Railway underbridge MDL1/14, Ming Hill

The railway underbridge at Ming Hill was built between 1845 and 1847 by Thomas Grainger for the Leeds, Dewsbury & Manchester Railway. It was later strengthened in the late 19th century by the London and North Western Railway.

This structure features a cast-iron beam bridge that spans a single carriageway, supported by masonry abutments. The bridge has wrought-iron parapet balustrades set between ashlar end-pillars. The deck has been replaced with brick jack arches that are supported on wrought-iron beams. The embankments on either side are revetted with raking, curved wing-walls.

The abutments are made of coursed, squared, rock-faced masonry and are topped with a robust moulded ashlar cornice that supports the bridge deck. On either side of the carriageway, there are panelled ashlar pilasters that rise from rock-faced masonry plinths, finished with lighter-sectioned moulded cornices. These pilasters are slightly wider at the base than at the top, which emphasizes their height. The parapet end-pillars above have corniced capstones and plain plinths. The iron balustrading spans between the pillars and features a plain handrail supported by closely spaced balusters, which have mirrored tulip-formed mid-sections but are otherwise simple round bars.

The facia beams of the bridge deck are believed to be the only surviving cast-iron beams from the original structure, appearing as I beams with raised strapwork that imitates panelling. The wing walls are constructed of rock-faced masonry similar to that of the abutments, finished with a plain ashlar capping, and are separated from the retaining walls of the embankment by simple pilaster-strips. The north-western approach to the bridge has been infilled to the level of the deck, which has buried the wing walls, while the parapet remains exposed. The south-eastern side of the bridge is partly infilled beneath the arch, leaving it more open.