Warrington Transporter Bridge

Last updated

Warrington Transporter Bridge
Wartranny.jpg
Coordinates 53°23′02″N2°36′27″W / 53.3838°N 2.6075°W / 53.3838; -2.6075
CarriesVehicles
Pedestrians
Crosses River Mersey
Locale Warrington
Other name(s)Bank Quay Transporter Bridge
OwnerWarrington Borough Council
Heritage statusGrade II*
Characteristics
Design Transporter Bridge
MaterialSteel
Total length103 m (339 ft)
Width9 m (30 ft)
Height27 m (89 ft)
Longest span61 m (200 ft)
Clearance below 23 m (76 ft)
History
DesignerWilliam Henry Hunter
Constructed by Sir William Arrol & Co.
Construction start1913
Opened1916
Closed1964
Location
Warrington Transporter Bridge

The Warrington Transporter Bridge (or Bank Quay Transporter Bridge) is a structural steel transporter bridge across the River Mersey in Warrington, Cheshire, England.

Contents

Design

It was designed by William Henry Hunter and built by Sir William Arrol & Co. The bridge has a span of 200 ft (61 m), 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]

History

It was constructed in 1916/7 [2] and fell into disuse in approximately 1964. The 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. In 1953, it was further modified to carry loads of up to 30 long tons (30 tonnes). [1]

It was the second of two transporter bridges across the Mersey at Warrington. The first was erected in 1906 and opened in 1907 [3] slightly to the north of the existing bridge and was later transformed into a pipeline bridge, before it was demolished.

It is one of three remaining such bridges in the UK.

Regeneration

The bridge with signs of disrepair Bank Quay Transporter Bridge.jpg
The bridge with signs of disrepair

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 has been featured on the local BBC News programme, North West Tonight [8] and has set up a website for the bridge [7] along with Facebook and Twitter pages. In 2016, the bridge was nominated for the Institution of Civil Engineers North West Heritage Award. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Mersey</span> Major river emptying into Liverpool Bay

The River Mersey is a major river in North West England. Its name derives from Old English and means "boundary river", possibly referring to its having been a border between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria. For centuries it has formed part of the boundary between the historic counties of Lancashire and Cheshire.

Latchford is a suburb and electoral ward of Warrington, Cheshire, England. It is around one mile south-east of Warrington town centre and has a total resident population of 7,856.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woolston, Cheshire</span> Human settlement in England

Woolston is a settlement and civil parish in the Borough of Warrington in the county of Cheshire, England. Formerly a township called 'Woolston with Martinscroft' within the parish of Warrington, there are two main settlements: Woolston to the west and Martinscroft to the east. Formerly within the historic county of Lancashire, the parish is on the north bank of the River Mersey and takes in Paddington to the south-west. It is bounded by the River Mersey to the south, Bruche and Padgate to the west, Longbarn and Birchwood to the north and Rixton to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiddler's Ferry power station</span> Power station in Warrington, England

Fiddler's Ferry power station is a decommissioned coal fired power station located in Warrington, Cheshire, England. Opened in 1971, the station had a generating capacity of 1,989 megawatts and took water from the River Mersey. After privatisation in 1990, the station was operated by various companies, and from 2004 to 2022 by SSE Thermal. The power station closed on 31 March 2020. The site was acquired by Peel NRE in July 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Runcorn Docks</span> Inland port in Cheshire, England

Runcorn Docks, originally the Bridgewater Docks, is an inland port on the Manchester Ship Canal in the town of Runcorn, Cheshire, England. It is operated by Peel Ports and handles bulk and project cargo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silver Jubilee Bridge</span> Bridge in northwest England

The Silver Jubilee Bridge crosses the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal at Runcorn Gap between Runcorn and Widnes in Halton, England. It is a through arch bridge with a main arch span of 361 yards. It was opened in 1961 as a replacement for the Widnes–Runcorn Transporter Bridge. In 1975–77 the carriageway was widened, after which the bridge was given its official name in honour of the Queen's Silver Jubilee. It carries the A533 road and a cantilevered footway. The bridge is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. The bridge was closed to vehicles for refurbishment upon the opening of the new Mersey Gateway Bridge, but reopened as a toll bridge in February 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elton, Cheshire</span> Human settlement in England

Elton is a village and civil parish in Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire, England, 13 km (8.1 mi) northeast of Chester, between Helsby and Ellesmere Port, near the River Mersey. Its proximity to the Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal have contributed to its industrial character. The village is on the north-western edge of the Cheshire Plain, 2.5 km (1.6 mi) from Stanlow Refinery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warburton, Greater Manchester</span> Human settlement in England

Warburton is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, England. Historically in Cheshire, Warburton lies on the south bank of the River Mersey between the borough of Warrington and Greater Manchester. In the 21st century, the village remains predominantly rural. Altrincham is the nearest town. According to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 286.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Widnes–Runcorn Transporter Bridge</span> Former bridge in northwest England

The Widnes–Runcorn Transporter Bridge crossed the river Mersey and Manchester Ship Canal linking the towns of Runcorn and Widnes. Completed in 1905, it was Britain's first transporter bridge and the largest of its type ever built in the world. It continued in use until 22 July 1961, when it was replaced by a through arch bridge, now known as the Silver Jubilee Bridge. The transporter bridge was then demolished.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Runcorn Railway Bridge</span> Bridge in northwest England

The Runcorn Railway Bridge, Ethelfleda Bridge or Britannia Bridge crosses the River Mersey at Runcorn Gap between Runcorn and Widnes in Cheshire, England. It is alongside the Silver Jubilee Bridge. The bridge is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a Grade II* Listed building.

