Swing bridge

A swing bridge is a bridge that has its primary structural support at or near to its centre, about which it can then pivot horizontally.

In its closed position, a swing bridge carrying a road over a river or canal, for example, allows road traffic to cross. When a water vessel needs to pass the bridge, road traffic is stopped (usually by traffic signals and barriers), and then motors rotate the bridge approximately 90 degrees horizontally about its pivot point.

English examples include:

• Connaught Crossing in London Docklands, built as a low-rising swing bridge to allow marine traffic in the Royal Docks to pass at a place when the proximity of London City Airport meant a higher fixed bridge was not practicable.

• Manchester Ship Canal at Latchford, Stockton Heath and Lower Walton in Warrington, and also slightly further west at Moore. Near the eastern end of the canal in Salford, the Barton swing bridge is adjacent to the Barton Swing Aqueduct – a 234-foot, 800-tonne trough holding some 800 tonnes of water (retained by gates at either end) swings so that it is at right angles to the Bridgewater Canal to allow ships to pass up the Ship Canal.

• River Tyne at Newcastle Upon Tyne. The Tyne swing bridge has an 85.7 metre cantilevered span with a central axis of rotation able to move through 90° to allow vessels to pass on either side of it.

• Beccles swing bridge
• Goole swing bridge
• Oulton broad swing bridge
• Reedham swing bridge
• Selby swing bridge
• Somerleyton swing bridge
• Sutton Bridge swing bridge
• Caernarfon swing bridge

Other countries

• old Pyrmont Bridge, Sydney.

• The longest swing bridge span is 340 metres, by the El Ferdan railway bridge across the Suez Canal.