nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

Ireland's Most Interesting Bridges

Judgement Day

LISPOLE VIADUCT, CO.KERRY

Okay, change of idea, most interesting bridges rather than most beautiful! I will kick off with this pic of Lispole Viaduct on the former Tralee & Dingle Railway. The viaduct is interesting for all sorts of reasons:

*It was situated on a falling gradient the bottom of which was on the central span of the bridge.
*The viaduct was in such poor condition by the 1930s that double-heading across it (two locomotives) was forbidden but in practice was frequently ignored. This was due to trains being pushed too fast down the 1:29 gradient in the westerly direction, and drivers heading for Tralee being afraid that if they stopped to detach a locomotive they would not be able to restart their train on the incline.
*Scene of a serious goods train accident in 1907.
*The fact that it refuses to die some 57 years after the last train passed over it.

Gradient profile: www.chestermodelrailwayclub.com

Find more posts tagged with

history

architecture

bridge

rail

infrastructure

heritage

n74

viaduct

aqueduct

Quick Links

Comments

Judgement Day

Keeping up the matrimonial theme of the thread I include the former Harcourt Street line viaduct at the Brides Glen nr.Loughlinstown. When I was last on the viaduct in the 1970s it was in a quiet secluded spot but since the 'developments' at Cherrywood I suspect that this is no longer the case - I won't go back in case it spoils my memories of the place. I think that I'm correct in saying that the eventual extension of the Green Luas line (B2) to Bray will see track back on the viaduct? http://www.rpa.ie/en/projects/luas_bray_fassaroe/route_selection/Pages/default.aspx

The viaduct as seen from below.

The view westwards from the top of the viaduct.

Both views by kind permission of John Burke.
More pics on his Flickr site here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnnyghia1302/3551248780/in/photostream/

Judgement Day

When I was a child growing up in Bray we regularly used to make the short trip to Enniskerry for picnics, and the twisty little road to the village that follows the course of the River Dargle from the N11 passed this picturesque footbridge - reminiscent of the earlier one at the Vartry Reservoir.
glassplates&CISOPTR=10883

This is Lawrence photograph from the National Library of Ireland and the collection can be viewed online at: http://www.nli.ie/en/udlist/photographs-collections.aspx

Cookie_Monster

Judgement Day wrote: »

Keeping up the matrimonial theme of the thread I include the former Harcourt Street line viaduct at the Brides Glen nr.Loughlinstown. When I was last on the viaduct in the 1970s it was in a quiet secluded spot but since the 'developments' at Cherrywood I suspect that this is no longer the case - I won't go back in case it spoils my memories of the place. I think that I'm correct in saying that the eventual extension of the Green Luas line (B2) to Bray will see track back on the viaduct?

this is pretty easily accessible now due to the estate backing right onto it. I can see it from the canteen in work

Some very tight turns required for the Luas if it is to get there, I think they will build a new bridge rather than use this one, mad as that sounds

Stonewolf

trellheim wrote: »

I think the LUAS bridge at Dundrum sweeps over the junction nicely

I do quite like that bridge. Firstly it's cable stayed which is far more aesthetically pleasing and more interesting engineering than the usual "ah sure we'll put up some concrete peirs and stick some concrete decking on top, it'll do like". Secondly, it's down low and the area around it is very accessible to the public so you can actually walk around it, see it from some great angles and of course, the engineering of the bridge is all on show which is fantastic.

The bridges in #13 #27 and #33 are really nice, I like how they've taken what would be a fairly regular bridge and really made it into something interesting and different. The chetwynd viaduct in #14 is also rather handsome, it's a shame it doesn't have its deck on.

veryangryman

KC61 wrote: »

Fascinating stuff JD - an excellent thread!!! You deserve a kudo for this one!

Make that 2

trellheim

There are two more of the Vartry style bridges at Bohernabreena

they are actually links to the valve houses to allow the reservoirs be drained, normally locked off

Although you do see kids in the summer jumping off. hideously dangerous as there is up to 48-inch pipe entrys directly below.

L1011

Cathleens' Falls bridge, 3 lane road with pedestrian bridge suspended beneath it.

Stonewolf

MYOB wrote: »

Cathleens' Falls bridge, 3 lane road with pedestrian bridge suspended beneath it.

That's a nice bridge alright, I've only ever seen it during the day though, lit up like that it looks fantastic.

Judgement Day

MYOB wrote: »

Cathleens' Falls bridge, 3 lane road with pedestrian bridge suspended beneath it.

Wow! Like something from a Sci-Fi movie. How old is it?

