Bridge over the Kłodnica River

The historic narrow-gauge bridge over the Kłodnica in Gliwice is a single-span reinforced concrete truss, built in 1907. It carried the track of the Upper Silesian Narrow Gauge Railways on the Gliwice Wąskotorowe - Gliwice Trynek route.

Structure

The bridge is single-track, with the deck at the bottom and reinforced concrete abutments. It is 20.3 m long, with a clear span between supports of 17.9 m, and the span itself is 19.4 m long, 3.05 m wide and 3.43 m high. It crosses the river at a slant, at an angle of 79 degrees. The permissible load was 9.1 tonnes per axle, and the gauge of the line is 785 mm. It lies between Robotnicza and Akademicka streets, near Arena Gliwice.

History

The designs for all the bridges of this line were prepared in 1896-1900 and approved for construction in 1901, and most were built a year later. The bridge over the Kłodnica was erected in 1907. During the Second World War it was destroyed, and it was rebuilt in 1947. Passenger traffic on the line was stopped in 1991, and freight traffic in 1992-1993. The track surface was later partly looted, and today there is no track on the bridge. It was entered in the heritage register in 1993.

Practical information

• Location: Gliwice, between Robotnicza and Akademicka streets.
• The bridge is viewed from the river bank; it is a monument with no railway function.
• Nearby lies Bolesław the Brave Park.