Gouritz River Bridge, Cape Province, South Africa built in Derby by Andrew Handyside in 1892.

The Derby firm Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge in Derby also made many hundreds of other bridges of many different sizes around the world such as the Gouritz River Road Bridge in Cape Province, South Africa.
Today this bridge is no longer used a road bridge as there is a newer one (built 1972), but is in fact now used for Bungee Jumping !
I think its great that despite the fact that the bridge no longer serves its original purpose, its now used for fun. You can book a bungee jump on Handyside's bridge here:
http://www.faceadrenalin.com/gouritsbridge.html

The parts for this bridge were manufactured at the Fox Street foundry in Derby by Andrew Handyside & Co. Ltd. The bridge would have probably been transported via Englands railway network to a sea port for shipping to South Africa and assembly.

The engineer for this bridge was Sir Benjamin Baker, M Inst, C.E, London.
It has a central span of 420 feet and two side spans of 140 feet each.
The height above the river bed is 210 feet.
The total weight of the bridge is 1,000 tons.

Photographs of Gouritz River road bridge by Andrew Handyside :









Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the exact location of this bridge on the world map.
My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.

Google Streetview  has captured the bridge but you can only just see it as its the middle bridge of the three that run parallel with each other.

Video of someone doing a Bungee Jump off this bridge:


This road bridge was built in 1892 and is one of the longest (219 metres) and highest (61 metres) bridges in South Africa. A new double-laned road bridge to replace this bridge was built in 1972.
The railway line between Riversdale arid Mossel Bay was opened in 1906 and crossed the river by the same bridge, but a new railway bridge was built in 1931.

My Reference :
Page 14 of Steel & Iron Structures Made and erected by Andrew Handyside & Co Ltd of Derby and London. Published 1904.

Can you help find more Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other bridges around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy

Handyside Bridge, Darley Abbey, Derby built by Andrew Handyside in 1877.

The Derby firm Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge in Derby also made the next GNR railway bridge North of Friargate Bridge, today this bridge is called Handyside Bridge but when originally built it was just a "GNR railway bridge" of course. This bridge is located very near to Handyside's former Britannia Foundry and even had its own branch line which it was able to use to get goods onto the Friargate line.

This bridge contains 155 tons of wrought iron and 11 tons of cast iron.
The railway bridge was converted into a footbridge in 1978.

I have made a short film about this bridge to get across the facts about the bridge which you can watch below. I have recorded it in 720p HD so best watched in fullscreen. This film pretty much covers all the details about this bridge. Let me know if I have missed any details and I will add it to this text.

Handyside Bridge in Derby.
A short film about this 134 year old bridge built by Andrew Handyside & Co Ltd


The Beeching Axe.

Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage.

The GNR Derbyshire and Staffordshire Extension route or Derby Friar Gate Line as its often referred to locally was a "back line"that opened in 1878 and ran from Nottingham through Derby (over Handyside bridge and Friar Gate Bridge) and to Egginton where it joined the North Staffordshire Railway.
This line closed in 1964 and slowly taken apart but there are still plenty of reminders where the Friargate line once ran such as Handyside bridge.
If you would like to know more about the GNR Derby Friargate Line then you can follow the entire route of it on my map here

The Derby Friargate Line Route Map (aka GNR Derbyshire and Staffordshire Extension).

If you would like a map centred over this bridge the click here:
http://tinyurl.com/handysidebridge

The next bridge downstream to cross over the River Derwent is Saint Mary's Bridge which is 448 meters downstream.

The next bridge upstream to cross the river is Haslam's Lane Toll bridge which is 1541 metres upstream

Hope you found my video of interest. Next time you walk over Handyside bridge take some time to have a look at how its constructed and imagine what it must have been like to see trains thundering across it.

Photographs of Handyside Bridge:







Photograph of the makers badge.
This plaque used to be fixed to the top arch of the bridge. It was removed and put into storage at the museum so doubt many people will have seen this.
I would like to thank Roger Shelley, principal keeper of Derby Industrial Museum (The Silk Mill) for allowing me to photograph this.


Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the exact location of this bridge on the world map.
My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.

Google Streetview  has not managed to capture the bridge but you can see the path that goes over it here.

