Civil Engineering

Cody Dock Rolling Bridge

A Unique, First-Of-Its-Kind Rolling Bridge

Cody Dock Rolling Bridge by Thomas Randall-Page. Copyright Jim Stephenson 2022

You won’t believe how this footbridge opens to allow boat traffic to pass. This footbridge rolls 180 degrees at Cody Dock, a former industrial dock turned vibrant artistic community located along the banks of the Lea river, located in East London, just to do that. A creation of architect Thomas Randall-Page, this is the Cody Dock Bridge.

The Bridge

This first-of-a-kind bridge was brought up by architect Thomas Randall-Page. After Cody Dock, decommissioned since the 80s, was rediscovered, cleaned, and restored, in 2009, the dock needed to both reopen to boat traffic and have a bridge to carry pedestrians. Originally, a “traditional bascule bridge” was planned to be added, according to Interesting Engineering. Randall-Page came forward with a new type of bridge, however, approaching Simon Myers of the Gasworks Dock Partnership, in charge of the dock’s redevelopment, planning to add the traditional bascule bridge.

A view of the rolling bridge, and the tracks guiding it. Photo source: Interesting Engineering; photo by Jim Stephenson

The bridge Randall-Page proposed, requiring no motors or electricity to operate, instead relies on mechanical power to operate. The Cody Dock Bridge rotates 180 degrees, along two parallel tracks that are attached to concrete abutments on each bank. The bridge takes 20 minutes to open and to close.

Architecture and Design

This bridge’s design partly took inspiration from Victorian architecture. The bridge was constructed with weathered steel and oak, the design choice being influenced by the surrounding area’s maritime and shipbuilding past. Traces of these are dotted throughout the surrounding area, according to Colossal. According to Interesting Engineering, the designer, Randall-Page, also took into account the element of surprise, into the design, the movement of the bridge when in operation making for a spectacular event. Structural engineer, Tim Lucas, said that the concept of this kind of bridge sounds simple, but in reality, it was really hard to build, also according to Interesting Engineering.

Gear teeth wrap around the structure’s frame, to latch on to the tracks attached to the sides of the abutments. The entire mechanism for the bridge is powered by a set of manual levers. That’s what gives the bridge it’s unique and distinguishing ability to open and close that way.

Below is a time-lapse video of the bridge opening and closing.

Bridges like these, can give us a greater appreciation for bridges, no matter how extravagant the design. Bridges play a key role in transporting people and goods from one place to another, traversing over obstacles which would make a journey much more difficult.

https://www.thomasrandallpage.com/Cody-Dock-Rolling-Bridge

https://newatlas.com/architecture/cody-dock-rolling-bridge/