Pont Martrou - Transporter Bridge
Echillais, Near Rochefort, Charente Maritime, France
12:30 UTC, Tuesday 21 September 2004
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© 2004 Brian O'Reilly, All Rights Reserved.
Caption
Le Pont Transbordeur de MartrouThe eternal problem: How can a bridge cross a river without disrupting shipping?
This bridge solved it by moving a platform suspended by cables across the river!
It is the last Transporter Bridge in France and one of only four remaining in the world. Started in 1898 by Ferdinand Arnodin, it opened on July 29th 1900. It closed in 1967, but was declared a national monument in 1976. It reopened to the public in 1994 for passengers and cyclists.
The 1967 replacement bridge, on which the entire roadway was raised and lowered was built slightly downstream, but was closed and dismantled as it was too slow. Finally in 1991- a new concrete bridge was built (as only the French can) and is now the main crossing. It is interesting to see three different solutions, built over the span of a century, to solve the same problem.
These images were shot while on vacation from Ireland in France during the Equinox.
Equipment
Nikon D100, Nikkor 10.5, Prototype 'Matthew' head, PTMac, Cubic Converter.
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