Acton swing bridge

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Acton swing bridge
Acton swing bridge.jpg
Coordinates 53°16′48″N2°36′03″W / 53.279882°N 2.600702°W / 53.279882; -2.600702 Coordinates: 53°16′48″N2°36′03″W / 53.279882°N 2.600702°W / 53.279882; -2.600702
CarriesRoad traffic
Crosses River Weaver
Locale Cheshire, England
Characteristics
Design Swing truss bridge
Material Steel
Total length83.5 metres (274 ft)
History
Constructed by John Arthur Saner (design)
Opened10 August 1933 (1933-08-10)

The Acton swing bridge is a swing bridge spanning the River Weaver in the village of Acton Bridge in north Cheshire, England. First operated in 1933, it carries the A49 trunk road.

Swing bridge movable bridge that has a vertical locating pin and support ring about which the turning span can pivot horizontally

A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its center of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right. Small swing bridges as found over canals may be pivoted only at one end, opening as would a gate, but require substantial underground structure to support the pivot.

River Weaver river in Cheshire, England

The River Weaver is a river, navigable in its lower reaches, running in a curving route anti-clockwise across west Cheshire, northern England. Improvements to the river to make it navigable were authorised in 1720 and the work, which included eleven locks, was completed in 1732. An unusual clause in the enabling Act of Parliament stipulated that profits should be given to the County of Cheshire for the improvement of roads and bridges, but the navigation was not initially profitable, and it was 1775 before the first payments were made. Trade continued to rise, and by 1845, over £500,000 had been given to the county.

Acton Bridge village and civil parish in Cheshire, England

Acton Bridge is a village and civil parish in Cheshire, England. Located within the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester on the River Weaver, it is near the Trent and Mersey Canal at approximately 53˚ 16′ N, 2˚ 36′ W. It has a population of 602, increasing to 631 at the 2011 Census. Acton Bridge is served by its own railway station, operated by London Northwestern.

Contents

History

The bridge is 83.5 m long and 8 m high bowstring truss balanced swing bridge, based on an 1893 design by John Arthur Saner. [1] [2] It has two slightly skew spans of 25 m 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]

Canal & River Trust charitable trust that looks after the waterways of England and Wales

Canal & River Trust holds the guardianship of in the order of 2,000 miles of canals and rivers, together with reservoirs and a wide range of heritage buildings and structures, in England and Wales. Launched on 12 July 2012, the Trust took over the responsibilities of the state-owned British Waterways.

Cheshire West and Chester Council

Cheshire West and Chester Council is the local authority of Cheshire West and Chester. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It provides a full range of local government services including Council Tax billing, libraries, social services, processing planning applications, waste collection and disposal, and it is a local education authority. The council was first elected on 1 May 2008, a year before coming into its legal powers on 1 April 2009. After an election in May 2019, no party holds overall control.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "Acton Swing Bridge". Bridge Design and Assessment. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 "Merseyside Bridges: 9. Acton Swing Bridge". The Happy Pontist. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  3. 1 2 "23-Acton Bridge - Weaver Navigation". Movable Bridges in the British Isles. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Acton Swing Bridge". Heritage Locations. Transport Trust. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Essential repair work to Acton Swing Bridge". Canal River Trust. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
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