Bridge shines bright

First opened in 1864, the Clifton Suspension Bridge spans some 214 metres across the River Avon linking Clifton in Bristol to Leigh Woods in Somerset.
The Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust wanted to update the existing lighting of the bridge, and wanted the main elements of the bridge (the deck, the chains and the towers) to be treated with concealed light sources wherever possible. In addition it was proposed to include subtle illumination to the adjacent gorge to ‘connect’ the bridge to its surroundings. The Trust also required the new solution to be energy efficient and easily maintained. The length and design of the bridge meant it was important the new lighting system required minimal maintenance in terms of bulb replacement and control of the solution. As a result this would keep maintenance costs down, while the energy efficiency of the solution would help minimise power usage.
An LED system was selected for the chains from which the 214-metre bridge is suspended, for its combination of high-brightness, long life and energy efficiency. Along the length of the chains, over 3,000 white Philips Lumileds Luxeon I LEDs running at 350mA are arranged in groups of three, housed within custom designed luminaires. Each LED projector is focused on a small section of the chain, throwing into relief the giant nuts that connect the links together.