The bridge was officially opened by the late Almarhum DYMM Sultan Idris Murshidul Adzam Shah I, the Sultan of Perak at that time, in a ceremony also attended by Sir Frank Swettenham, the first resident general of the Federated Malay States.

[2][3][4][5] Spanning the Perak River, the bridge was linked to a railway line to Sungai Siput and Kuala Kangsar and served to transport natural resources from Perai in the north to Singapore in the south for export.

The Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) is a federal statutory body under the Ministry of Transport.

[1] While the old Victoria Bridge is closed to rail traffic, its adjoining footbridge is still publicly open to motorcycles and pedestrians.

[9] The Victoria Bridge has become a minor tourist attraction, with signage set up to inform visitors about its history.