Richmond Footbridge and Lock
Richmond Footbridge, lock and sluices
Foot bridge incorporating lock and sluices. 1891, designed by the engineer F.G.M. Stoney (1837-97) who took out 7 patents relating to sluices between 1873 and 1894, but design of the lock-houses by the surveyors Hunt and Steward and ironwork by the firm of Ransome and Rapier of Ipswich. 2 parallel 5 arched bridges of cast iron supported by stone piers with brick and stone lock houses at each end. Each bridge has 5 flat arches of cast iron with spandrels lightened and decorated by vertical slots. Stone piers have round-headed niches to keystones above pointed cutwaters. Elaborate cast iron balustrade with lamp standards positioned over centres of arches. On each bank the bridge is elevated on a brick base serving as a lock keepers cottage with stone dressings and double flight of steps. The overall span is of 348 feet. The central 66 feet spans incorporating 3 sluices which can be raised and stowed horizontally in the space between the 2 bridges. Beneath the outer spans, each of 50 feet were three parallel lines of rollers of which one now remains. the bridges carry public walkways (all closed at time of survey) and there is a toll booth of brick and weather boarding with fretted canopy at the upper level on the Surrey side. This bridge has considerable importance in the history of hydraulic engineering as Stoney first applied here the principal of the floating sluice gate and here pioneered his apparatus for turning the lifted gates into the horizontal position.
[Historic England]
Richmond Footbridge and Lock
Richmond Footbridge, lock and sluices
Foot bridge incorporating lock and sluices. 1891, designed by the engineer F.G.M. Stoney (1837-97) who took out 7 patents relating to sluices between 1873 and 1894, but design of the lock-houses by the surveyors Hunt and Steward and ironwork by the firm of Ransome and Rapier of Ipswich. 2 parallel 5 arched bridges of cast iron supported by stone piers with brick and stone lock houses at each end. Each bridge has 5 flat arches of cast iron with spandrels lightened and decorated by vertical slots. Stone piers have round-headed niches to keystones above pointed cutwaters. Elaborate cast iron balustrade with lamp standards positioned over centres of arches. On each bank the bridge is elevated on a brick base serving as a lock keepers cottage with stone dressings and double flight of steps. The overall span is of 348 feet. The central 66 feet spans incorporating 3 sluices which can be raised and stowed horizontally in the space between the 2 bridges. Beneath the outer spans, each of 50 feet were three parallel lines of rollers of which one now remains. the bridges carry public walkways (all closed at time of survey) and there is a toll booth of brick and weather boarding with fretted canopy at the upper level on the Surrey side. This bridge has considerable importance in the history of hydraulic engineering as Stoney first applied here the principal of the floating sluice gate and here pioneered his apparatus for turning the lifted gates into the horizontal position.
[Historic England]