Warrington Transporter Bridge
Large structural steel transporter bridge across the River Mersey - the world's only remaining RAIL and road transporter bridge, having been used to carry wagons of cement from the works to the main line.
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4 Liverpool Road, Warrington, WA5 1AB
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Visit website
The Warrington Transporter Bridge (also known as Bank Quay Transporter Bridge or Crosfield's Transporter Bridge) was opened across the tidal River Mersey in 1916, at a cost of £34,000, to connect parts of the Joseph Crosfield and Son Ltd soap and chemical works. It was originally one of two such bridges at this location, the other having been built in 1905. Initially it carried railway trucks up to 18 tonnes in weight but was converted for road vehicles in 1940 and upgraded to 30 tonne weight limit in 1953.
The double steel cantilevers on each tower support a central 61m (200 ft) span of riveted mild steel plates and angles. The overall length of the structure is 103 m (339 ft) and it provides 23 m (76 ft) clearance at high water. It was designed by William Henry Hunter, and built by contractor Sir William Arrol and although it has been out of use since about 1964, it is still standing.
The bridge is listed by English Heritage as Grade II* but is currently on their Buildings at Risk Register because of its poor condition and deteriorating ironwork. It is also a Scheduled Monument. The bridge is preserved under a 50 year lease in possession of Warrington Borough Council (expires 2027). The gondola remains intact. Rail tracks are still there on the gondola and leading to the bridge.
Interested people should join the 'Friends' of the bridge to increase the public pressure to preserve the bridge - see website link below.
Text and photos from Friends of Warrington Transporter Bridge, aerial photo from Googlemaps - with thanks.
By road: On Factory Lane off A5061
Access on foot only from Old Liverpool Road or Slutchers Lane
For details of how to find the bridge on foot click here
Forbes, N. N., Transporter Bridges, Light Railway, ISBN-10: 0900433345 (1970)
Norrie, Charles Matthew, Bridging The Years: A Short History of British Civil Engineering, Edward Arnold, ASIN: B0000CJJ7M (1956)
Rennison, R.W., Civil Engineering Heritage : Northern England, Thomas Telford, ISBN 07277-2518-1 (1996)
Thompson, Dave, Bridging the Years, MailBook Publishing, (2000)
Tyrrell, Henry Grattan, Transporter Bridges, Kessinger Publishing, ISBN-10: 0548505454 (2007)