EMERGENCY BRIDGES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 December 1939, Page 3

EMERGENCY BRIDGES

[ A NEW KIND EVOLVED. d y British engineers have evolved c new kind of emergency bridge b; which vital communications can t , rapidly restored if enemy aircraf manages to damage or destroy bridge on the trunk roads of England, Scot ]■ land, or Wales. 1 The bridges are constructed of ga e vanised steel. They have only nin - standardised unit parts held togethe h by hundreds of nuts and bolts on th r principle made familiar by Meccani the famous constructional toy know to children all over the world. Entir :. bridge-spans up to 200 ft. long an capable of bearing the heaviest roa vehicles can be erected 10 times a quickly as the bridges they will re place. Groups of selected workmen em ployed zy firms of contractors all ove the country have been specially train ed in the building of these emergency bridges. The country is divided into eigh Ministry of Transport districts, each ir charge of a divisional engineer. Ini' j mediately damage to a’ road bridge if 1 reported in his district, the engined - calls up the nearest contractors, wh( ■ rush their trained men to the scene. ■ ’ At strategic points in each distric 5 are carefully-hidden depots where al ’ steel parts and other equipment ncces sary for making new bridges or repair j ing damaged ones are lying in readi > ness Cor the emergency.