Darcy Lever Viaduct Over The River Tonge

797-1/0/10004 05-APR-02

RADCLIFFE ROAD Darcy Lever Darcy Lever Viaduct over the River Tonge

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Darcy Lever viaduct, Bolton

Railway viaduct. 1848 (piers), for the Manchester and Leeds (Liverpool and Bury) Railway, 1881-2 (spans) for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, c1958 (deck) for British Railways. Wrought iron and coursed squared rock faced limestone. Eight span viaduct with tall stone piers over the valley of the River Tonge. The spans are deep wrought iron girders, four double Warren girders under the tracks and lighter lattice face girders, these last may date from 1848. History: This line was opened by the L&YR in 1848, having just taken over the M&LR, who had themselves absorbed the L&BR which had started out building the line between Bolton and Bury. The decking was replaced by pre-cast concrete in 1958. The line was closed to passenger traffic in 1951 and completely in 1970. References: Bill Simpson, Railways in and around Bolton, Foxline Publishing, 1990, pl 84. Alan Earnshaw, The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, Book Law Publications, pps 98-9. C.Awdry, Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies, Patrick Stephens Limited, 1990.