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Young engineers explore inside historic bridge

Four Bridge Wardens’ Scholars and their families have enjoyed a special behind-the-scenes tour of Rochester’s bridges.

Brecon, Frederick, Silke and Theodore, were guided over, under and inside the bridges by Tim Belcher-Whyte of bridge engineers Arcadis.

This enabled the scholars to experience first-hand the history of engineering and the challenges of maintaining Victorian infrastructure in the modern age – tasks the young engineers may one day find themselves carrying out.

Discussions during the tour included the relatively modern engineering involved in the box girder construction of the New Bridge compared to the historic decision to make the Old Bridge a bowstring truss. These contrasts are particularly obvious when stood between the two structures as the differences in construction and materials can be clearly seen.

The scholars also experienced the importance of their new personal protective equipment when navigating the tight spaces and low girders within the structures.

View photos of the tour here.

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