The new Barton Lift Bridge has collapsed.

[mcp]

It's impressive but don't go on a windy day. The tour boats can't get out into the viaduct at the top if there is to much of a crosswind.

[Johnny B Good]

Having just read Steve Walker's post, my apologies for my flippant remarks. I didn't know about any of the road bridges being of the swing type, I just assumed you'd used the phrase "crossed the swing bridge" instead of "passed under the swing bridge" on the basis that the only type of swing bridge crossing a canal would be a road bridge.

In view of Steve's remarks about said "Swing Aqueduct" being unique, it was an understandable assumption on my part, not helped by your referring to it as a bridge rather than as an aqueduct. Anyhow, I now know another 'interesting fact'. :-)

[Chris J Dixon]

That one used to interrupt my daily travel to college in the 60s.

Chris

[Steve Walker]

They certainly did in the 70s and 80s. They also let people stay on the parallel road bridge when that was swung. They have probably banned that now as "unsafe."

Similarly, we used to cross the canal at Irlam locks. Cycling along the lock walls and then over the gates - there was often an interesting misalignment and gaps in the footway over the gates! These days there is a swing pedestrian bridge, fully caged in and you get nowhere near the locks themselves. Although in the mid-90s they did still let me through onto the locks themselves when I asked for access to photograph a ship coming through.

Probably part of the Cheshire Ring? Probably still there unless the building itself has been demolished. Although I think that there is at least one tunnel that is gated off for parts of the day and all night, as there have been a number of suspicious deaths there.

I've been to the Anderton lift, but not to either of the others yet.

About 35 years ago I passed through the locks at Grindley Brook (staircase of 3 and flight of 3 IIRC), that was complicated. Later followed by the Pontcysyllte aquaeduct ... a very impressive structure - and a great view when your sat on the rail of your boat, looking straight down!

[Steve Walker]

The swing bridges (particularly the Barton one) used to cause lots of delays when the canal was busy. That was the reason that Barton High-level bridge (now part of the M60) was built.

[Davey]

Yes, indeed.

We also did one trip on the Birmingham Canal Navigation, the BCN, travelling routes which needed somebody in the bow with a boat-hook to ward off supermarket trollies, cars, cycles etc.

I have fond memories of those days.

[Chris J Dixon]

As it happens, there was a time when I regularly used that bridge too, since my Honda 50 wasn't allowed on the motorway, and I needed to get from Didsbury to Boothstown.

Chris