Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway

The South Junction Railway ran west from Manchester Piccadilly station through Oxford Road and Deansgate stations to Ordsall Lane, where it joined the Liverpool and Bolton lines. At Castlefield Junction, lines diverged to Warrington, and Altrincham. Surveying of the route was undertaken and plans produced during 1844 by the engineers Joseph Locke, George Watson Buck and William Baker. Their proposed route is, more or less, the one built. Two separate contacts were let. On 23rd October 1845 the tenders of David Bellhouse (for the South Junction section) and John Brogden (for the Altrincham branch) were accepted. William Baker was appointed as Chief Engineer, with Henry Hemberow  the resident engineer.  The South Junction line is entirely elevated on more than 2 miles of viaduct. Most of this viaduct comprises 224 brick arches, averaging 30 feet in height and span, and 28ft in width. Foundations typically extend 30-35ft below the ground level. Near Ordsall Lane the railway crosses the Irwell with two much longer 65ft span brick arches, supported by a pillar in the middle of the river. In Castlefield, a brick arch with a span of 80ft was required to bridge a canal branch. Completion of the South Junction line viaducts ultimately used 50,000,000 bricks, 300,000 cubic feet of stone, and 3000 tons of cast iron.

Reference    Dixon, F. The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway. 2nd Edition.(1994) The Oakwood Press