Can you help find more Andrew Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other bridges around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy

Edmund Road Drill Hall, Sheffield built by Andrew Handyside in 1878

Did you know that Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge also made the Structural steelwork and cast-ironwork for many large buildings around the world and they were made right here in Derby at the Duke Street Foundry "Britannia Iron Works". Some of their buildings are still in use today while others have been converted into buildings for a different function.
On a recent visit to Sheffield (to See Adam and the Ants) I tracked down another of Andrew Handysides creations, that of the internal arched cast-iron structure of a former Drill Hall. Today the building is used as a car showroom.

The Volunteer Artillery Drill Hall, on Edmund Road Sheffield was built for the use of the 4th West York Artillery Volunteers. The building is confusingly known both as the Volunteer Artillery Drill Hall and
Norfolk Barracks, and the address given as either Clough Road or Edmund Road.
The main frontage of the building is on Clough road (see my first photograph below). Its an amazing looking building as you can see. Looks like its currently having some work done to it.

The roof was manufactured in Derby by Andrew Handyside & Co Ltd and is constructed in one span, without pillars. The drill room, 108 feet long and 90 feet wide, and a gun-shed the same length, but
narrower. Messrs. M. E. Hadfield and Son were the architects

This building was Grade II listed on 20 December 1978.

I would like to thanks the guys at www.thecarspecialists.com for giving me permission to take photographs inside this building.

Photographs of Sheffield Drill Hall:

The Drill Hall exterior shot (May 2011)


The Handyside roof on the top floor.


Arched support trusses by Andrew Handyside :


Another view of the roof:


The far wall of the drill hall has this mural painted on it.
It translates as Always, where right and glory lead. The motto of the Royal Artillery :


Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the exact location of this building on the world map.
My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.

Google Streetview of this building

Can you help find more Andrew Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other items around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy

Holgate Road bridge in York built in Derby by Handyside in 1911.

The Derby firm Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge in Derby also made many hundreds of other bridges of many different sizes around the world such as this road bridge in York, UK which is still in use today.

This road bridge, south west of York Railway station carries Holgate Road (A59) over the railway tracks.
At the western entrace to this bridge stands St Paul's church.
This bridge was renovated in 2007, when strengthening work was carried out on the underside of the bridge which is why it looks in pretty good condition for a hundred year old structure.
Using Google Streetview it would appear that this bridge has two Handyside badges on it, located at the far ends of the bridge.

Photographs of this bridge

Photograph of the Handyside badge on this bridge:

Photograph taken by Ian Stubbs.

Photograph of the bridge from a pedestrians point of view.

Photograph taken by Carl Spencer.

Photograph of this bridge from a pedestrians point of view on the other side.


Photograph taken by Carl Spencer.


Photograph of nice light and shadows on the bridge.

Photograph taken by Ivana Thng.

Photograph of Steam train "Green Arrow" passing under this bridge in 1979.

Photograph by Don Tate.

Notice how the makers badge on this bridge does not say "Andrew Handyside", it just says Handyside. This is because the original company of Andrew Handyside went into liquidation in 1910, a new company using the original foundry and name was set up to continue making bridges. This re-use of the Handyside brand happened a few more times.

Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the exact location of this bridge on the world map.
My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.


Google Streetview of this bridge. Take a look around the entire structure!

Can you help find more Andrew Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other bridges around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy

Restored Andrew Handyside Fountain at Prince Alfred College, Adelaide, Australia.

Today, 28th May 2011 marks the First anniversary of the unveiling of a restored fountain at Prince Alfred College, Adelaide, Australia. This fountain was made in Derby by Andrew Handyside and has a nice commemorative plaque stating the fact it was made in Derby.

Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge also made lots of decorative fountains. These fountains were made right here in Derby at the Duke Street Foundry "Britannia Iron Works".

Andrew Handyside exported many decorative fountains around the world during the Victorian era.
The Britannia Foundry's work was well known for its fine quality so these fountains can be found all over the globe but where exactly they are located is difficult to find out.
Thankfully because of my research here people are beginning to contact me with details of Handyside work, I am then able to add it to my world map and this blog. It really helps my research being able to use Flickr to see these items for myself and share these finds with the world!
Here is one such find, this particular one is quite unique as its been restored to its former glory only last year.

This particular design of fountain is listed as Design Number 15 on Page 30 of the 1879 publication "An Illustrated book of Designs for Fountains and Vases, costing from £1 to £1200 manufactured by Andrew Handyside". 

