Moore Lane Swing Bridge
Carries a little-used road over the Manchester Ship Canal. It is one of several similar bridges in the local area. Sixteen bridges were originally built to cross the new canal, seven being swing road bridges, and one swing aqueduct.
Today, the bridge sees very little traffic. Writing in 1894 'Engineering' observed that 'the subject of our illustration illustrates nothing so much as the power of vested interests and their sanctity in the eyes of a Parliamentary Committee. This great bridge requires to be built in order to accommodate the very insignificant traffic of an ordinary country road, certainly an existing road, but one which leads from nowhere in particular upon one side of the Ship Canal to a similar locality upon the other side.[3]
Constructed by William Arrol and Co, with hydraulic equipment by Armstrong, Mitchell and Co. It was first swung in July 1891.[4]
Edward Leader Williams, Engineer.
Girder length 238 ft. Road width 25 ft. Long/short radius lengths: 140/98 ft. Central height of girders 28 ft. Weight 790 tons. [5]
Note: Old Quay Swing Bridge (Runcorn), 3 miles downstream, is very similar in appearance, but is 2 ft shorter, 5 ft narrower, and weighs 60 tons less.
The bridge is hydraulically operated from the north bank, originally working at 700 psi. The hydraulic motors drive a gear train, with the final drive being through a gear sector bolted to the outside of the annular girder. The Moore Lane pumps were driven by 'petroleum' engines, on account of the remoteness from a towns gas supply. In contrast, the Old Quay bridge pumps were driven by gas engines. The bridge swings on 64 conical rollers.
The bridge was described and illustrated in some detail in Engineering in 1894 [6]
See English Heritage listing entry and Geograph entry
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Engineering 1894/01/26
- ↑ Engineering 1894/01/26
- ↑ Engineering 1891/02/13
- ↑ Warrington Examiner - Saturday 11 July 1891
- ↑ The Engineer 1894/05/25
- ↑ Engineering 1894/01/26