Bridge 8 On Leigh Branch Of Leeds Liverpool Canal -
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 29.551 W 002° 33.452
30U E 529354 N 5927151
This electrically operated draw bridge was built in 1972 to replace an earlier wooden swing bridge.
Waymark Code: WMQW5E
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 04/04/2016
Views: 1
The main line of the canal is 127.25 miles long and flows from the inland woollen town of Leeds to the coastal sea port of Liverpool, crossing the Pennines along the way. Work on the canal started in 1770 and built in a number of sections and was finally completed in 1816.
This branch off the main line links Wigan to Leigh at the junction with the Bridgewater Canal.
The canal is a broad canal and the maximum dimensions for a boat to be able to travel on the waterway are 62 feet long and 14 feet wide. The maximum headroom is 7 feet and 8 inches. The maximum draught is 3 feet and 7 inches.
The Bridge
The bridge known as Plank Lane Bridge was originally built in 1848 as a wooden manually operated swing bridge. This was subsequently replaced with another wooden swing bridge in 1960. The timber bridge has since been replaced by this lift bridge. This more substantial bridge was needed due to increased traffic levels and it is traffic light controlled. It used to be operated by a bridge keeper only at restricted times but there is now a control panel that can be used by boat users. However it cannot be used at peak traffic times on Monday to Friday 08:00 to 09:30 and 16:30 to 18:00"
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