All Our Wigan Yesterdays Adam viaduct

First topic message reminder :

News Report Archive
6th August 2000
News reports from Wigan Observer, Wigan Reporter and Wigan Evening Post


Adam Viaduct, which carries the Wigan/Kirby railway line over the River Douglas at the Saddle, looks set to become a major attraction for industrial historians.
The anonymous looking structure is, it has been revealed, the FIRST pre-stressed concrete bridge in the world!
And now the government culture and arts (DCMS)Minister Alan Howarth has announced that he is considering making the viaduct a Grade II listed structure to protect it for posterity. The news has delighted Metro planning department's conservation officer Philip Powell who says that the council pointed out the viaduct's historical significance to the government almost seven years ago.
The viaduct was constructed by the former London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1946 and was the result of 'pioneering research' into pre-stressed concrete, where concrete is poured over an already manufactiured and tightened iron skeleton.
Mr Powell said: "We are aware of the historical importance of the bridge and it is very good news that the DCMS is in the process of recognising it by listing."
The listing means that Railtrack would need full justification and explanation for any move to replace the bridge with a more modern structure, rather than repair it, should work become necessary.
It also outs the bridge into the same historical importance as the rather more grandiose Glenfinnan Viaduct built of un-stressed concrete by 'concrete Bob' Robert McAlpine on the majestic west Highland railway line between Fort William and Mallaig in the North West of Scotland. This magnificent structure from 1900 contains 21 arches is 416 yards long on a continuous curve of 792 feet and still in regular use today.

stumpy wrote:where was the first one in Lancashire

I don't know, but there was one on Mill Lane in Newton before that and they were in England before that and Germany before that.

Rome had some too!

Mac wrote:Rome had some too!

Did They?

tonker wrote:

Admin wrote:News Report Archive
6th August 2000
News reports from Wigan Observer, Wigan Reporter and Wigan Evening Post


Adam Viaduct, ....... is, it has been revealed, the FIRST pre-stressed concrete bridge in the world!    

Another bullshit local rumour for you all to believe in !      

Admin wrote:News Report Archive
13th August 2000
News reports from Wigan Observer, Wigan Reporter and Wigan Evening Post

 WIGAN MARKET IN TOP 100 LEAGUE ........

And THAT'S clearly a joke !  

PS:  Unless, of course, there's only 100 markets left in the UK,  and Wigan market is 99th, with  Hindley market being 100th !

Tonkipoos  Although in the WEP article of some  15 years ago   says "WIGAN MARKET IN TOP 100 LEAGUE, the article is clearly about the Design of Market Place


"Wigan's revamped Market Place has been chosen as one of the best new public spaces across the country by a leading group of design experts.
The nationally respected Urban Design Group is to include the scheme in a planned list of 100 good places to be highlighted in a pocket guide to the best recently designed public areas in Great Britain".  

Do you smoke a pipe Tonki

He smokes something

Great info & photos

It's such a shame the mosaic in Market Place was removed & a major redesign deemed necessary.

Is the revamp still set to happen? (Oct 2014)

I don't like the idea of the water feature Jo anne, some one will be along with a bottle of Fairy Liquid sooner or later

Have they got rid of that horrible 'Face' sculpture?

That face is round the corner in Millgate/the Wiend

Adam Viaduct, Wigan


http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-489510-adam-viaduct-#.VcZkOflViko

So, why is it called 'ADAM' viaduct?

Mac wrote:Filled in and no trace left. Not even a lingering/pervading smell of slash as you stroll by.

I remember that smell even today. Imagine the chap that worked down there all day long....Ughhhhhhh.....

Admin wrote:I don't like the idea of the water feature Jo anne, some one will be along with a bottle of Fairy Liquid sooner or later

Beltin photo, Admin.

I can remember meeting my girlfriend across the square as she got off the moving bus from Pem, she just dropped off and ran into my arms and she had heels on.

And on the other side we used to get on the bus for Norley after school.

What was this bus number.? Was it 9 or 9a?

Photo is a mock-up of things to come, Fred.

Ragbru wrote:So, why is it called 'ADAM' viaduct?

That's a good question, Ragbru,

Admin, if the council do spend so much money transforming Market Place it'll be a tragedy.

Road bridge over Duggy was/is called Adam Bridge.

Very good question, Ragbru.

If only we had a 'local expert' on WR.

Thanks, Corkers, I didn't realise. It does look good though but I also agree with jo-anne. The old market place and town centre was so full of character, which has been lost forever.

I wonder if this has any connection to the reason its called Adam's Bridge.

The western world first encountered it in "historical works in the 9th century" by Ibn Khordadbeh in his Book of Roads and Kingdoms (c. AD 850), referring to it is Set Bandhai or "Bridge of the Sea".[18] Later, Alberuni described it. The earliest map that calls this area by the name Adam's bridge was prepared by a British cartographer in 1804.[2][7][19] Islamic tradition refers to a mountain in Sri Lanka as Adam's Peak, where Adam supposedly fell to earth, and describes Adam as crossing from Sri Lanka to India on what became known as Adam's Bridge.[20]

LINK

Someone may have better eyesight than me. Asland= Island


https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=7EpIAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA249&lpg=PA249&dq=adams+bridge+wigan&source=bl&ots=PI3i0ecGOW&sig=jbFVVpPLLCzdBELoYdH2YjcCZjE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CD0Q6AEwBWoVChMIi9-zutSbxwIVhKrbCh1Tbwef#v=onepage&q=adams%20bridge%20wigan&f=false

Apparently, engineering students from all over the Country are brought to Adams Bridge because it is pre stressed concrete.

Oh Horrors'

I just went onto Google Earth to get a photo of the Adam Bridge that took Wallgate traffic over the Douggie. This is what I saw. I am sure there used to be stone blocks where there are now metal plates and the words ADAM BRIDGE were carved in stone.

Anyone else remember this?

Isn't the legend there now?

Derf has put Severn Stars bridge on

Mac's is the right one.