Originally Posted by
Freehills
Survivorship bias. We think Victorian engineers built well, because the stuff that still stands was obviously built well. The ****ty back to backs, bridges etc. that fell down or needed to be replaced, you don't see anymore.
Story is that when some girders from the Clifton Suspension Bridge were replaced, it being felt the originals had been there long enough, on testing the originals were found to be rather stronger than the modern replacements that had just been put in.