Bridge 71 Over Huddersfield Narrow Canal - 2000 - Dobcross, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 33.372 W 002° 00.449
30U E 565747 N 5934604
This road bridge carries Wool Road over the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and was built in 2000 when the canal was restored and re-opened. It was opened by the Mayor of Oldham.
Waymark Code: WMQZ8R
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 04/18/2016
Views: 4
The Huddersfield Narrow Canal originally opened in 1811 to carry goods across the Pennine Hills between Huddersfield and Ashton-Under-Lyne.
Competition from railways and roads resulted in the canal being closed in 1944.
During the 1960s and 1970s many people became interested in using the canals for leisure and after a number of campaigns work was started restoring various abandoned canals.
Between 1944 and the reopening of this canal, Wool Road had been widened and straightened and the canal filled in. Wool Road so named because there was a canal wharf with a wool transshipment warehouse next to the bridge needed to be modified and this new bridge built when the canal was excavated. This work was completed in 2000 and the old bridge was re-opened on 19th May.
The bridge crosses the canal at an oblique angle and the plaque is difficult to read from the canal towpath. However on the other side of the canal the transshipment warehouse has been renovated and holds the Huddersfield Canal Society offices. The plaque is more visible from that side of the canal, although slightly obscured by trees.
The plaque on the bridge reads ...
Wool Road Bridge
Opened by the Mayor of Oldham,
Councillor John Dillon, on 19th May 2000
as part of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal
Restoration
Councillor John Dillon
He represented the people as Member for Crompton Ward (the western half of Shaw and Crompton and the North East part of Royton for 28 consecutive years. His last term of office expired in May 2015.
His proudest period was at the time of the Millennium when as well as being a councillor he also served the area as Mayor of Oldham.