Albert Bridge New Bailey Street Salford - Bridge Street Manchester

THE NEW BRIDGE AT THE NEW BAILEY – We understand that the committee of magistrates appointed at the annual county sessions, at Preston, to superintend the erection of this bridge, have decided upon adopting the plans of Mr G W Buck, civil engineer (and principal engineer to the Manchester and Birmingham Railway Company) for the new structure, of which he is to be the architect, and, we believe it is to be erected under his own supervision. It is to be of stone, of about 100 feet span at right angles; but as it is to be a skew bridge, at an angle of 70 degrees, the actual span will be 106 feet 5 inches. The arch is to be elliptical, springing from a height of 3 feet 6 inches above the water, and having a rise from the springing to the centre of the arch of 20 feet. The present bridge varies in width from 11 to 13.5 yards. Inside the parapets the new one will be 20 yards wide, inside measure. The north parapet will be lineable on the Manchester side with the recently erected shops between Water Street and the bridge (which are now 21 feet back from the parapet), and on the Salford side it will take in about six feet in depth of the bridge Inn. It will be seen, by the advertisements in another column, that the tenders for the erection of this bridge are to be delivered on or before Thursday the 27th instant, after which period we believe the contracts will be made, and the work commenced without delay. [Manchester Guardian 8 April 1843 page 4]

The report of the Quarter Sessions noted that the plans of Mr Buck had been accepted and that payments were authorised to others who had been invited to submit plans in an unofficial competition. Awards were made to Edmund Sharpe of Lancaster (100 guineas), Charles Carrington of Manchester (50 guineas) and John Welsh of Preston (30 guineas). [Manchester Guardian 12 April 1843 page 6]

TO CONTRACTORS, STONE MASONS Etc. Notice is hereby given that the Committee of Magistrates appointed to erect the New Bailey Bridge will meet on the 27th instant at the New Bailey in Salford to receive tender for the work. The plans and specifications may be seen on or after Tuesday next, at the office of Mr G W Buck, civil engineer, 27 Cross Street Manchester. Tenders to be delivered at or before eleven o’clock on the 27th instant, addressed to the chairman of the Committee for Building the New Bailey Bridge, and endorsed “Tender.” George W Buck Manchester 6 April 1843. [Manchester Guardian 8 April 1843 page – contracts].

THE NEW BRIDGE AT THE NEW BAILEY – The obstacles in the way of proceeding with this structure are now removed; and, after several meetings the Old Quay Company have given their assent to the altered plan, which is now adopted, and is now lying for the inspection of the contractors, whose tenders for the erection are to be sent in before the 25th instant. The principal alterations, we believe are the following: Instead of the abutments on each side of the river projecting uniformly nine feet further into the river than the present erection, those on the Manchester side are to project 9 feet on the north side of the bridge and only 2 feet 4 inches on the south side (beyond the baker’s shop). The abutments on the Salford side are to be made parallel to those on the Manchester side of the river and consequently on the north side, where the Bridge Inn now stands, the abutment will only project about three feet, while on the south side, at the corner of Stanley Street, the abutment will project 9 feet. No alteration is to be made to the width of the bridge, which is 60 feet inside measure, which is to be disposed of by giving a width of 39 feet to the carriageway, and 10 feet 6 inches to the pathway on each side. But one effect of the alteration in the plan will be to make the length of the span greater by 7 feet on the square, the span now being 107 feet on the square, instead of 100 feet as first intended. But the angle of askew is also increased from 70 to 75 degrees; and the span of the bridge on the skew will be 110 feet 9.25 inches. Of course these alterations will increase the estimates a little, the span of the bridge being lengthened. In the centre of each side of the bridge there will be a recess, in which an ornamental lamp pillar is to be placed. The structure will be remarkably plain and substantial; yet chaste and handsome in its appearance. The design reflects much credit on Mr G W Buck, the architect; who has had no small difficulty to contend with, the alterations required by the Old Quay Company considerably interfering with the architectural completeness of the original plan. [Manchester Guardian 10 May 1843 page 4]

