Visited with Enrieb on our crash tour of Manchester. Here's a bit of History:
Designated as No.10A, the cast iron arch railway bridge over the wharves by the Bridgewater Canal at Castlefield forms part of the long brick viaduct taking the Altrincham branch of the Manchester South Junction & Altrincham Railway into Deansgate Station.
The bridge spans 31.9m. Like eight of its siblings (the exception being the Water Street MSJ&AR bridge), it has six cast iron ribs each made in five pieces and bolted together. The ribs are braced with cruciform cast iron sections. The twin railway tracks were carried on cast iron deck plates — the Altrincham line is no longer in use.
The MSJ&A Railway was Manchester's first suburban railway line. The Altrincham branch viaduct had a second cast iron rib arch bridge by Baker, over Egerton Street. It was reconstructed in steel in 1976.
The route of the line ran from Manchester Piccadilly via Oxford Road and Deansgate to Salford. It was one of at least four lines that were laid across the Castlefield Basin in the mid to late 1800s.
Resident engineer: Henry Hemberow
Contractor: John Brogden & Sons
Iron founder: Garforths of Dukinfield
View from the bridge.
I really enjoyed this viaduct, seems a bit crazy they've just lifted all the line and are leaving it to rot!
Designated as No.10A, the cast iron arch railway bridge over the wharves by the Bridgewater Canal at Castlefield forms part of the long brick viaduct taking the Altrincham branch of the Manchester South Junction & Altrincham Railway into Deansgate Station.
The bridge spans 31.9m. Like eight of its siblings (the exception being the Water Street MSJ&AR bridge), it has six cast iron ribs each made in five pieces and bolted together. The ribs are braced with cruciform cast iron sections. The twin railway tracks were carried on cast iron deck plates — the Altrincham line is no longer in use.
The MSJ&A Railway was Manchester's first suburban railway line. The Altrincham branch viaduct had a second cast iron rib arch bridge by Baker, over Egerton Street. It was reconstructed in steel in 1976.
The route of the line ran from Manchester Piccadilly via Oxford Road and Deansgate to Salford. It was one of at least four lines that were laid across the Castlefield Basin in the mid to late 1800s.
Resident engineer: Henry Hemberow
Contractor: John Brogden & Sons
Iron founder: Garforths of Dukinfield
View from the bridge.
I really enjoyed this viaduct, seems a bit crazy they've just lifted all the line and are leaving it to rot!
