Warrington Transporter Bridge
| Warrington Transporter Bridge | |
| Lancashire, Cheshire | |
|---|---|
 The Warrington Transporter Bridge | |
| Location | |
| Crossing: | River Mersey |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SJ59698761 |
| Location: | 53°23’2"N, 2°36’27"W |
| Structure | |
| Length: | 339 feet Main span: 200 feet |
| Design: | Transporter Bridge |
| Material: | Steel |
| History | |
| Built 1913 | |
| Information | |
| Owned by: | Warrington Borough Council |
The Warrington Transporter Bridge (or Bank Quay Transporter Bridge) is a structural steel transporter bridge across the River Mersey downstream of Warrington town centre, Lancashire. The river here describes a tight loop, producing a 'peninsula' on the south bank: in its day, the bridge carried loads from the town's industrial site at Bank Quay on the northern, Lancashire, bank over to the works on the peninsula, which is in Cheshire.
This is one of very few surviving transporter bridges in the United Kingdom, but is not now in operation.
Design
The bridge was designed by William Henry Hunter and built by Sir William Arrol & Co.[1] The bridge has a span of 200 feet,[1] is 30 feet wide, and stands 76 feet above high water level, to permit ships to sail beneath. It has an overall length of 339 feet and a total height of 89 feet.[1]
History
The Transporter Bridge was built in 1915[1] and fell into disuse in approximately 1964. It was constructed to connect the two parts of the large chemical and soap works of Joseph Crosfield and Sons. It was originally designed to carry rail vehicles up to 18 tons in weight, and was converted for road vehicles in 1940.[1] In 1953 it was further modified to carry loads of up to 30 tons.[1]
This was the second of two transporter bridges across the Mersey at Warrington. The first was erected in 1905 slightly to the north of the existing bridge, and was described in The Engineer in 1908.[2] A third transporter bridge over the Mersey was the Widnes-Runcorn Transporter Bridge, built in 1905[3] and dismantled in 1961.
The structure lifted loads high up to a gantry over the river, where they cross to the other bank to be lowered again to ground level; as with other transporter bridges, the intent is to avoid impeding navigation on the river, the Mersey being tidal and navigable up to Warrington Bridge.
Since the bridge ceased operation, a low-level bridge has been built just upstream of it for access from Bank Quay to the loop (the Bank Quay Trading Estate Bridge) and the recent Forrest Way Bridge, a road bridge downstream.
Regeneration
The bridge is a Grade II* listed structure,[4] and because of its poor condition it is on the Heritage at Risk Register.[5] Further, the bridge is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[6]
A local group called 'Friends of Warrington Transporter Bridge' was formed in April 2015 to act as the independent voice of the bridge. The group is liaising with other interest groups to safeguard the future of the bridge and its industrial heritage status.[7] The Friends have been featured on the local BBC News programme North West Tonight[8] and have set up a website for the bridge along with social media pages.
In 2016, the bridge was nominated for the Institution of Civil Engineers North West Heritage Award.[9]
Outside links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Rennison, p. 267
- ↑ "A New Transporter Bridge at Warrington" (PDF), The Engineer: 341, 3 April 1908, http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/images/9/97/Er19080403.pdf, retrieved 1 December 2012
- ↑ Thompson, p. 30
- ↑ National Heritage List 1139433: Transporter Bridge to part of Joseph Crosfield and Sons Ltd's works, Warrington (Grade II* listing)
- ↑ Bank Quay transporter bridge, Warrington – Register of Heritage at Risk (Historic England)
- ↑ National Heritage List 1006768: Bank Quay Transporter Bridge, Warrington (Scheduled ancient monument entry)
- ↑ Warrington Transporter Bridge: Friends of Warrington Transporter Bridge
- ↑ Warrington Transporter Bridge on North West Tonight - YouTube
- ↑ North West - civil engineering awards, Institution of Civil Engineers, https://www.ice.org.uk/near-you/uk/north-west/awards/north-west-civil-engineering-awards, retrieved 15 February 2016
- Rennison, R.W.: 'Civil Engineering Heritage: Northern England' (Thomas Telford Publishing, 1996) 2nd edn. ISBN 0-7277-2518-1
- Thompson, Dave: 'Bridging the Years' (MailBook Publishing, 2000)
| Bridges and crossings on the River Mersey | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mersey Gateway | Forrest Way Bridge | Factory Lane Pipe Bridge | Transporter Bridge | Bank Quay Trading Estate Bridge | Eastford Road Railway Bridges | Centre Park Link Bridge |