Ironbridge: the first cast iron bridge

Ironbridge, the world's first cast iron bridge, was erected in 1779 on the Severn, by Abraham Darby, an ironmaster, close to his furnaces in Coalbrookdale.

It was made of cast iron.

The problem : how were the ribs raised into place?

The engineering features attracted travellers: engineering drawings were printed for them. In the nearby historical village of Blists Hill, a half-size model of the lifting machinery can be seen. It was built in 2001 to test a hypothesis on the construction of the bridge based on a 1779 sketch.