Bridge over muddied waters

I have a favourite building in Kingston upon Hull. It comes into sight quickly as you drive through the industrial areas just to the north east of the city centre on a stretch of road running close and paralell to the River Hull. The Wilmington Bridge http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NER_Wilmington_Bridge.jpg is a fine surviving example of industrial design. Built in 1907 it formed an important railway crossing of the river under the operation of the North East Railway and was active until 1968 in this strategic role.The crossing point had an earlier bridge under North Midland Railways and ran through to the Victoria Dock for coal and timber mainly but will also have carried excited trippers and tired residents to and from genteel Hornsea on the coast. Where preserved these rail line corridors now form part of the network of cycleways and pedestrian shortcuts that in Hull and as in most large urban areas have made use of the former routes of long ripped up rail freight and uneconomic passenger lines. The bridge is striking on two main features. The business end of the structure is a deep sided swing bridge retaining its ox-blood red metal painted finish. Wide enough for two rail lines it has its pivot on a caisson in the river just off the east bank and over time the inner part of wooden pier which narrows the river at this point has become silted up and self seeded as a permanent feature. In function the red-oxide structure is not remarkable but the bridgemasters accommodation mounted across the highest point is a wonder to behold and a fine example of where architecture far exceeds the actual design brief . Under a hipped lead-dressed roof the cream painted timber walls have large areas of small paned windows giving a full panoramic outlook. This gives the appearance of more of a conservatory or orangery than a control room. I can verify that on passing the bridge in late summer there are tomato plants heaving with fruits that can be seen through the west side windows. The north elevation has a small bow window and walkways to the exterior have a balustrade which would be ideal for sitting out and sun worshipping if not contravening railway regulations of the period. A hot house in the warmer seasonal months and likely to be bitterley cold in the exposed elevated position but railwaymen are never far away from a coal fire and the edwardian chimney pots show longstanding blackening from regular use for warmth or a brew-up. The river does carry infrequent shipping and the bridge must still be maintained in an operational capacity but I am ashamed to say that I have never seen it in the open position since moving to the area in 1979.