On a different tack - I have searched the internet for a photo of one of the border crossing bridges as altered by British security services - I don't mean a blown up bridge! Something with corrugated sheeting and a watchtower. Anybody?

L1011

5 years or less, its part of the N15 Bundoran/Ballyshannon bypass.

tricky D

Broom Bridge on the Royal Canal near Cabra has a bit of interest if you're up on your complex maths.

Also the original keystones (head sculptures) from O'Connell Bridge made their way to a building on Sir John Rogerson's Quay when they widened it in the 19th C. (Will dig up a photo sometime)

westtip

MYOB wrote: »

5 years or less, its part of the N15 Bundoran/Ballyshannon bypass.

My god I have driven over it dozens of times and never seen it at this angle (just as well as I am in a car) Nice bit of lighting on modern architecture does wonders!

DWCommuter

Judgement Day wrote: »

Keeping up the matrimonial theme of the thread I include the former Harcourt Street line viaduct at the Brides Glen nr.Loughlinstown. When I was last on the viaduct in the 1970s it was in a quiet secluded spot but since the 'developments' at Cherrywood I suspect that this is no longer the case - I won't go back in case it spoils my memories of the place. I think that I'm correct in saying that the eventual extension of the Green Luas line (B2) to Bray will see track back on the viaduct? http://www.rpa.ie/en/projects/luas_bray_fassaroe/route_selection/Pages/default.aspx

The viaduct as seen from below.

The view westwards from the top of the viaduct.

Both views by kind permission of John Burke.
More pics on his Flickr site here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnnyghia1302/3551248780/in/photostream/

Nice viaduct and very well hidden. Not as well known as the "arches". But I'm trying to find a snap I have of the alignment across it, littered with beer cans, condoms and camp fire remains.:D Seriously.

My personal faves are Gleensk viaduct and Chetwynd for sheer scale and beauty.

Judgement Day

Another one from the Tralee & Dingle Light Railway to finish me for today. Hard to believe that this peaceful spot on a bend on the N86 Tralee/Dingle road was the scene of carnage on May 22nd, 1893. A fair special from Dingle containing passengers and a consignment of pigs ran away down the notorious Glen-na-galt bank (3 miles of falling gradient at 1:30) and crashed off the western side of the viaduct. The train was estimated to be travelling at 40 mph when it derailed instead of the regulation 6 mph! The three railway men on the footplate were killed in the crash and 13 passengers were injured some seriously. The full Board of Trade report into the accident is available as a pdf file and makes fascinating reading: http://www.tdlr.org.uk

Some of the points undercovered during the enquiry found that the train was being driven by a locomotive inspector not familiar with the line, that the railway equipment itself was defective and that that the railway had been built on the cheap thereby leading to overly steep inclines and sharp curves - literally cutting corners to save money. Although some slight easing of the curves was carried out in the years following the accident it was not until 1907 that a new bridge and associated deviation was completed. See photo and map below - by kind permission of Ted Polet. His website: http://www.narrowgauge.nl/site/english/tdsurvey.htm contains other drawings and photographs of the Tralee & Dingle today.

And below the 'new' 1907 deviation bridge which is still in situ today.

Interestingly the insignificant Finglas River was crossed by no less than four bridges in close proximity -the two pictured here, the Tralee/Dingle road bridge and a short distance north of the accident scene the Castlegregory branch of the T&D also crossed the river but sadly only the abutments survive today hidden in the trees.

Further fascinating information about the T&D is available at: http://www.tdlr.org.uk/

pearljamfan

Judgement Day wrote: »

Dainty and obscure this fairytale structure is at the Vartry Reservoir nr.Roundwood in Co.Wicklow.

can u walk on it or is it closed off???

DWCommuter

From my locality;

DWCommuter

I think this bridge near Ardnacrusha dam is interesting, because its representative of a more modern Ireland in its infancy. A very distinctive structure that still stands out in the locality. Similar structures are present along this particular man made water channel to divert the shannon to the power station. A stunning piece of infrastructure for those who can appreciate the enormity of it in the late 1920s.

DWCommuter

One final contribution from me tonight. The Bord na Mona Shannon rail bridge, that runs into the Former Ballinasloe Grand Canal branch (converted to rail use). A modern structure by all accounts and built at considerable cost to link the oul turf with a power station. Little known railway crossing of the shannon, but beautiful all the same.

Bullseye1

The pedestrian bridge at the Enniskerry juntion N11. What a waste of money.

