page_title: Broughton Suspension Bridge
section_title: Aftermath
hierarchical_section_title: Broughton Suspension Bridge / Aftermath
caption_attribution_description: English: Gerald Road Bridge, Broughton
context_page_description: Broughton Suspension Bridge was an iron chain suspension bridge built in 1826 to span the River Irwell between Broughton and Pendleton, now in Salford, Greater Manchester, England. One of Europe's first suspension bridges, it has been attributed to Samuel Brown, though some suggest it was built by Thomas Cheek Hewes, a Manchester millwright and textile machinery manufacturer.
  On 12 April 1831, the bridge collapsed, reportedly due to mechanical resonance induced by troops marching in step. As a result of the incident, the British Army issued an order that troops should "break step" when crossing a bridge. Though rebuilt and strengthened, the bridge was subsequently propped with temporary piles whenever crowds were expected. In 1924 it was replaced by a Pratt truss footbridge, still in use.
context_section_description: The collapse of the bridge caused something of a loss of confidence in suspension bridges, with one newspaper report at the time commenting:
  From what happened on this occasion we would greatly doubt the stability of the great Menai Bridge (admirable as its construction is), if a thousand men were to be marched across in close column, and keeping regular step. From its great length, the vibration would be tremendous before the head of the column had reached the further side, and some terrific calamity would be very likely to happen.
  This did not stop the building of more suspension bridges, and the main consequence of the collapse was that the British Army issued the order to "break step" when soldiers were crossing a bridge. French soldiers were also ordered to break step on bridges – nevertheless, marching was cited as a contributing factor to the collapse of the Angers Bridge in France during a storm in 1850, killing over 200 soldiers.
  Broughton Suspension Bridge was rebuilt and strengthened, but, according to the Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870–72), it was propped temporarily whenever a large crowd was expected. The suspension bridge was eventually replaced by a Pratt truss footbridge, designed by the Borough Engineer at a cost of about £2,300, which was formally opened on 2 April 1924.
caption: The replacement bridge today
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