in the 19th century the Menai Strait in Wales forms a formidable obstacle for
Wales forms a formidable obstacle for
Wales forms a formidable obstacle for people traveling to Ireland the engineer
people traveling to Ireland the engineer
people traveling to Ireland the engineer given the job of spanning this
given the job of spanning this
given the job of spanning this treacherous waterway is Thomas Telford a
treacherous waterway is Thomas Telford a
treacherous waterway is Thomas Telford a 62 year old self-taught Scot by the time
62 year old self-taught Scot by the time
62 year old self-taught Scot by the time he arrived at Menai Telford had a
he arrived at Menai Telford had a
he arrived at Menai Telford had a reputation as one of the finest civil
reputation as one of the finest civil
reputation as one of the finest civil engineers in britain be given this huge
engineers in britain be given this huge
engineers in britain be given this huge job to improve the main coaching route
job to improve the main coaching route
job to improve the main coaching route between Britain and Ireland
Telford considers constructing an arch
Telford considers constructing an arch bridge from cast iron but he would have
bridge from cast iron but he would have
bridge from cast iron but he would have to use scaffolding to support the arch
to use scaffolding to support the arch
to use scaffolding to support the arch while it’s being built this would block
while it’s being built this would block
while it’s being built this would block the movement of ships along the busy
the movement of ships along the busy
the movement of ships along the busy waterway the planners don’t accept this
waterway the planners don’t accept this
waterway the planners don’t accept this so Telford goes back to the first
so Telford goes back to the first
so Telford goes back to the first principles of bridge design
principles of bridge design
principles of bridge design [Music]
[Music]
[Music] rope bridges have been used to cross
rope bridges have been used to cross
rope bridges have been used to cross rivers since ancient times and
rivers since ancient times and
rivers since ancient times and Mountaineers like Mark handford still
Mountaineers like Mark handford still
Mountaineers like Mark handford still use them today so the crews both crucial
use them today so the crews both crucial
use them today so the crews both crucial thing in it in a former bridge is the
thing in it in a former bridge is the
thing in it in a former bridge is the anchor coins so we’ve got the tree as a
anchor coins so we’ve got the tree as a
anchor coins so we’ve got the tree as a solid anchor without these anchors the
solid anchor without these anchors the
solid anchor without these anchors the whole bridge is going to collapse three
whole bridge is going to collapse three
whole bridge is going to collapse three so three so for it next they pull the
so three so for it next they pull the
so three so for it next they pull the ropes taut
ropes taut
ropes taut c33 stop that’s it there the bottom rope
c33 stop that’s it there the bottom rope
c33 stop that’s it there the bottom rope carries the load the top ropes are for
carries the load the top ropes are for
carries the load the top ropes are for holding on to once you get a straight
holding on to once you get a straight
holding on to once you get a straight spring in stringers on it the grade
spring in stringers on it the grade
spring in stringers on it the grade these are really good now owe yourself
these are really good now owe yourself
these are really good now owe yourself support now tying them together forms a
support now tying them together forms a
support now tying them together forms a rudimentary suspension bridge it’s fine
rudimentary suspension bridge it’s fine
rudimentary suspension bridge it’s fine for soldiers but would hardly do for the
for soldiers but would hardly do for the
for soldiers but would hardly do for the London to Dublin stagecoach adding
London to Dublin stagecoach adding
London to Dublin stagecoach adding planks of wood to form a deck makes the
planks of wood to form a deck makes the
planks of wood to form a deck makes the bridge easier to cross and iron chains
bridge easier to cross and iron chains
bridge easier to cross and iron chains allow it to carry heavier loads but the
allow it to carry heavier loads but the
allow it to carry heavier loads but the deck still sags to build a truly modern
deck still sags to build a truly modern
deck still sags to build a truly modern suspension bridge the engineers must
suspension bridge the engineers must
suspension bridge the engineers must find a way to flatten the sagging day
find a way to flatten the sagging day
find a way to flatten the sagging day the answer is to suspend it from stone
the answer is to suspend it from stone
the answer is to suspend it from stone towers then extend the ropes downwards
towers then extend the ropes downwards
towers then extend the ropes downwards to level the deck
to level the deck
to level the deck Telford now has a design that can bridge
Telford now has a design that can bridge
Telford now has a design that can bridge the many straights but he still has the
the many straights but he still has the
the many straights but he still has the problem of securing the chains at each
problem of securing the chains at each
problem of securing the chains at each end do you think of pulling down that
end do you think of pulling down that
end do you think of pulling down that chain it’s going to give unless it’s
chain it’s going to give unless it’s
chain it’s going to give unless it’s really firmly anchored and that was tell
really firmly anchored and that was tell
really firmly anchored and that was tell first challenge
first challenge
first challenge somehow Telford must anchor the chains
somehow Telford must anchor the chains
somehow Telford must anchor the chains not to the trees but deep into the rocky
not to the trees but deep into the rocky
not to the trees but deep into the rocky banks on either side of the Straits to
banks on either side of the Straits to
banks on either side of the Straits to do so
do so
do so workers blast their way through the rock
workers blast their way through the rock
workers blast their way through the rock to create an 18 metre long tunnel at the
to create an 18 metre long tunnel at the
to create an 18 metre long tunnel at the end of the tunnel they positioned strong
end of the tunnel they positioned strong
end of the tunnel they positioned strong iron frames the end of the chains thread
iron frames the end of the chains thread
iron frames the end of the chains thread into the tunnel and are secured to the
into the tunnel and are secured to the
into the tunnel and are secured to the frame with three meter long bolts metal
frame with three meter long bolts metal
frame with three meter long bolts metal braces wedge the bolts and frame firmly
braces wedge the bolts and frame firmly
braces wedge the bolts and frame firmly into the cavern the only way this
into the cavern the only way this
into the cavern the only way this Anchorage can fail is if the rock gives
Anchorage can fail is if the rock gives
Anchorage can fail is if the rock gives way
Telford triumphs the Newbridge helps
Telford triumphs the Newbridge helps reduce the journey time from London to
reduce the journey time from London to
reduce the journey time from London to Dublin by nine hours
Dublin by nine hours
Dublin by nine hours his Anchorage’s have held the hundred
his Anchorage’s have held the hundred
his Anchorage’s have held the hundred and seventy-seven meter deck in place
and seventy-seven meter deck in place
and seventy-seven meter deck in place for over a hundred and eighty years
for over a hundred and eighty years
for over a hundred and eighty years [Music]
[Music]
[Music] today it still carries thousands of
today it still carries thousands of
today it still carries thousands of vehicles every week
as the first great modern suspension
as the first great modern suspension bridge it shines a light on the future
”
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