Road Bridge Over Bridgewater Canal - Worsley, UK - Arch Bridges on Waymarking.com

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." link

Worsley Road Bridge
Although the mining of coal at Worlsey was carried without the aid of mechanical power a series of under ground canals were used to transport the coal out of the mine. These canals had a dual purpose,one to transport the coal but also to aid drainage. There were canals at a number of different levels in the mine and boats were hauled between these level along inclined planes.

When the Bridgewater Canal was built to connect Worsley to Manchester, it was connected on to the small canals that exited the mines.

Worsley Road crosses the arms of the small mine canals before the main junction with the Bridgewater Canal. It became an English Heritage Grade II listed building in 1987 and the listing tells us that.
"Originally c.1760 but successively rebuilt, repaired and enlarged in C19 and C20. Dressed stone, brick, ashlar and iron railings. To west of No. 3 Worsley Road are 2 arches: the first is a small semi-circular brick arch designed to accommodate M boats from the mine before trans- shipment, the second a large blind segmental brick arch with stone band, constructed when the road was widened and raised in level. 2 similar arches, one blind and one open, occur-to the east of No. 3. Above the arches is built up in brick, stone or in some places rock and the parapet is either brick with a round-topped stone coping or iron railings spanning between shaped ashlar posts with caps." link

What type of traffic does this bridge support?: Motor vehicles, bikes and pedestrians What kind of gap does this bridge cross?: Arms on the Bridgewater Canal Date constructed: 1760 Is the bridge still in service for its original purpose?: yes Name of road or trail the bridge services: Worsley Road Location: Worsley, Greater Manchester Length of bridge: Not listed Height of bridge: Not listed

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