Darcy Lever Viaduct - October 2011
 

Darcy Lever Viaduct - explored with Kenni

photo and info from good ol' wikipedia.....

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...uk_-_93794.jpg

The Darcy Lever viaduct carried the Bury to Bolton section of the Liverpool & Bury Railway over the River Tonge and is 86 feet (26 m) high and 612 feet (240 m) long. It comprises a wrought iron structure of eight spans, standing on stone piers and abutments and dating from 1848. Two spans are 54 ft (16 m) long, and six are 84 ft (26 m) long. Each consists of six lattice girders: two 14-foot-deep girders (4.3 m), which also form the parapets, flanking four which are 10 feet (3.0 m) deep.

This viaduct, together with a shorter one of similar construction on the same line (over the River Croal at Burnden) was claimed by the Bolton Chronicle (18 November 1848) to be "the first of their kind in England".

Once on the viaduct there isn't actually much to see, all the interesting stuff is holding the deck up so another visit should be in order to polish off the report. Anyways, these photos are from the top.......

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...Viaduct/01.jpg

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...Viaduct/02.jpg

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...Viaduct/03.jpg

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...Viaduct/04.jpg

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...Viaduct/05.jpg

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...Viaduct/06.jpg

Nice one, had always thought this was still in use!

Good shots seeing as it was completely pitch black :thumbs

Cool, never been up there.

Me too. Did the Burnden Park one ages ago and never bothered with this!