Salford Bridge, Chapel Street, Salford/Victoria Street Manchester

The land necessary for the Chapel Street approach was given by the late Samuel Brooks who desired, as a stipulation to the gift, that an abutment should be constructed along the Salford side of the stream, so as to protect the frontage in the vicinity of the bridge, and form part of the approach to it. … The abutment consists of a stout wall 150 feet long; and, by making it the basis of the additional roadway, which forms an angle on the northern flank of the bridge, the structure has been made quite shapeless, and, beyond a perforated parapet, it has not the slightest pretention to style or beauty. Thee form of the bridge is irregular, approaching a trapezium. It is in one span, and is built of twelve wrought iron box girders, resting upon stone abutments. On the tops of the girders are fixed wrought iron road joists, carrying curved wrought iron covering plates, which support the roadway. The span of the south side of the bridge is 125 feet, and that of the north side 88 feet. The gradient on the Salford side is one in thirty, and the approach to Hunt’s Bank is of easy access. The roadway is divided into a carriageway and footpaths. The carriageway is paved with granite four inch cubes. The approach from Hunt’s Bank is 107 feet wide, and the road from Chapel Street is 42 feet wide. The parapets are of cast iron, pierced, and terminating in stone blocks. The cost of the entire structure, including the approaches and abutments is about £20,000. The work has been executed from the design and under the superintendence of Me W Radford of this city. Messrs W and J Galloway contracted for the ironwork, and Mr A Pilling for the roadway and masonry.

Built at the entire cost of Salford Corporation from funds provided by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway as compensation for the proposed new line from Salford Station to Victoria.

Ironwork        W and J Galloway, Manchester - £10,000
Masonry         Abraham Pilling of Bolton - £4610 including roadway

Reference     Manchester Guardian 7 May 1863 page 5
Reference     Manchester Guardian 25 August 1864 page 3 –opening