NW in 2018 | A bridge in time

The opening of the Ordsall Chord railway bridge at the beginning of November 2017 was a huge milestone in the Great North Rail Project and in early December the first train crossed the new lines between Victoria and Piccadilly stations, writes Bernadette Bone of BB Heritage Studio.

However, the construction works associated with the Ordsall Chord project are continuing and 2018 will see the completion of equally significant aspects of the project, including completion of repairs to the historic structures and works that provide further connections through the creation of a sequence of new public realm spaces.

Within the overall Great North Rail Project the Ordsall Chord is unique; no other project has comparable functional requirements or aesthetic aspirations. This is due in the most part to the site location which is one of the most sensitive sites in the historic evolution of the railway. The history of the site spans over 200 years and encompasses not only rail transport history but also roads, canals and the navigable River Irwell.

It is a site that contains the world’s first inter-city railway and which, from its opening in 1830 onwards, has continually evolved and adapted to changing transportation needs. This has resulted in a layering of railway and other transport structures from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries with each phase of construction providing an example of the engineering approach of its time. The Ordsall Chord railway bridge provides a distinctive 21st century structure, adding the next layer of rail use onto the history of the site.

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