Help Needed: "Bridge 46" Bridgewater Canal

[MartinClark]

Here's a little puzzle for you...

 

I have been asked by Runcorn Police if I can help to locate an area of "new woodland near to Bridge 46" of the Bridgewater Canal.

 

My Nicholsons shows me that Bridge 46 is on the Leigh Branch in Trafford Park, just south of Barton Aqueduct, and there is certainly no woodland there!

 

The bridges along the Runcorn Arm of the canal are numbered 68 to 89. I am wondering whether "Bridge 46" is a reference to a historic numbering of the bridges. I wonder whether anyone here knows whether the bridges were originally numbered differently or whether "Bridge 46" means anything to people locally.

 

Suggestions welcome!

Edited May 18, 2012 by MartinClark

[Timleech]

Here's a little puzzle for you...

 

I have been asked by Runcorn Police if I can help to locate an area of "new woodland near to Bridge 46" of the Bridgewater Canal.

 

My Nicholsons shows me that Bridge 46 is on the Leigh Branch in Trafford Park, just south of Barton Aqueduct, and there is certainly no woodland there!

 

The bridges along the Runcorn Arm of the canal are numbered 68 to 89. I am wondering whether "Bridge 46" is a reference to a historic numbering of the bridges. I wonder whether anyone here knows whether the bridges were originally numbered differently or whether "Bridge 46" means anything to people locally.

 

Suggestions welcome!

 

I thought that historically they were all named rather than numbered?

 

Tim

[STUBAG]

Here's a little puzzle for you...

 

I have been asked by Runcorn Police if I can help to locate an area of "new woodland near to Bridge 46" of the Bridgewater Canal.

 

My Nicholsons shows me that Bridge 46 is on the Leigh Branch in Trafford Park, just south of Barton Aqueduct, and there is certainly no woodland there!

 

The bridges along the Runcorn Arm of the canal are numbered 68 to 89. I am wondering whether "Bridge 46" is a reference to a historic numbering of the bridges. I wonder whether anyone here knows whether the bridges were originally numbered differently or whether "Bridge 46" means anything to people locally.

 

Suggestions welcome!Bridge 46 is indeed immediately south of the Barton aqueduct,carrying the b5214 Ashburton Road across the cut.Are you sure that Runcorn plod are asking the right questions?

[Pluto]

I thought that historically they were all named rather than numbered?

 

Tim

I can probably confirm that. I have photocopies of a photographic survey mainly regarding subsidence on the Leigh arm which was done in the 1930s. All the captions refer to bridge names, even though the photos are numbered. I feel sure numbers would have been used if they were standard.

[MartinClark]

Are you sure that Runcorn plod are asking the right questions?

 

Well, of course, they are not asking the right question, which is why the answer is not easily forthcoming.

 

The trouble is they probably don't know what other question to ask. I have asked them where "Bridge 46" came from but I wouldn't expect them to name their 'sources'!

 

I don't even know how recent the description of the location is. If it is fairly recent, are there any areas of new woodland close to the Bridgewater Canal not too far from Runcorn?

[Grebe]

I've been looking at the Phillips road atlas which has some bridge numbers on it. It shows a bridge 4 around the Daresbury area. Could they looking at bridge 4 to 6? That would certainly be a lot nearer Runcorn.

 

Mal

[MartinClark]

I've been looking at the Phillips road atlas which has some bridge numbers on it. It shows a bridge 4 around the Daresbury area. Could they looking at bridge 4 to 6? That would certainly be a lot nearer Runcorn.

 

Oh, I see where you're going with that, and it is a good thought. However, the only woodland in that area seems to be Daresbury Firs, which I have walked through on the way between the boat to the pub, and it didn't appear to be new woodland.

[STUBAG]

I've been looking at the Phillips road atlas which has some bridge numbers on it. It shows a bridge 4 around the Daresbury area. Could they looking at bridge 4 to 6? That would certainly be a lot nearer Runcorn.

 

Mal

Bridge 4 Keckwick Lane Bridge, Daresbury. Bridge 5 Delph Lane, Daresbury, Bridge 5b Daresbury A558, Bridge 6 Moorefield Bridge (pedestrian access from Runcorn Road).

[MartinClark]

The police say that "Bridge 46" was the location given to them by a "canal user" and they have assumed that there was some sort of sign. The canal user is more likely to have been on the ground rather than the water if something has been spotted in woodland.

 

It is that the caller may have misread or misremembered the bridge number. I have pointed that there is some woodland next to Bridge 76, the disused Busway bridge. I don't know what is up but they have police out searching for something.

[twbm]

What are the bridge numbers on the Trent and Mersey near Preston Brook?

 

Edited to add: Just answered my own question via Google, T&M Bridge 46 is in Alrewas. I can also tell you that the bridge is late C18. Red brick with stone coping. Single span with towpath and humped back. Segmental headed arch with swept wings terminating in piers at all 4 comers. Stone springing stones. Stone plaque at crown on south elevation.

 

Not that that helps you at all.

Edited May 18, 2012 by twbm

[twbm]

Being slightly more helpful - albeit in Trafford Park, there's a lot of greenery around Bridgewater Bridge 46 now that hides the light industry around it. Someone unfaniliar with the area might see it as wooded:

 

http://www.canalwalking.co.uk/photograph.php?opt=altrincham&photo=106

[Liam]

Martin, if it helps, I am around 10 minutes walk away from Bridge 46, on the Barton straight between The Tank and Kellogg's.

If needed I can walk up and take a look around if you need me to look for something in particular.

 

Liam

[Tim F]

 

Ashburton Rd Bridge Trafford Park

Edited May 18, 2012 by Tim F

[andy3196]

Could it be Railway Bridge 70? http://canalplan.eu/gazetteer/4es4

Rail bridges do have their own numbering system and I have seen plates that could be mistaken for canal bridge plates. Also from the few photos of other bridges I have looked at the plates only seem to show names.

Of course I could be way off as I haven't got that far north yet

[system 4-50]

Here's a little puzzle for you...

 

I have been asked by Runcorn Police if I can help to locate an area of "new woodland near to Bridge 46" of the Bridgewater Canal.

 

My Nicholsons shows me that Bridge 46 is on the Leigh Branch in Trafford Park, just south of Barton Aqueduct, and there is certainly no woodland there!

 

The bridges along the Runcorn Arm of the canal are numbered 68 to 89. I am wondering whether "Bridge 46" is a reference to a historic numbering of the bridges. I wonder whether anyone here knows whether the bridges were originally numbered differently or whether "Bridge 46" means anything to people locally.

 

Suggestions welcome!

An intriguing description, "new woodland"?

[twbm]

An intriguing description, "new woodland"?

 

That sort of describes the spindly saplings that I recall have grown up on the previously very industrial area - used to patrol there in the 70's when Kelloggs arm was still in regular use for the grain traffic. I think Massey Ferguson was next door - or was it Cowburn and Cowpar - and the Westinghouse foundry across the other side.

[Liam]

Both Cowburn & Cowpar and Massey Fergusons were all very close to each other.

 

My Dad worked at Massey Fergusons for a number of years until being made redundant in 2003/2004 (ish) when they closed the Manchester site and moved operations to Coventry, after numerous buyings and sellings through Fermec, Case etc.

 

The area is quite wooded, between the canal towpath and the industrial units. The bank is always quite damp and soggy and it's usually quite chilly as the son can never get through the canopy to warm the towpath up.