Abandoned Railway Bridge Over Leeds Liverpool Canal - Thackley, UK
Posted by: dtrebilc
N 53° 50.613 W 001° 43.073
30U E 584354 N 5966877
This bridge used to carry the Leeds - Bradford line over the Leeds Liverpool Canal until it was replaced by a wider one that carried four tracks rather than two.
Waymark Code: WMHVTJ
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/17/2013
Views: 1
The
Leeds and Bradford Railway (L&BR) was formed in 1843 to bring the railway to Bradford: the line opened on 1 July 1846. The company was always closely allied with the Midland Railway, and within ten years the L&BR had been absorbed into the Midland, and disappeared.
The engineer in charge of the project was George Stephenson, who had been one of the engineers for the NMR's line. He routed the line up the Aire valley to Shipley, and then south up Bradforddale to Bradford — the only reasonably flat approach to Bradford.
There are two bridges very close together here and this Bradford City website about the area has this
information
"In the early 20th century the railway was widened from 2 lines to 4 lines, necessitating the widening of the tunnel, embankment and the construction of the second bridge. The older pair of lines has since been
closed and the rails removed and as such, the northern bridge is
maintained, while the southern bridge has been allowed to
deteriorate, though both of these riveted iron bridges are rusty
and neglected." This is the southern abandoned bridge.
Near to this point the canal tow path shares a track leading to fields and the bridge has to cross this track as well as the canal.
As far as the Leeds Liverpool Canal is concerned this is bridge 212A.