South Terrace bridge, Hastings, photographed on 20th October 2007. photograph by Gregory Beecroft

South Terrace bridge, Hastings was rebuilt in 1996, replacing a lattice girder structure that carried a road over the railway. Steel cross beams support a concrete deck.

Smaller bridges may comprise a single structure, so that the track is carried in a pre-fabricated, welded trough.

Station Road bridge, Edenbridge Town, photographed on 16th May 2009. photograph by Gregory Beecroft

Station Road bridge, Edenbridge Town. photograph by Gregory Beecroft

Station Road bridge is on the Uckfield line at Edenbridge. It has been rebuilt with a steel deck. Each track is carried by a welded trough which could be fabricated intact and lifted into place. This is normally only possible with relatively small spans. Smaller bridges may comprise a single structure, so that the track is carried in a pre-fabricated, welded trough.

Station Road bridge, Edenbridge Town. photograph by Gregory Beecroft

The bridge bearings allow the deck to move independently of the abutments. All metal bridges should have this feature, to allow for expansion and contraction of the deck as a result of temperature changes. Bridge decks may be fixed to one abutment and free to slide on the other, or they may be able to move at both ends, as is the case with this bridge. The fixing, to the right of the bearing pad, allows for movement. On many old bridges the bearings are hidden away and not easily maintained. This means that they can become seized, so that movement of the deck fractures the abutments.

Barnham Road bridge, Barnham, photographed on 22nd November 2008. photograph by Gregory Beecroft

Extension of the down loop at Barnham in 2008 required provision of an additional bridge span over Barnham Road. This comprises a welded steel deck, which could be lifted into position complete. It is supported on brick-faced concrete abutments. The use of stretcher bond makes it obvious that the brickwork is not structural.

Beddingham Bridge, Glynde, photographed on 2nd August 2009. photograph by Gregory Beecroft

Beddingham Bridge, Glynde. photograph by Gregory Beecroft

Modern road bridges over the railway are often of pre-stressed concrete, but Beddingham bridge is a deck type structure, with a concrete deck on welded steel beams. The abutments are of concrete on piled foundations, with brick facing. As at Barnham, stretcher bond has been used. The bridge was completed in 2008 to replace a very busy level crossing and it carries the A27 trunk road over the Lewes to Eastbourne line.

Black Rabbit bridge, photographed on 25th October 2009. photograph by Gregory Beecroft

Black Rabbit bridge. photograph by Gregory Beecroft

Two bridges over the River Arun between Arundel and Amberley were reconstructed with welded steel, trough decks in 2009. This is Black Rabbit bridge, which has a separate trough for each track, and a walkway for staff cantilevered off each side. The bearings supporting the deck were mounted on the previous piers in the river, but the abutments were reconstructed. Peppering bridge was rebuilt to the same design.