Lancaster canal company tramway bridge replacement 2025
The bridge was used by walkers and cyclists until February 2019 when for health and safety issues it was closed,
The original bridge was built by the Lancaster Canal company to carry a tramway over the River Ribble to transport goods across the gap in the canal from the north side of Preston to Walton le Dale on the south side of the Ribble where it joined the Leeds and Liverpool canal.
The tramway was used from 1803 until the 1850’s.
The original bridge was rebuilt in the 1890’s, the 1950’s and again in 1964 by which time the tramway had gone and it was being used as a pedestrian and cycle route.
The old Tramway Bridge over the River Ribble in Preston that has been closed to walkers and cyclists on safety grounds as the structure has been found to be deteriorating.
Image Cw 6643 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
In February 2019 the bridge had been closed to walkers and cyclists on safety grounds as the structure has been found to be deteriorating again.
I took some pictures of the closed off bridge and had one published in Towpath Talk along with a short article…
After a long campaign by local folks a new bridge was commissioned and built in four sections off-site by Harrisons Engineering of Clitheroe.
In early December 2025 the bridge sections were lifted into place over the River Ribble, drawing quite a crowd of interested on lookers.
Tuesday the 2nd December 2025 the second section of the new Tramway Bridge over the River Ribble in Preston is being lifted into place by a giant crane.
The crane has a jib length of 114 meters with the project to install the 150-tonne bridge being handled by Eric Wright Civil Engineering following the building of the bridge in four sections off-site by Harrisons Engineering of Clitheroe.
With grant aid Preston Council has funded the cost of the replacement £6.6 pound bridge.
Image Cw 9333 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
This image is available to licence for publication from Alamy here
Tuesday the 2nd December 2025 see’s the second section of the new Tramway Bridge over the River Ribble in Preston being lifted and swung into place by a giant crane.
The crane has a jib length of 114 meters with the project to install the 150-tonne bridge being handled by Eric Wright Civil Engineering following the building of the bridge in four sections off-site by Harrisons Engineering of Clitheroe.
Image Cw 9334 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
This image is available to licence for use on Alamy HERE
Lots of folk line the banks of the River Ribble near Avenham park in Preston as the second section of the new Tramway Bridge is being lifted and swung into place by a giant crane.
The crane has a jib length of 114 meters with the project to install the 150-tonne bridge being handled by Eric Wright Civil Engineering following the building of the bridge in four sections off-site by Harrisons Engineering of Clitheroe.
Image Cw 9335 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
This image is available to licence for use on Alamy HERE
Lots of folk line the banks of the River Ribble near Avenham park in Preston as the second section of the new Tramway Bridge has been lifted and swung by a giant crane and is about to touch down on the concrete pillars that will support it across the river into place.
Image Cw 9336 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
This image is available to licence for use on Alamy HERE
The second section of the new Tramway Bridge over the Ribble River alongside Avenham park has been lifted and swung by a giant crane and is about to touch down on the concrete pillars that will support it across the river.
Image Cw 9337 copyright Colin Wareing of Colin and Carole’s Creations
This image is available to licence for use on Alamy HERE