NEW BAILEY BRIDGE – To contractors –Notice is hereby given, that the Committee of Magistrates for the building of the New Bailey Bridge will meet at the new Bailey, Salford on Thursday the 25th instant at 12.00 noon to receive enders for the work; and that the drawings and specifications for the same may be seen at the office of Mr G W Buck, 27 Cross Street, Manchester, on or after Tuesday the 9th instant, where printed forms of tender may be had. George W Buck, Manchester, 5 May 1843.[ Manchester Guardian 13 May 1843 page 1]

OPENING OF THE ALBERT BRIDGE – The Albert Bridge, erected on the site of the New Bailey Bridge across the Irwell from Bridge Street, Manchester, to New Bailey Street, Salford, was opened with some ceremonial on Thursday last. …. The first stone of the new Albert Bridge was laid, we believe, in August 1843; and the keystone of the arch was fixed by Mr William Garnett with some ceremonial on 5 June last. The footpath on the north side of the bridge was opened to the public on Friday , the 16th ult; and the bridge was wholly opened to the public for carriages and foot passengers on Thursday last, having occupied about thirteen months in its erection. The bridge, from the level of the water, has been erected under the superintendence of Mr C Carrington, bridgemaster of the hundred of Salford, and the structure is generally admired for its massive and substantial character, and spacious carriage and footways. It is a fine stone structure of a single arch (the segment of a circle), the span of which is 110 feet 9¼ inches on the skew but on the square 106 feet. The arch springs from about the level of the water, and has a rise thence to the inner centre of the arch of 20 feet; that centre being about 30 feet above the bed of the river. The thickness of the arch in masonry is about three feet. The arch (which was completed in the short space of six weeks from the first stone to the keystone) is built of Bolton stone, and the keystone measures 5 feet by 3 feet 6 inches and 1 foot; it weighs about three tons. The width of the bridge within the battlements is 60 feet, of which 40 feet is occupied by the carriageway, and the remainder by a spacious footpath on each side, ten feet in width. Messrs Sugden and Redfern of this town, are the subcontractors, under Messrs Bowers and Murray of Liverpool, for the whole of the stonework. The cost of erection of this bridge is solely defrayed from the funds of the county, and, we believe, it has cost nearly £9,000. Besides this the approaches in Manchester have been greatly improved, at a cost to the township of upwards of £3,000; and the approaches on the Salford side will probably amount to upwards of £1,000, including £600 compensation to Mr Joule in respect of the Bridge Inn. Manchester now possesses some very handsome and substantial bridges over the Irwell. Besides the two railway bridges, there are five for the accommodation of the public within a mile and a quarter, via The “Waterloo,” or, as it is generally called, the iron bridge from Salford to Strangeways (where a toll is taken); the Victoria Bridge, the Blackfriars Bridge (where a toll is still taken both of carriages and foot passengers), the Albert Bridge and the Regent Bridge. The four last named bridges are of stone. [Manchester Guardian 4 September 1844 page 5]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 8 April 1843 page 4
Reference    Manchester Guardian 8 April 1843 page 15 – contracts
Reference    Manchester Guardian 22 April 1843 page 1 – contracts as 8 April
Reference    Manchester Guardian 12 April 1843 page 6 - Salford Hundred Quarter Sessions.
Reference    Manchester Guardian 10 May 1843 page 4 – amended scheme
Reference    Manchester Guardian 13 May 1843 page 1 – contracts for amended scheme
Reference    Manchester Guardian 4 September 1844 page 5
Reference    Manchester Guardian 11 September 1844 –   Meeting Salford Police Commissioners
Reference    Manchester Guardian Saturday 1 June 1844 Page 4 Column 5 - key stone
Reference    Manchester Guardian 25 September 1844 page 4 – arrangements for opening
Reference    Manchester Guardian 28 September 1844 page 4 - opening
Reference    Joseph Corbett: The River Irwell page 12