Southall Road Bridge Over The Silkin Way - Stirchley, UK
Posted by: dtrebilc
N 52° 39.062 W 002° 27.170
30U E 537015 N 5833593
This single arch brick bridge was built to carry Southall Road over the Coalport Branch of the London and North Western Railway which is now a rails to trails route.
Waymark Code: WMZ5H0
Location: West Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 09/13/2018
Views: 2
The Railway Line
"The Coalport branch line was a standard gauge London and North Western Railway branch line in Shropshire, England, which ran between Hadley Junction near Oakengates on the Stafford to Shrewsbury line and a terminus at Coalport East railway station on the north bank of the River Severn at Coalport.
The 8-mile (13 km) branch line opened on 17 June 1861. Passenger services were little used, with the line’s existence being mainly supported by freight traffic. There were sidings at locations including Blists Hill Ironworks and the Coalport China factory of John Rose and Co.
The line was closed to passengers in 1952 and to regular freight on 5 December 1960; it finally closed to even sporadic traffic on 6 July 1964.
The Silkin Way
Four miles of the former trackbed now form part of the Silkin Way, a cycling and walking route managed by Telford and Wrekin Council. It runs south of the former Malins Lee railway station to just south of the former Coalport East railway station."
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The Bridge
The bridge made of brick has a single arch and carries Southall Road over the Silkin Way, the route of the former railway.
The bridge is a skew bridge crossing the Silkin way at an acute angle. The central part of the bridge has been repaired with new bricks and the arch lined with concrete.