West Midlands
GAILEY AQUEDUCT AKA Stretton Aqueduct 1832 Penkridge ,Staffordshire Thomas Telford HEW 228 SJ873 107 (see entry for Stretton Aqueduct)
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WALSALL ROAD AQUEDUCT, 1844 Sandwell, West Midlands N52o 33' 3.9" W1o 58' 39.1"
This bolted iron trough aqueduct with its large brick abutments which support the raised embankment of the Tame Valley Canal (part of the Birmingham Canal Navigation) carries the canal over Walsall Road. It is very similar to it near neighbor the Tame Valley Aqueduct which carries the same canal over Hydes Road. The only difference is that this aqueduct has solid iron parapets instead of the latter's Regency railings which gives it a very fortress-like aspect.
It is tricky to find because it is wedged in a corner by the railway and the surrounding residential neighborhood. Stick to A4031 if you can, although it is not well marked as such or as Walsall Road either.
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TAME VALLEY AQUEDUCT 1844 Sandwell, West Midlands N52o 32' 48.4" W2o 0o 5.8"
The Tame Valley Canal, part of the Birmingham Canal Navigation to day, is carried in a bolted plate iron trough over Hydes Road. It is also locally known as the Hateley Heath Aqueduct. Its massive brick abutments supporting the raised embankment of the canal and its utilitarian aspect would make one think of a later date than this. It is only the 'late Regency" railing along the towpath that conveys the feeling of the era it was built. Could find no authority declaring this to be by Telford and Horseley as are the bridges of the Tame Valley Canal.
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STRETTON AQUEDUCT 1832-5 AKA GAILEY AQUEDUCT Thomas Telford Nr. Gailey, Staffordshire SJ873 107 N52o 41’ 38.9” W2o 11’ 18.2”
To find this very original and charming aqueduct, turn off A449 in Gailey at the Spread Eagle pub onto the A5 heading toward Telford. The aqueduct will cross the A5 (the former Roman road now called Watling Street) in about 2 miles.
Telford designed this cast iron aqueduct as part of his improvements to the Birmingham & Liverpool Junction Canal. It was built by William Hazeldine. The aqueduct itself consists of five sections of six and a half feet bolted together. They are supported by six cast iron arched ribs. To match the boldness of the iron trough, Telford designed masonry stone-capped pillars at both ends of the curved brick abutments. The canal is still in use today and the roadway clearance was increased to provide that required for modern traffic by lowering the road bed in 1961-2.
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Caldon Canal, Hazelhurst Junction Aqueduct
Caldon Canal, Hazelhurst Junction. James Brindley Lock Footbridge
Caldon Canal, Hazelhurst Junction. N53o 4' 52" W2o 4' 46/3" Iron railing on overflow pool. Leek Branch on left.
Caldon Canal Hazelhurst Junction Roving Footbridge
Roving footbridge ramp and canal boat
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- Category: Manchester Area
Croal Viaduct, Bolton
CROAL VIADUCT 1847 Bolton nr. Manchester Lancashire HEW 251 SD722 093 N53o 34' 45.7" W2o 25' 15.2"
This railroad viaduct of many arches originally crossed a road, a river and a canal of which only the road, now a dual-carriageway, has survived - the river being now in a culvert and the canal now filled in. It was designed by Charles Vignoles. There are six masonry arches of thirty six feet each. The iron work in the four main arches of 76 feet are of iron work were cast by Ogle & Son of Preson. There are six ribs cast in three segments. The spandrels are plain with vertical supports and it has transverse bracing tie rods and barrel struts within them. This is a handsome and bold bridge
Also see: Grace's Guide to British Industrial History
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EATON HALL 1824 Cheshire Thomas Telford SJ 418 601 HEW 856 SJ418 601 N52o 47' 30.2" W2o 1' 45.3"
PRIVATE PROPERTY This superbly cast iron single span arched bridge of four ribs which carries the private drive of Eaton Hall over the River Dee a few yards upstream from where the Roman road Watling Street crossed it at a ford. It was designed for the second Earl Grosvenor for his estate beside the village of Eccleston near Chester. It was either designed by Telford or his design for the Craigellachie Bridge was repeated by Hazledine. It is 17 feet wide and spans 150 feet. It has a subtle double horizontal curve and a lovely, crisp gothic design in the spandrels and a graceful, simple railing. It proudly names the team that built it: William Hazeldine, Contractor; William Stuttle, Clerk of Works; William Stuttl, Jr., Founder; William Crosley, Surveyor.
This is a private estate, so permission must be obtained to approach the bridge through the park. On the Chester circle road A55 take A483 exit toward Wexham and immediately turn right onto B5445 and then again immediately another right on to the unnumbered road to Eccleston. In Eccleston at the crossroads square with the cupola tower, take the west road (on the right) and go to the end where you will see the tall gilded iron gates of Eaton Hall and on the left a lane and public footpath to the River Dee. You can walk along the river to the bridge but it must be a good two mile hike.
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CONGLETON AQUEDUCT SJ868 622 N53o 9' 23.9" W2o 12' 5.3" nr. Crewe, Cheshire 1831 Thomas Telford
This is one of a trio of similar iron aqueducts that Telford designed with bold sweeping masonry abutments complementing the iron trough carrying the canal across a road: this one, the nearby Nantwich Aqueduct ,and the Stretton Aqueduct. In this case, it carries the Macclesfield Canal across Canal Street in Congleton.
To find the aqueduct, go into Congleton town center and at the Roundabout, take the road that goes between the Library and Morrison's uphill to Market Street. Take a left there. You will see the masonry tower of the town hall just ahead on your right in the next block. On your right across the street from the town hall is a small lane named Canal Street where you turn and go up the hill about ¾ of a mile to the aqueduct.
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BABYNS PARK BRIDGE at Marple (nr Manchester) 1813 SJ 903901 N53o 24' 31.5" W2o 3' 27.2"
This bridge was built over the River Goyt to carry the private carriage drive into the park of Babyn's Hall, home of Nathaniel Wright whose logo is incorporated into the parapet design. It may have been designed by William Sherratt and was cast by the Salford Iron Company. It has just been completely restored and reinforced with an unfortunate series of barriers and out-of-scale railings by Health and Safety since it is now a public parkland. However, the charming bridge is ready for another 200 years and from the right angle, one can ignore the obtrusive aspects. The Gate Lodge is still beside the bridge.
The bridge has three ribs of two segments whose combined span is 50 feet between the handsome masonry abutments with a width of 12 feet. The spandrels of the arch have the diminishing circle design. The date is crowned with a W motif.
To find the bridge off of the B6104 (Compstall Road), watch for The George pub. Just along to the west of the pub, on the same side of the street, you will see the public footpath sign pointing to a gravel road. The bridge will be about ¼ mile down that pedestrian road.
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WATER STREET RR BRIDGE 1848 Manchester HEW 753 SJ 829 979 N 52o 47' 30.2 W2o 1' 45.3"
This cast iron bridge designed by George Stevenson with a six rib archs which were cast in three pieces and then bolted together at the butted ends. The ribs are dumb-bell shape in section almost seven inches wide and just over two feet in depth at the abutment thinning to just under two feet at the crown. The spandrels are in the X pattern, cruciform in section, and the parapets are "paneled" and decorated cast iron parapets. Cast iron floor plates carry the two tracks and sleepers of the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham RR across Water Street. It spans 50 feet at a slight angle.
You will find this bridge at the junction of Liverpool Road and Water Street beside the Victoria Railroad Station in the heart of Manchester.
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- Category: Manchester Area