Warrington

Warrington Transporter Bridge – Warrington – United Kingdom

The Warrington transporter bridge is a steel structure that crosses the river Mersey at Warrington, in the county of Cheshire (England). It was built in 1916 to connect two parts of a large chemicals complex amd was later used to transport vehicles until 1964, the year it was decommissioned. It is presently in the UK’s Heritage at Risk Register. The FoWTB (Friends of Warrington Transporter Bridge) association and Warrington Town Council are trying to recover the bridge and showcase it.

History

There was another transporter bridge over the river Mersey, just to the north of this one. The other bridge, built in 1905, no longer exists.

The second bridge was designed to transport the production of the large chemicals and soap company Joseph Crosfield and Sons. The company had a cement plant on the peninsula that formed the meander of the river at the site. The bridge was therefore designed to transport railway wagons to transfer the cement production from the peninsula to the main railway line. The return trip was used to carry the fuel required by the plant.

It was designed by William Henry Hunter and built by Sir William Arrol & Co. The construction work started in 1913 and finished in 1916, the year it was opened.

Photos produced with kind permission of Unilever from original in Unilever archives

Conservation

1940. Converted for use by road vehicles.

1964 (approximately). Ceased operations.

1964-1970. It was maintained as an emergency exit from the area until the 1970s, when a road bridge was built.

1975. It is registered in the National Heritage List of England as a Grade II* listed building.

Current situation. Due to its poor condition, the bridge is in the UK’s Heritage at Risk Register. Warrington Town Council is managing the structure (it has the concession until 2027) and is studying its future use. A local group called ‘Friends of Warrington Transporter Bridge’ (FOWTB) was set up in April 2015 to act as an independent voice for the bridge. The group has links with other interest groups to safeguard the bridge’s future. Minor repairs have been carried out to avoid illegal access to the structure and to determine any premature deterioration, by removing surface elements of the bridge.

The bridge in figures

Distance between towers: 61 metres
Gondola crossing time:

Weight:
Length of gondola:

Height of the towers: 27 metres
Height of the platform over the water: 23 metres

Gallery

Have a look at this detailed video of the state of the bridge. You can see the far side that is not accessible by the public.
Publicada por Save Warrington Transporter Bridge/FOWTB en Domingo, 10 de mayo de 2015

Practical info

Given that the bridge has been out of service for many years, it cannot be crossed although it can be visited. A large information panel is located near Warrington Hall Town, plus signage to help people find the transporter bridge.

Just follow the brown signs down Slutchers Lane, park your vehicle and continue on foot. An alternative is the footpath through the building works at Quay Fold. A line painted on the ground shows the way.

To check for any changes to this information, visit the website before organising your visit.

Official website: http://www.warringtontransporterbridge.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaveWarringtonTransporterBridge

Twitter: @WtonTransporter

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