Of Bridges

It being January we are thinking about some home improvements. Which took us this morning to Stockton Heath.

I took this shot from the bridge which carries the A49 over the Ship Canal, on London Road just on the edge of the shopping centre. It is looking east.

The Ship Canal and the River Mersey both cut through Warrington. This creates real bottlenecks, as traffic tries to move north south and vice versa. Bridges are needed (there are still not enough of them).

Pictured in this view - in the distance the Thelwall viaduct carrying the M6 high over the waterway. Then towards the bottom of the shot Woolston Locks, which can be crossed by foot. Then a disused railway bridge. Then the Knutsford Rd bridge carrying the A50 over the canal. And finally a high level bridge carrying a minor road over.

Only three bridges looking in the other direction, including the A56 bridge and the bridge carrying the West Coast mainline railway over the Canal.

Every time a big boat comes down the Canal the bridges have to swing aside (which is why trains and motorway traffic pass at a much higher level so boats can travel under without hindrance).