A Century in the Making - the Humber Bridge

The Wikipedia entry for the Humber Bridge says that plans for a bridge were originally drawn up in the 1930s, revised in 1955 and work eventually began in July 1972. But as this article from the Hull Daily Mail shows, talk of a bridge over, or indeed a tunnel under, the Humber dates back a century before work commenced:

Hull Daily Mail – 7 October 1891

AN IMPORTANT PROJECT REVIVED

Steps will, we are informed on the best authority, before long be taken to revive the project for improving the railway communication between Hull and Lincolnshire and the South, either by a tunnel under or a bridge over the Humber. Up to the present no definite action has been taken, but several influential gentlemen are very anxious to promote the scheme, which would confer fresh and most important railway facilities on Hull and Lincolnshire. We need scarcely add that the project of a tunnel is not a novel one. The great scheme of 1873 – known as the Hull and South West Junction Scheme – contemplated a tunnel under the river. Then in 1883 a scheme was formulated, under which the Humber was to be crossed by means of a bridge near Hessle. The effort is, we believe, shortly to be renewed, and there can be little doubt that both in Hull and in Lincolnshire it will be substantially supported.

The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Company may be said to be already in the field. This Company at present possesses Parliamentary powers to make borings, with a view to ascertaining the feasibility of constructing a tunnel under the Humber, and experimental borings have been carried out. The new scheme, we understand, will be seriously taken in hand, and as there are many (and manifest) advantages to the town contingent on its success, it is, as we have already stated, likely to receive encouraging and even widespread support.

It will be remembered by many of our readers that at the banquet given by the Mayor of Grimsby in April last, Mr Grotrian, M.P., expressed the hope that Sir Edward Watkin would once more apply himself to the question of tunneling the Humber. Sir Edward Watkin’s reply to the remarks of Mr Grotrian were explicit and encouraging. He declared most emphatically that there were no engineering difficulties to interfere with the successful accomplishment of such a project. But according to Sir Edward’s idea nearly the whole question rests with the people of Hull, who can rid themselves of the anomalous reputation of being “forty miles away from everywhere.”