Acton swing bridge
| Acton swing bridge | |
| Cheshire | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | |
| Carrying: | Road traffic |
| Crossing: | River Weaver |
| Location | |
| Location: | 53°16’48"N, 2°36’3"W |
| Structure | |
| Length: | 275 ft |
| Design: | Swing truss bridge |
| Material: | Steel |
| History | |
| Built 1931-33 | |
| Architect: | John Arthur Saner |
| Information | |
The Acton swing bridge is a swing bridge spanning the River Weaver in the village of Acton Bridge in northern Cheshire. First operated in 1933, it carries the A49 trunk road.
History
The bridge is 275 ft long and 25 ft high bowstring truss balanced swing bridge, based on a 1893 design by John Arthur Saner.[1][2] It has two slightly skew spans of 80 ft each, with the twin riveted steel trusses supported on a mass concrete pontoon chamber.[2]
It was built in an open position between 1931 and 1933 at a cost of £52,000,[2] shutting for the first time on 10 August 1933.[3] The current bridge replaced an older stone bridge which had been able to carry only one line of traffic with an axle weight limit of 8 tons (the first bridge across the Weaver at this point was built in 1751).[3] The current bridge is approximately 100 m north (downstream) of the old bridge's abutments, visible on the river banks from the Leigh Arms car park.[4]
It has been subject to periodic strengthening (e.g. in 1987)[1] and repair (e.g. in 2015).[5] Today the structure of the bridge is maintained by the Canal & River Trust; Cheshire West and Chester Council is responsible for maintaining the A49 road which it carries.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Acton Swing Bridge". http://www.bridgedesign.org.uk/pics/swingbr.html. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Merseyside Bridges: 9. Acton Swing Bridge". http://happypontist.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/merseyside-bridges-9-acton-swing-bridge.html. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "23-Acton Bridge - Weaver Navigation". http://www.movablebridges.org.uk/BridgePage.asp?BridgeNumber=56. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
- ↑ "Acton Swing Bridge". Transport Trust. http://www.transportheritage.com/find-heritage-locations.html?sobi2Task=sobi2Details&sobi2Id=638. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Essential repair work to Acton Swing Bridge". https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/essential-repair-work-to-acton-swing-bridge. Retrieved 30 August 2016.