On the Strood side of the bridge was the ship passage: a channel in width. It was spanned by a swing bridge consisting of six wrought iron girders turning on a cast iron roller path, in diameter with 30 cast iron rollers. The centre wrought iron screw was in diameter. The swing bridge was delicately balanced. The total weight of the swing bridge and roadway was over 300 tonnes, it could have been rotated with ease 90 degrees upriver.
