We have carried out vital repairs to re-balance the original cantilever rotary mechanism, enabling the 122-year-old bridge to swing open again for boats.
For the last four years, the two lane road bridge has struggled to open and close successfully, and has recently had to remain fixed in position to carry road traffic over the River Weaver Navigation, as part of the busy one way system around Northwich Town Centre.
Designed by the Weaver Navigation Company's engineer Col J.A. Saner, the 1899 black and white, steel lattice girder bridge originally had wooden decking and weighed about 300 tons. Over the years there have been several modifications to the original design, including the addition of a tarmac road, which means the rollers and foundation piles are now having to support a moving deck of 460 tons – more than 50% greater than they were designed for.
A brief history
Simon Harding, our project manager, said: “Town Bridge and its sister structure Hayhurst Swing Bridge in Northwich used ground-breaking technology when they first opened at the turn of the last century. The Weaver Navigation was in constant use by coastal steamers and barges transporting salt, coal and other goods to the River Mersey, Liverpool Docks and beyond.
“River transport was massively more important than road traffic, which was still dominated by the horse and cart at this time. The control cabin was manned 24 hours a day and the bridge was apparently operated more than 55,000 times in the first 15 years. Compare that with today's largely leisure boating traffic, which requires the bridge to be swung less than 50 times a year, due to the smaller nature of most boats which can safely cruise underneath.
