Metrolink Tram Bridge Over Bridgewater Canal - Manchester, UK - Railroad Bridges on Waymarking.com

The Bridgewater Canal
Manchester was one of the world’s first industrial cities and indeed claims to have started the industrial revolution with the building of the Bridgewater Canal. This canal was the first canal in Britain that did not make use of any existing waterways. It was built by the Duke of Bridgewater to connect his coal mines at Worsley with Manchester and terminated at Castlefield near to the River Medlock. The canal boats were able to carry around ten times more coal than was previously possible by cart. In fact, the canal was so effective that the price of coal in Manchester fell by over half within a year of its opening. This meant that the use of steam power in factories became economically viable.

Manchester Railways In later years a number of railways were built connecting Manchester to other cities. The railways had all been built by different companies approaching the city from different directions.

Because all the railway companies had built the lines independently there was no overall plan to the lines and for many years there was no direct connection across the city centre.

In the 1990s a north south route was opened across the city centre. This was achieved by converting two existing electric railway lines to a light rail system and then connecting the two routes at street level across the city centre. This system was so successful that it was decided to extend the system to other parts of the city.

The first part of this extension was to build a new line that passed through Salford Quays, a regenerated inland dock area with the town of Eccles.

This bridge carries this new extension across the Bridgewater Canal at the point where it leaves the old Manchester and South Junction Railway to head to Salford Quays.

When the Metrolink first opened the livery of the trams and infrastructure was a light blue colour, and the metal girder so this bridge are painted in that colour. Since then the livery of the trams has changed to a bright yellow colour, but this bridge is still painted in the old colour scheme. link

Bridge Type: Girder Bridge Usage: Railroad Moving Bridge: This bridge is static (has no moving pieces)

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