Joseph Crosfield was a businessman who established a soap and chemical manufacturing business in Warrington, which was in the historic county of Lancashire and is now in the ceremonial county of Cheshire. This business was to become the firm of Joseph Crosfield and Sons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Listed buildings in Widnes</span>

Widnes is an industrial town in the Borough of Halton, Cheshire, England, on the north bank of the River Mersey where it narrows at Runcorn Gap. The town contains 24 buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England as designated listed buildings. Of these, 5 are classified at Grade II*, and the rest are at Grade II; Widnes has no Grade I listed buildings. In the United Kingdom, the term "listed building" refers to a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural, historical, or cultural significance. Listed buildings are categorised in three grades: Grade I consists of buildings of outstanding architectural or historical interest; Grade II* includes particularly significant buildings of more than local interest; Grade II consists of buildings of special architectural or historical interest. Buildings in England are listed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on recommendations provided by English Heritage, which also determines the grading.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warrington Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Warrington, Cheshire, England

Warrington Town Hall is in the town of Warrington, Cheshire, England. It consists of a house, originally called Bank Hall, flanked by two detached service wings at right angles to the house, one on each side. The house and the service wings are each recorded in the National Heritage List for England as designated Grade I listed buildings. Being in that part of the town north of the River Mersey, the house falls within the historic county of Lancashire. The architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner declared it to be "the finest house of its date in south Lancashire".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mersey Gateway Bridge</span> Toll bridge over the River Mersey

The Mersey Gateway Bridge is a toll bridge between Runcorn and Widnes in Cheshire, England, which spans the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal. The crossing, which opened in October 2017, has three traffic lanes in each direction and is approximately 1.5 km east (upstream) of the older Silver Jubilee Bridge. It formed part of a wider project to upgrade the infrastructure around the Mersey crossings that included major civil engineering work to realign the road network, refurbish and add tolling to the Silver Jubilee Bridge, and build new interchanges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warrington</span> Town in Cheshire, England

Warrington is an industrial town in the borough of the same name in Cheshire, England. The town sits on the banks of the River Mersey and until 1974, was part of Lancashire. It is 19 miles (31 km) east of Liverpool, and 18 miles (29 km) west of Manchester.

There are over 9,000 Grade I listed buildings and 20,000 Grade II* listed buildings in England. This page is a list of these buildings in the unitary authority of Warrington in Cheshire, including the town of Warrington and 18 other civil parishes.

Warrington Bridge is the name given to several historical bridges crossing the River Mersey in the town of Warrington, England. The current structure is the sixth to stand in this location and was constructed 1909–15 by Alfred Thorne & Sons. For centuries Warrington Bridge provided the lowest crossing of the Mersey and thus was of strategic and commercial importance. It is located to the south of the present town centre and linked to it via Bridge Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Warrington</span>

The history of Warrington began when it was founded by the Romans at an important crossing place on the River Mersey. The Roman name for the settlement is not known but there is speculation that it could have been Veratinum which is listed as a Roman habitation in the area during the occupation period. A new settlement was established by the Saxon Wærings. By the Middle Ages, Warrington had emerged as a market town at the lowest bridging point of the river. A local tradition of textile and tool production dates from this time. The expansion and urbanisation of Warrington coincided with the Industrial Revolution, particularly after the Mersey was made navigable in the 18th century. Warrington became a manufacturing town and a centre of steel, textiles, brewing, tanning and chemical industries.

Messrs. Crosfield’s Transporter Bridge was a transporter bridge in Warrington, England, United Kingdom at 53°23′11.72″N2°36′22.96″W, which was built by Mr. James Newall for the factory Messrs. Joseph Crosfield and Son in 1905 for the realisation of an interconnection of a new part of the factory south of Mersey river with the existing factory part north of Mersey river in 1905.

References

  1. 1 2 Rennison, p. 267
  2. still under construction at January 1917 (Liverpool Echo 3 January 1917)
  3. Runcorn Examiner 18 May 1907
  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. 1 2 "Warrington Transporter Bridge", Friends of Warrington Transporter Bridge, retrieved 14 June 2015
  8. "Warrington Transporter Bridge on North West Tonight", YouTube, archived from the original on 22 December 2021, retrieved 18 June 2015
  9. North West - civil engineering awards, Institution of Civil Engineers , retrieved 15 February 2016
Bibliography