Changes

Marked in the '''Blue A ''' on the map

*‘Nerbudda’ River’ in the Central Provinces is given in the Imperial Gazetteer <ref>[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V19_062.gif Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 19, p. 56. ]; Retrieved 29 May 2020</ref>;

* ‘Narmada River’ is the alternative name <ref name=ImpGaz375>[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V18_381.gif Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 18, p. 375-377.]; Retrieved 29 May 2020</ref>.

The majority of references in historical documents use the spelling Nerbudda – this is the form adopted by Fibis.

''' ''Note'' '''

<br>In order to provide clarity Fibis have use the adjacent (Town) and the Railway Company in each Bridge description.

==Original Bridge==

Twenty-five spans of the bridge over the Nerbudda were swept away on 6 Sept 1876, and three servants of the Company were drowned. The rainfall at Surat, close by, was 17 inches in 16½ hours. The engineering staff of the Company immediately set to work to restore communication, and they succeeded in doing so on the 30 October by a diversion on a low level. They also applied themselves to repair the broken spans, and so well were their plans organized, that the bridge was finished and opened for traffic on 28 April 1877. It was reported that the bridge stability cannot be depended upon, and the repeated interruptions to traffic, which means loss of revenue on the grounds of safety and economy a more perfect means of crossing the river was required. <ref name=Admin1877>British Library ‘India Office Records L/PARL/2/100 “Railways in India for the year 1876-77” by Juland Danvers , Government Director of the Indian Railways’-– presented to both Houses of Parliament’ by HM Command. Extract from Annual Report 1876-77; Para 17 , page 5 </ref>.

A new bridge was specified, altogether upon different principles. Instead of being supported by screw piles, and having 67 spans of 621 feet, the bridge about to be constructed will have only 25 spans, and the superstructure, which will consist of iron girders, 187 feet 6 inches in length, will be supported by piers formed of two iron cylinders, placed 37 feet 6 inches apart, centre to centre, 14 feet in diameter, for a height of 33 feet from the bottom, and 10 feet above that. It has been designed by Sir John Hawkshaw, and a contract has been made with Messrs. Hopkins, Gilkes, & Co. for the provision and delivery in India of all the ironwork, for a sum of 148,930/. Other materials will come to about 30,000/., and it is estimated by the Agent and Chief Engineer that the cost of erection will amount to more <ref name=Admin1877/>.

The bridge was designed by Sir John Hawkshaw, and its erection has been carried out by [[Henry James Bennett Hargrave |Mr. H. B. Hargrave]], under the general superintendence of [[F.Mathew| Mr. Mathew, BB&CIR Agent and Chief Engineer ]] <ref>British Library ‘India Office Records L/PARL/2/100 “Railways in India for the year 1878-79” by Juland Danvers , Government Director of the Indian Railways’-– presented to both Houses of Parliament’ by HM Command. Extract from Annual Report 1878-79; Para 7 , page 3-4</ref>.

The 1880-81 ‘Railways in India Report’ <ref name=1880-81> “Railways in India for the year 1880-81” by Juland Danvers , Government Director of the Indian Railways’- presented to both Houses of Parliament’ by HM Command. Extract from Annual Report 1880-81; page 30 </ref> reported that the new bridge was opened for traffic on 16 May 1881

[[Henry James Bennett Hargrave]] from 1878 to 1881 was Engineer on the building of the [[Nerbudda Bridge]] <ref name = Arch>[https://www.dia.ie/architects/view/529/HARGRAVE-HENRYJAMESBENNETT ‘Irish Architects Dictionary’]; Retrieved 29 May 2020</ref>.

== References ==