Warrington Transporter Bridge

Warrington Transporter Bridge
Coordinates 53°23′02″N 2°36′27″W / 53.3838°N 2.6075°W / 53.3838; -2.6075Coordinates: 53°23′02″N 2°36′27″W / 53.3838°N 2.6075°W / 53.3838; -2.6075
Carries Vehicles
Pedestrians
Crosses River Mersey
Locale Warrington
Other name(s) Bank Quay Transporter Bridge
Owner Warrington Borough Council
Heritage status Grade II*
Characteristics
Design Transporter Bridge
Material Steel
Total length 103 m (339 ft)
Width 9 m (30 ft)
Height 27 m (89 ft)
Longest span 61 m (200 ft)
Clearance below 23 m (76 ft)
History
Designer William Henry Hunter
Constructed by Sir William Arrol & Co.
Construction start 1913
Opened 1916
Closed 1964

The Warrington Transporter Bridge (or Bank Quay Transporter Bridge) across the River Mersey is a structural steel transporter bridge. The bridge has a span of 200 ft (61 m),[1] is 30 ft (9.1 m) wide, 76 ft (23 m) feet above high water level, with an overall length of 339 ft (103 m) feet and a total height of 89 ft (27 m).[1] It was constructed in 1915[1] and fell into disuse in approximately 1964. It was designed by William Henry Hunter and built by Sir William Arrol & Co.[1]

It 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 Warrington Transporter Bridge 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 long tons (18 tonnes) in weight, and was converted for road vehicles in 1940.[1] In 1953 it was further modified to carry loads of up to 30 long tons (30 tonnes).[1]

The bridge is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building,[4] and because of its poor condition it is on the Heritage at Risk Register.[5] The bridge is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[6]

A local group called 'Friends of Warrington Transporter Bridge' (FoWTB) 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] FoWTB have been featured on the local BBC News programme North West Tonight[8] and have set up a website for the bridge[9] along with Facebook and Twitter pages. In 2016, the bridge was nominated for the Institution of Civil Engineers North West Heritage Award.[10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rennison, p. 267
  2. ↑ "A New Transporter Bridge at Warrington" (PDF), The Engineer, p. 341, 3 April 1908, retrieved 1 December 2012
  3. ↑ Thompson, p. 30
  4. ↑ Historic England, "Transporter Bridge to part of Joseph Crosfield and Sons Ltd's works, Warrington (1139433)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 28 August 2012
  5. ↑ Bank Quay Transporter Bridge, Warrington, English Heritage, retrieved 28 August 2012
  6. ↑ Historic England, "Bank Quay Transporter Bridge, Warrington (1006768)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 28 August 2012
  7. ↑ "Warrington Transporter Bridge". Friends of Warrington Transporter Bridge. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  8. ↑ "Warrington Transporter Bridge on North West Tonight". YouTube. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  9. ↑ "Warrington Transporter Bridge official website". Friends of Warrington Transporter Bridge. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  10. ↑ North West - civil engineering awards, Institution of Civil Engineers, retrieved 15 February 2016
Bibliography

  • Rennison, R.W., "Civil Engineering Heritage : Northern England", Thomas Telford Publishing, 2nd edn., 1996, ISBN 0-7277-2518-1
  • Thompson, Dave, "Bridging the Years", MailBook Publishing, 2000
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