The following information and photographs were given to me by Peter Jenkinson in Australia.
In the mid 1860s Miss Mary Field built a verandahed colonial house on the hill above the house known as Finnisbrook, on the south side of Burnside Village.  Finnisbrook was named after Boyle Travers Finnis, the first Premier of South Australia.  He built the house in the 1840s, where First Creek left Waterfall Gully.  Miss Field supervised the planting of extensive orchards, vineyards and gardens.  She sold the property in 1878 to William John Coote, a retired draper, who put a great deal of work into developing a picturesque garden, watered from First Creek by the first oil powered pump in Adelaide.
It is likely that William Coote would have ordered the fountain from the 1874 Handyside catalogue.
In 1969, Mr & Mrs Edward T. Easling bought the land on which the fountain sat, in 2009 the fountain was offered to the college by Mr John Easling and was lovingly restored to its former glory as you can see in the photographs here.

Pupils at Prince Alfred College watch the restored fountain come to life in May 2010 :


A view of the restored fountain in the grounds of Prince Alfred College.


Commemorative plaque of this fountain clearly showing Derby !!!:


The three Baroque style dolphins undergoing Restoration:


The two cherubs (putti) embrace the torch which delivers water from the fountain head.


The fountain measures 180 cm in height, being 90 cm high to the dolphin tails.  The maximum diameter of the bowl is 101 cm.

This Handyside fountain is Design No 15 in their 1874 catalogue.


Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the exact location of this fountain on the world map.
My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.


Can you help find more Andrew Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other Fountains around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Hope you enjoyed learning about this restoration project on the other side of the planet.

Thanks
Andy

Belcher Drinking Fountain in Geelong, Victoria, Australia made in Derby by Andrew Handyside in 1874.

Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge also made lots of decorative fountains. These fountains were made right here in Derby at the Duke Street Foundry "Britannia Iron Works".

Andrew Handyside exported many decorative fountains around the world during the Victorian era.
The Britannia Foundry's work was well known for its fine quality so these fountains can be found all over the globe but where exactly they are located is difficult to find out.
Thankfully because of my research here people are beginning to contact me with details of Handyside work, I am then able to add it to my world map. It really helps my research being able to use Flickr to see these items for myself and share these finds with the world!

Right here at the junction of Malop Street and Gheringhap Street in Geelong, Victoria, Australia there proudly stands a great creation by Andrew Handyside. The Belcher Drinking Fountain was presented to the Town of Geelong by retiring Mayor Councillor GF Belcher in 1874.

This particular design of fountain is listed as Design Number 48 on Page 40 of the 1879 publication "An Illustrated book of Designs for Fountains and Vases, costing from £1 to £1200 manufactured by Andrew Handyside".This very same fountain (but not in as good condition) can be found in the grounds of St Pancras Old Church in London, UK.

Doesn't it make you feel proud that on the other side of the planet stands this decorative fountain that has clearly been cared for the last 137 years. And to think this was made in Derby and I doubt there are many people in Derby that know this fact, until now that is !!!

Read about George Frederick Belcher (1823-1909).

Photographs of this fountain:

Photograph of Belcher Fountain in Geelong, Victoria, Australia:


Another photograph of Belcher Fountain in Geelong, Victoria, Australia :


Photograph of drinking spouts on the Belcher Fountain in Geelong, Victoria, Australia :


Photograph of cupid figure and lantern on the top of the
Belcher Fountain in Geelong, Victoria, Australia :


Photograph of plaques on the Belcher Fountain in Geelong, Victoria, Australia :


I would like to thank Peter Williams for taking the above photographs for me.

Google Streetview of the Belcher Drinking Fountain in Geelong.

Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the exact location of this fountain on the world map. My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.

Does anyone out there have a short video of this fountain that they care to share on YouTube?


Can you help find more Andrew Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other Fountains around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy

Swingbridge at Castletown Harbour, Isle of Man made by Andrew Handyside.

Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge in Derby also made many hundreds of other bridges of many different sizes around the world such as this swinging footbridge at Castletown Harbour in the Isle of Man which is still in use today.

This footbridge was built in Derby at Britannia Iron works by Andrew Handyside and Company Derby and London in 1903 at a cost of £414. This Victorian bridge is still in constant use 107 years later, moving out of the way to allow boats to enter the harbour.!

Castletown Harbour swingbridge, made in Derby !


Photograph showing the bridge from the side:


Photograph showing the Handyside badge on this bridge:


Photograph showing the Mechanism that moves the bridge:


Photograph showing the walkway over the bridge :

I would like to thank Sue M2009 for taking these photographs for me to add to
my Andrew Handyside group.

Click HERE to see where this bridge is located.

Can you help find more Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other bridges around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy