Bridgewater Canal Chester Road Underbridge - Walton, UK
Posted by: dtrebilc
N 53° 21.526 W 002° 36.697
30U E 525848 N 5912251
This brick built single arch bridge is an aqueduct carrying the Bridgewater Canal over the old line of the A56 road to Chester. From the point of view of the canal, which names the bridge, it is therefore an underbridge.
Waymark Code: WMQBZG
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/01/2016
Views: 1
The Bridgewater Canal
"The Bridgewater Canal connects Runcorn, Manchester and Leigh, in North West England. It was commissioned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, to transport coal from his mines in Worsley to Manchester. It was opened in 1761 from Worsley to Manchester, and later extended from Manchester to Runcorn, and then from Worsley to Leigh.
Often considered to be the first "true" canal in England, as it relied upon existing watercourses as sources of water rather than as navigable routes. Navigable throughout its history, it is one of the few canals in Britain not to have been nationalised, and remains privately owned. Pleasure craft now use the canal which forms part of the Cheshire Ring network of canals."
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The Bridge
This bridge is a Historic England Grade II listed building with following text. "Aqueduct circa 1770, by James Brindley for the Duke of Bridgewater, of stone-dressed brick. The deep segmental arch on walls with a slight concave batter, dips towards the centre beneath the canal. The intrados has 3 projecting stone bands which terminate as keystones. The splayed brick abutments, battered in section, have plain projecting copings of stone and a flush stone band at the level of the arch springers. A raised sandstone pavement on west side of road beneath the archway. Plain C20 brick parapet to towpath on north bank."
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On most UK canals the bridges are numbered, but on the Bridgewater Canal they are named, the style of the nameplates is white background with green lettering.
Chester Road is a major route between Warrington and Chester and modern road traffic far surpasses the volumes that this very narrow bridge can cope with. A modern concrete road bridge has been built over the canal carrying a dual carriageway road and is visible from the canal towpath at this underbridge.