately 1930, particularly as a replacement for railway bridges over the Maas and the IJssel. The bridge is significant because of the high aesthetic qualities of the design. The object is as such of importance for building technology: a tied-arch bridge enables large spans, is easy to assemble and has an elegant silhouette.

- Of urban-planning value as an essential component of infrastructure for trains, namely the line Nijmegen - 's-Hertogenbosch. Because of its elegant silhouette, the bridge is of particular significance for the appearance of the river and the floodplains in this location.

- Of cultural-historical value as a distinctive expression of a technical and geographical-landscape development, namely the opening up of the land through the construction of railways in the 19th century (with English capital) and the technical refinement of river spans in the 20th century.