Royal Albert Bridge and Seventeen Approach Spans
ROYAL ALBERT BRIDGE AND SEVENTEEN APPROACH SPANS
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1159292
- Date first listed:
- 17-Jan-1952
- List Entry Name:
- Royal Albert Bridge and Seventeen Approach Spans
- Statutory Address:
- ROYAL ALBERT BRIDGE AND SEVENTEEN APPROACH SPANS
Location
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Images of England Project
- Reference:
- IOE01/07022/29
- Rights:
- © Mr W. Wesley Colwill. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1159292
- Date first listed:
- 17-Jan-1952
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 22-Nov-1982
- List Entry Name:
- Royal Albert Bridge and Seventeen Approach Spans
- Statutory Address 1:
- ROYAL ALBERT BRIDGE AND SEVENTEEN APPROACH SPANS
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- ROYAL ALBERT BRIDGE AND SEVENTEEN APPROACH SPANS
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Saltash
- District:
- City of Plymouth (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SX4337258769
Details
RIVERSIDE
5155
SX 4358 6/25
Royal Albert Bridge and seventeen approach spans
(formerly listed as Royal Albert Bridge (the part within the Borough of Saltash)) -
17.1.52
GV
I
Railway bridge over River Tamar by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Cornwall Railway while it was leased to the Great Western Railway. Begun 1848, restarted 1854 and completed 1859, I K Brunel, the engineer, being first across, although on the verge of death. Granite built piers, the land piers paired, the outer water piers solid on oval plinths, the central pier and group of four octagonal piers linked by trelliswork. The two main spans are 135 metres each and are carried by an ingenious form of suspension (by cast iron segmental tubes) - the only one of its kind surviving to carry a railway. In engineering terms, it is known as a bowstring tubular plate girder bridge, a combination of suspension and arches structure, the two tubular arches, with outward thrust onto the abutments, counteracting the inward drag of the chains. The portals on the outer river piers are in pylon style, ashlar faced, with tall elliptical arches in square recesses. The Cornish side has raised lettering above the arch "I K Brunel Engineer 1859". There are, in all, seventeen approach spans (on both sides), the Cornish side ones towering above what remains of the inner town on the quay, curve south-west towards the station. The bridge is 51 metres above high water mark to the top of the tubes (the Admiralty specified 30 metres mast clearance). It cost under £225,000. At the time, and now, it was regarded as a triumph of engineering.
The asset was previously listed twice also at List entry 1386355. That entry was removed from the List on 22 September 2016.
This entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 22 September 2016.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 60461
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Vaughan, A, A Pictorial Record of Great Western Architecture, (1977)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 26-Jun-2026 at 10:37:04.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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