Brown's Bridge No 2 Over The Cromford Canal - High Peak Junction, UK
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member dtrebilc
N 53° 06.019 W 001° 31.980
30U E 598219 N 5884436
This swing bridge over the Cromford Canal gives access across the canal to a former transhipment wharf on the Cromford and High Peak railway.
Waymark Code: WM117X2
Location: East Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 09/02/2019
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Bear and Ragged
Views: 1


"The Cromford Canal ran 14.5 miles (23.3 kilometres) from Cromford to the Erewash Canal in Derbyshire, England with a branch to Pinxton. Built by William Jessop with the assistance of Benjamin Outram, its alignment included four tunnels and 14 locks.

From Cromford it ran south following the 275-foot (84 m) contour line along the east side of the valley of the Derwent to Ambergate, where it turned eastwards along the Amber valley. It turned sharply to cross the valley, crossing the river and the Ambergate to Nottingham road, by means of an aqueduct at Bullbridge, before turning towards Ripley. From there the Butterley Tunnel took it through to the Erewash Valley.

From the tunnel it continued to Ironville, the junction for the branch to Pinxton, and then descended through fourteen locks to meet the Erewash Canal at Langley Mill. The Pinxton Branch became important as a route for Nottinghamshire coal, via the Erewash, to the River Trent and Leicester and was a terminus of the Mansfield and Pinxton Railway.

A 6-mile (9.7 km) long section of the Cromford canal between Cromford and Ambergate is listed as a Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Local Nature Reserve.

In addition to purely canal traffic, there was a lively freight interchange with the Cromford and High Peak Railway, which traversed the plateau of the Peak District from Whaley Bridge in the north west, and which descended to the canal at High Peak Junction by means of an inclined plane." link

Much of the canal is no longer in water but this 6 mile section from Cromford still has water.

The Friends of the Cromford Canal has been formed as a charitable organisation whose aim is to see the restoration of the Cromford Canal for the benefit of the general public. They run a boat trip between Cromford and Leawood Pump House which requires this bridge to be opened.

The Bridge
"Tim Lewis spotted this swing bridge over the Cromford Canal close to the workshops of the Cromford and High Peak Railway, adjacent to High Peak Junction. This bridge is not marked as a movable structure on any OS maps that I can find but Hugh Potter assures me that it has always been there as far as the Friends of the Cromford Canal are aware. Hugh reports that the bridge was rebuilt in April 2011 and everything was replaced except the ball race. It is opened on the annual World Heritage days when the 'Friends' run a horse boat from Cromford to Leawood. John Powell reports that the bridge has a span of 11ft 3 inches." link
Bridge Type: Swing Bridge

Built: 04/01/2011

Span: 11 feet 3 inches

Pedestrian Traffic: yes

Bicycle Traffic: yes

Vehicular Traffic: yes

Railway Traffic: no

Visit Instructions:
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