Bridge 136 Over Shropshire Union Canal - Stoak, UK
Posted by: dtrebilc
N 53° 15.053 W 002° 51.930
30U E 508973 N 5900188
This brick built single span arch bridge carries a small track over the Shropshire Union Canal.
Waymark Code: WMWBBX
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/07/2017
Views: 2
The Shropshire and Union Canal
The first part of the canal between Ellesmere Port and Chester was started in 1795 and then later extended.
"The canal lies in the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire in the north-west midlands of England. It links the canal system of the West Midlands, at Wolverhampton, with the River Mersey and Manchester Ship Canal at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, 66 miles (106 km) distant.
The "SU main line" runs southeast from Ellesmere Port on the River Mersey to the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at Autherley Junction in Wolverhampton. Other links are to the Llangollen Canal (at Hurleston Junction), the Middlewich Branch (at Barbridge Junction), which itself connects via the Wardle Canal with the Trent and Mersey Canal, and the River Dee (in Chester). With two connections to the Trent and Mersey (via the Middlewich Branch and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal) the SU is part of an important circular and rural holiday route called the Four Counties Ring.
The SU main line was the last trunk narrow canal route to be built in England. It was not completed until 1835 and was the last major civil engineering accomplishment of Thomas Telford."
link
The bridge
The bridge originally carried Picton Lane into the village of Stoak. However the bridge is single file and as traffic levels increased a modern concrete road bridge was built very close to this bridge.
The modern bridge made this bridge redundant other than it provides access to the canal towpath for pedestrians and cyclists.
The bridge is a Historic England Grade II Listed Building.
"4/37 Picton Lane Bridge (136) 17.6.82. II
Bridge, c1795 over the Shropshire Union (Ellesmere) Canal. Of the canal company's standard design for minor road bridges. Brown brick, English bond. Arch of slightly more than semi-ellipse. 2-course plain brick band at road level. Plain near-flush sandstone coping on parapet. Abutments have marked batter. Converted to footbridge in later C20th when a separate road bridge was built.
"
link