Swing brigde at the Connection Harbor
The mighty swing bridge off the Nordschleuse lock was the biggest of its type in Germany for use with railways. It linked the railway line to the Columbus station and was constructed from 1928 to 1930 as part of the large-scale extension of the Bremerhaven port area at the time. The design was by the civil engineer and bridge construction expert Hans Georg Herrmann (1865-1932). A consortium consisting of MAN from Mainz-Gustavsburg and Dortmunder Union from Dortmund had been awarded the construction contract by the State of Bremen. At the same time, a brick-built machinery house accommodating the electric gear was designed by the Bremen architect Karl Falge and erected near the bridge.
The bridge itself, a riveted steel construction, had a length of 111.9 metres, carried two rail tracks, as well as a road and pavement. The whole structure could be turned around in about seven minutes to let larger ships pass through, for example large car carriers or vessels on their way to the nearby Lloyd Shipyard.
After an accident in 2021, the swing bridge was completely demolished. Since then, traffic has been partially replaced by a ferry. A new bridge is currently being planned.