Bridges

The swinging section of the Barrow Viaduct on the former Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford branch railway to New Ross and Waterford. This bridge over the tidal River Barrow has been retained for use as part of the New Ross Greenway.

Tower Road lift bridge, Birkenhead docks. This replaced a Scherzer rolling bridge a few years ago.

The Warrington Transporter Bridge has been out of use since 1964 and is deteriorating quite quickly even though it is listed Grade II* and is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It 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. Initially it carried railway trucks up to 18 tons in weight but was converted for road vehicles in 1940 and upgraded to 30 ton weight limit in 1953. The double steel cantilevers on each tower support a central 200ft span of riveted mild steel plates and angles. The overall length of the structure is 339ft and it provides 76ft clearance at high water. It was designed by William Henry Hunter, and built by contractor Sir William Arrol. It is now owned by Warrington Borough Council, which may not augur too well for the long term security of the structure. Fortunately a 'Friends' group has been formed to try and secure the future of the bridge.

Work on the third crossing of the Yare at Great Yarmouth commenced in January 2021 with completion expected in late summer 2023. The lift bridge will provide access to the port and enterprise zone enabling road traffic to avoid the town centre.

Haven Bridge over the River Yare above South Quay in Great Yarmouth was opened by HRH Prince of Wales on 21st October 1930. This double bascule bridge replaced an earlier Haven Bridge that was opened to the public on October 21st 1854. There has been a bridge on this site since at least 1427.

Greater Anglia FLIRT unit 755336 crosses the swingbridge over the Yare at Reedham with a train from Lowestoft to Norwich. This bridge sees constant action as the river is busy with boat traffic.

Detail of the west side of the Warrington Transporter Bridge. An interesting feature is the siting of a Second World War firewatcher's shelter on the end. This heavy steel plate structure was installed in order to provide some protection from shrapnel for the firewatchers who were there to protect the nearby factories from incendiary bombs. It will have contained a seat and small shelf with, almost certainly, a telephone. This example appears to be a locally made item rather than the 'Consol' firewatching shelter which was sold for the purpose to a range of businesses.

The Leamington Lift Bridge crosses the Union Canal near its terminus at Lochrin Basin in Edinburgh. The bridge was installed around 1906 where Fountainbridge crossed the canal replacing a previous bridge built in 1869. When the canal was shortened in 1922 to make Lochrin Basin the terminus it was moved to its present site to replace a wooden drawbridge. It fell out of use by the 1960s, but as part of the Millennium Link project to restore the Union Canal, it required to be restored at least to allow boats to pass. A report published in the year 2000 had suggested fixing it permanently open, but the decision was taken to restore it to full working order.

Eastern half of the swinging footbridge over the channel between Gladstone and Alexandra docks, Liverpool. I suspect it hasn't been swung for quite a while.

Rolling bascule bridge in the dock complex at Dunkerque.

The Duke Street Scherzer Rolling Bascule Bridge at Birkenhead spans the channel between East Float and West Float. It replaced a swing bridge in the 1930s.

Lifting bridge over the chamber of the river lock at the entrance to Gloucester Docks.

Railway swing bridge carrying the Bord na Mona line across the Grand Canal west of the village of Pollagh. The closure of the Irish peat railways has now rendered this bridge redundant.