Synopsis
On completion of the Forth Rail Bridge in 1890, steel rapidly replaced wrought iron as a material for bridge construction in Britain. Until then, the Board of Trade had restricted steel bridges. In this two-part article based on the James Sutherland History Lecture 2015, Alan Hayward traces the development of bridge types, construction methods, steel strengths and design practices. Part 1 covers the period from around 1890 to 1970. Part 2 will describe steel bridges from the 1970s using Alan's own experience and include movable, suspension and cable-stayed bridges.