Young engineers at Brompton-Westbrook Primary School were shown the secrets of bridge building when they were joined by representatives of Hyder Consulting – the official Bridge Engineer for the Rochester Bridge Trust.
David Miller and Chloe Stearn, of Hyder Consulting, worked with pupils to build a bridge, test its strength and examine the theory behind its load-bearing capacity.
The Rochester Bridge Trust was founded at the end of the 14th century and has been responsible since then for providing and maintaining a bridge crossing between Rochester and Strood at no cost to the public.
While recognising its historic roots, the Trust is also focused on development of the latest engineering techniques and planning for future bridges at Rochester when required.
Sue Threader, the Trust’s Bridge Clerk, said: “There is nothing like getting hands-on experience to help pupils gain an understanding of the theory behind building bridges. We are delighted that our bridge engineers from Hyder Consulting are helping the Trust in its bid to inspire young people to develop an interest in engineering and to discover the contribution it makes to our lives. Hopefully, they will consider engineering a good career choice in the future.”
Notes:
1. The Rochester Bridge Trust is a charitable trust that exists to maintain the old and new bridges at Rochester and serve the travelling public. It is the only surviving bridge trust still serving its original purpose, and it has served the people of Kent since 1399. The Trust also supports numerous community and education projects across historic Kent and Medway.
2. The Trust’s assets all derive from endowments of land and money in the 14th and 15th centuries and are carefully managed in order to provide an income to fund bridge maintenance and local charitable grants. The Trust receives no external funding and is regulated by the Charity Commission.
For more information:
The Rochester Bridge Trust
5 Esplanade
Rochester
Kent ME1 1QE
Tel: 01634 846706
Fax: 01634 840125