Bridges

From abandoned structures that have long ceased to take you anywhere to today’s feats of engineering, Bridges is a pictorial celebration of 150 suspension bridges, iron bridges, stone bridges, aqueducts, viaducts, railway bridges, footbridges and rope bridges. Organised in sections such as abandoned bridges, classic bridges and superstructures, the book contains an immense range of wooden, stone, iron, steel and concrete bridges. There are tiny village bridges and vast bridges, narrow bridges and motorway-wide bridges, bridges that act as dams and bridges that support buildings, covered bridges, famous bridges and little-known gems. From San Francisco’s Golden Gate bridge to the 21st century Millau Viaduct in France – the tallest bridge in the world, from the Roman aqueduct in Segovia, Spain, to farmers still building bamboo bridges, the book draws examples from all over the world. Ranging from the Rocky Mountains to Siberia and Iran, a picture emerges of not only how new technologies have made it possible for bridges to be built, but also how bridges have themselves been catalysts for social change. And when they have been abandoned, such as in former gold rush towns, these bridges tell their own stories of how the world moves on. Presented in a landscape format and with 150 outstanding colour photographs, Bridges is a stunning collection of images.

David Ross specialises in maritime, engineering and railway history and he has written and contributed to numerous books on these subjects. His most recent books are Abandoned Industrial Places, Rail Journeys, Bridges, Coast, Lighthouses, Ships Visual Encyclopedia, The Essential Naval Identification Guide: Submarines 1914–Present, Great Warships and The World’s Greatest Battleships.