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Preston Tram Bridge Repair


JohnEW2912

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I can't see any mention of this anywhere on the site. It is I suppose a little tangential to canals.

 

As many of you will know the Lancaster Canal Company's original plan was to take the canal south of Preston to link up with a separate section built between Walton Summit and Chorley, which later became part of the the Leeds and Liverpool route at Johnson's Hillock.  They spent more than planned on the aqueduct over the Lune in Lancaster and had no money for a similar structure over the Ribble in Preston. As a result what was planned to be a temporary tramway was built in 1802 between the Preston terminus and the L&L's Walton Summit branch. The canal was never finished and the tramway itself closed in 1858 as a result of railway competition.

 

The bridge has remained as a much loved feature of Avenham and Miller Parks along the Ribble in Preston until a survey in February 2019 for safety reasons. It has remained closed ever since whilst there have been discussions about whether and how to restore it.

 

This is an article on where we are now, which also has a nice picture of the bridge - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-56153111?fbclid=IwAR2ENexGoPMnbr8rMjIJeF61AhJQlyW0ObPRohm8DAAblmL4vGhWkjaQ9I0. there is a campaign to get thge bridge restored, which currently is at odds with Preston City Council.

 

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13 hours ago, David Mack said:

The tramway closed in 1858, the current concrete bridge supports date from 1935 and the concrete deck from 1966. So it's not really the old tramway bridge!

The use of the tramway was quickly overtaken by railways after they opened between Wigan and Preston, which accounts for the early demise of the tramway. Part of its route near amber ridge was used by a railway. The Ribble bridge is certainly a more modern structure, but it does help preserve the route of the tramway in the Preston area, and provides a useful footpath link between the town and Bamber Bridge. The original road bridge a little downstream was built using an 18th century lottery. Perhaps a new tramroad bridge can be supported by a 21st century lottery.

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  • 5 months later...

As an update regarding the currently closed Tram Bridge at Preston, press release link is below from August 2021:-

 

https://www.lep.co.uk/news/transport/preston-tram-bridge-campaigners-back-call-for-funding-to-restore-connection-to-south-ribble-3349268

 

I am a member of the 'Friends of Tram Bridge' group and volunteer on their committee. We are doing our best to keep up pressure on Preston City Council, to put the Tram Bridge repair or replacement in the next round of levelling up funding.

 

If you want to know more about the history of the bridge and the tram road, I will be leading 2 guided Heritage walks on sat 11th Sept in and around Avenham Park as part of Heritage Open Days.

 .................more info below:-

 

https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/friends-of-tram-bridge

 

Website for the FTB group to go live shortly, and has been on Facebook since 2019 :- https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsoftrambridge

 

 

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