Doctor's Bridge Over The Bridgewater Canal - Runcorn, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 20.444 W 002° 44.149
30U E 517589 N 5910207
This cast iron single arch bridge carries Greenway Road over the Bridgewater Canal.
Waymark Code: WMQCKB
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/05/2016
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 was originally called Runcorn Bridge until a Railway Bridge was later built with the same name.
There is a carving of a boat on the abutment, possibly a type known as a Mersey Flat that although primarily a river boat with sails used on the River Mersey, was also used on the Bridgewater Canal after it reached Runcorn and joined with the River Mersey.
Other boats on the Bridgewater Canal were towed by horses and where bridges were near to bends, the tow ropes often cut ropes in the bridge abutments. This one is made of sandstone and deep grooves can still be seen.