Thelwall Viaduct

Infobox_Bridge
bridge_name=Thelwall Viaduct

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caption=Thelwall Viaduct
official_name=Thelwall Bridge
carries=M6
crosses=Manchester Ship Canal
locale=Thelwall, a district of Warrington, England
maint=
id=
design= Girder Bridge
mainspan=102.4m
length=1.35km
width=
height=
load=
clearance=
below=
traffic=
open=1963
closed=
toll=None
troll=
map_cue=
map_

map_text=
map_width=
coordinates= coord|53.3906|-2.5059|type:landmark_scale:2000_region:GB
lat=53.3906
long=-2.5059

The Thelwall Viaduct (gbmapping|SJ664883) is a steel composite girder viaduct in Thelwall, a district of Warrington, England. It carries the M6 motorway across the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey. Its location on the motorway network is between junctions 20 and 21 of the M6, the former being also known as junction 9 of the M56.

It actually comprises two entirely separate bridges, one carrying the northbound carriageway (opened in July 1963) and one the southbound carriageway (opened in 1995). Both viaducts are approximately 1.35 km long, with the longest span being 102.4 m over the Ship Canal. [http://homepages.tesco.net/frankshackleton/mscbridges/section7/section7.htm Bridges of the Manchester Ship Canal] , accessed on 5 June 2007]

The Thelwall Viaduct became notorious in July 2002, when 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=http://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 = BBC News: M6 viaduct reopen after repairs] In all, 148 bearings were replaced, with the repair scheme costing £52 million.

External links

* [http://www.iht.org/motorway/m6prewar.htm The Motorway Archive website]

References