Thelwall Viaduct
{{Short description|Bridge in United Kingdom}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox Bridge
|bridge_name=Thelwall Viaduct
|image=ThelwallViaduct.jpg
|caption=Main span of the two bridges over the Manchester Ship Canal, with the older bridge in the foreground
|official_name=
|carries={{jct|country=GBR|M|6|dab1=Great Britain}}
|crosses=Manchester Ship Canal
River Mersey
|locale=Lymm/Woolston, Cheshire
|maint=National Highways
|id=
|design= Plate girder bridge
|material= Reinforced concrete, Steel
|mainspan=336 ft (102.4 m)
|length=4,414 ft (1345.4 m) northbound
4,500 ft (1371.6 m) southbound
|width=
|height=
|load=
|clearance=
|below={{convert|93|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|lanes=4 each direction
Slip road on the northbound descent
|builder = Leonard Fairclough (1963)
|fabricator = Dorman Long (1963)
|traffic= {{increase}} 167,565 (2018)
[https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/74865 Count point]
|open=First bridge: 29 July 1963
Second bridge: 23 December 1996
|closed=
|toll=
|map_type=
|map_relief=
|coordinates= {{coord|53.3906|-2.5059|type:landmark_scale:2000_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
}}
{{Image frame
| align=right
| innerstyle=font-size: 92%; background:#F8F8F8;
| content={{Location map
| Cheshire#United Kingdom motorways
| lat=53.3906
| long=-2.5059
| caption=Location in Cheshire##Location in UK motorway network
| label=Thelwall Viaduct
| border = infobox
}}
}}
The Thelwall Viaduct ({{gbmapping|SJ664883}}) is a steel composite girder viaduct in Lymm, Warrington, England. It carries the M6 motorway across the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey. It is between junctions 20 and 21 of the M6, the former also being junction 9 of the M56.
Structure
It comprises two separate bridges, one of {{convert|4,414|ft}} long carrying the northbound carriageway, the longest motorway bridge in England when it was opened in July 1963, and one {{convert|4,500|ft}} long carrying the southbound carriageway, opened in 1995.{{cite web |url=http://motorwayarchive.ihtservices.co.uk/en/motorways/motorway-listing/m6/m6-warrington-to-preston-j20-to-j29 |title=M6 Warrington to Preston (J20 to J29) |publisher=The Motorway Archive |accessdate=12 August 2017|date=2009}} The longest single span is that of {{convert|336|ft}} crossing the Ship Canal.
History
The scheme was announced on Thursday 9 July 1959 by Minister of Transport Harold Watkinson, with the Gathurst Viaduct and Creswell Viaduct, near Stafford, over the River Sow. The bridge would cost £5,056,678, and was to be built by Leonard Fairclough & Son, and designed by Sir James Drake.Liverpool Echo Friday 10 July 1959, page 12
=Construction=
Work started in September 1959, and was to be finished by March 1962.Runcorn Guardian Thursday 17 September 1959, page 7 10,500 tons of steel superstructure was made by Dorman Long.Birmingham Daily Post Tuesday 5 January 1960, page 8 Concrete was supplied by Four Square Industries of Middlewich.Runcorn Guardian Thursday 12 July 1962, page 9 On Thursday 16 May 1963, the last two girders were put into place.Liverpool Echo Friday 17 May 1963, page 11 The bridge had taken longer to build than expected, and the motorway was due to open on Monday 29 July 1963. The bridge was designed to take up to 79,000 vehicles per day.
In August 1990 it was proposed to build a second viaduct, to start in 1992.Liverpool Echo Wednesday 15 August 1990, page 7 The £52.5m contract was awarded to Tarmac Construction of Wolverhampton in October 1992, with consulting engineers Pell Frischmann. Junctions 20 and 21a would be remodelled.Birmingham Daily Post Monday 26 October 1992, page 1 Concrete came from Pochin Group of Middlewich.Winsford Chronicle Wednesday 9 October 1996, page 2
=Maintenance=
In July 2002 a failed roller bearing was discovered and it became necessary to close all but one northbound lane. As the M6 at the time carried an estimated 150,000–160,000 vehicles per day, this led to serious congestion.{{UK Parliament|date=14 April 2003|place=Written Answers|speaker=David Jamieson|column=600W|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2003-04-14.108894.h|title=Transport - Thelwall Viaduct}} The viaduct was not completely reopened to daytime traffic until February 2005, and subsequently remained partially closed at night for further remedial work to take place.{{cite web|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4242437.stm|title = M6 viaduct reopen after repairs |publisher=BBC News| date=7 February 2005 | accessdate=12 August 2017}} In all, 148 bearings were replaced, the repair scheme costing around £52 million.{{cite news |url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/m6-clear-at-thelwall-2916062 |title=M6 clear at Thelwall |newspaper=North Wales Daily Post |date=7 February 2005 |accessdate=12 August 2017}}
The bridge's height and openness to the elements mean that it has frequently been the subject of speed reductions because of strong gusts of wind that badly affect the stability of high-sided vehicles. On several occasions lane closures have resulted as a consequence of articulated vehicles simply being blown over. However, the open sides of the bridge are a deliberate design feature to reduce the likelihood of snow drifts building on the carriageways.
Events
=1971 multiple vehicle collision=
At approximately 8am on 13 September 1971 thick fog led to a catastrophic multiple vehicle crash on the viaduct. More than 200 cars, trucks and tankers piled up, five vehicles burst into flames, 10 people were killed and 70 injured. It was the worst crash ever recorded on British roads at that time.{{cite web|url = https://www.theguardian.com/news/2011/sep/21/weatherwatch-mist-fog |title=Weatherwatch: September mists and fogs | date=21 September 2011 |newspaper=The Guardian |accessdate=12 August 2017 }}
=2011 rave=
In April 2011 a massive free party took place under the viaduct, with reportedly over 5,000 ravers in attendance.{{cite news |url = http://www.thisischeshire.co.uk/news/8952165.Ravers_take_over_Thelwall_Viaduct/ |title=Ravers take over Thelwall Viaduct |newspaper=Warrington Guardian| date=4 April 2011 | accessdate=12 August 2017 }}
=2024 crash=
On 30 September 2024, a lorry fell from the viaduct and landed on the embankment below. The driver survived.{{cite web|url = https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn8y483rem0o|title=Lorry falls from Thelwall Viaduct on M6 | date=30 September 2024 |website=BBC News |accessdate=1 October 2024 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
{{Portal|Cheshire}}
- [http://ukmotorwayarchive.org The Motorway Archive website]
Category:Bridges across the River Mersey
Category:Bridges completed in 1963
Category:Bridges completed in 1995