L1011

DWCommuter wrote: »

I think this bridge near Ardnacrusha dam is interesting, because its representative of a more modern Ireland in its infancy. A very distinctive structure that still stands out in the locality. Similar structures are present along this particular man made water channel to divert the shannon to the power station. A stunning piece of infrastructure for those who can appreciate the enormity of it in the late 1920s.

From the top, most of the ESB-built bridges over both the 'proper' channel and the headrace seem very similar - I'd presume they all resemble this one from water level? They're far more elegant below than above in this case. They're without exception realistically too narrow for two lanes of modern traffic now, unfortunately.

Judgement Day

pearljamfan wrote: »

can u walk on it or is it closed off???

Locked off and only a thrill seeker will try and climb out on to it.

Jayuu

MYOB wrote: »

Cathleens' Falls bridge, 3 lane road with pedestrian bridge suspended beneath it.

Beautiful bridge. I wonder its like to walk with the traffic directly above you.

There's another spectacular picture of this on Flickr if you do a Google image search on "Cathleens' Falls bridge". Its taken from a distance and you can see how the lighting affects the local landscape. Quite amazing actually.

Because I don't know the owner of the image I don't want to directly link to it.

westtip

Judgement Day wrote: »

Another one from the Tralee & Dingle Light Railway to finish me for today. Hard to believe that this peaceful spot on a bend on the N86 Tralee/Dingle road was the scene of carnage on May 22nd, 1893. A fair special from Dingle containing passengers and a consignment of pigs ran away down the notorious Glen-na-galt bank (3 miles of falling gradient at 1:30) and crashed off the western side of the viaduct. The train was estimated to be travelling at 40 mph when it derailed instead of the regulation 6 mph! The three railway men on the footplate were killed in the crash and 13 passengers were injured some seriously. The full Board of Trade report into the accident is available as a pdf file and makes fascinating reading: http://www.tdlr.org.uk

Some of the points undercovered during the enquiry found that the train was being driven by a locomotive inspector not familiar with the line, that the railway equipment itself was defective and that that the railway had been built on the cheap thereby leading to overly steep inclines and sharp curves - literally cutting corners to save money. Although some slight easing of the curves was carried out in the years following the accident it was not until 1907 that a new bridge and associated deviation was completed. See photo and map below - by kind permission of Ted Polet. His website: http://www.narrowgauge.nl/site/english/tdsurvey.htm contains other drawings and photographs of the Tralee & Dingle today.

And below the 'new' 1907 deviation bridge which is still in situ today.

Interestingly the insignificant Finglas River was crossed by no less than four bridges in close proximity -the two pictured here, the Tralee/Dingle road bridge and a short distance north of the accident scene the Castlegregory branch of the T&D also crossed the river but sadly only the abutments survive today hidden in the trees.

Further fascinating information about the T&D is available at: http://www.tdlr.org.uk/

JD I am getting all excited about cycling across these greenway bridges.

ardmacha

This one is somewhat unusual

Co%20Clare,%20Lisdoonvarna,%20Spectacle%20Bridge%201900%27s.jpg

trellheim

is that one still there ?

DWCommuter

trellheim wrote: »

is that one still there ?

It is indeed.

ardmacha

The GNR main line has two fine bridges near Newry.

The Bessbrook Viaduct, now more visible from the Newry bypass, which is less beautiful.
image.aspx?ImageID=75489&Width=300&Height=200&Bg=-1185311

image.aspx?ImageID=75489&Width=300&Height=200&Bg=-1185311

and the neighbouring "Egyptian" arch.

and all manner of bridges here
http://www.ihpc.ie/ihpc/main/IrishLifeCategory.asp?iCategoryID=82&iCategoryTypeID=9

G_R

DWCommuter wrote: »

From my locality;

You must live near to me so. I was just gonna post a few of the aqueduct.

Just in case anyone doesn't know the story, its where the Royal Canal passes over the River Barrow. Open to correction, but as far as I know, its the only water over water crossing in Ireland.

Monasterevin is actually full of bridges, within 100m of each other there is 3 road bridges, the canal bridge and a bridge for the the train. Off the top of my head I can think of another 5 or 6, that has to be a record for a town this size.

Judgement Day

Monasterevan is certainly an interesting place for bridges and waterways. I think the bridge in question is technically called an aqueduct.
Monasterevan's other two claims to fame are also visible from the railway - the grotto with the moving statue, and the site of the 1975 siege which resulted in the successful freeing of the Dutch industrialist Dr Tiede Herrema from his kidnappers at a house in St.Evins Park. Sorry for wandering off topic.

PS And while I think of it, it is the Grand Canal rather than the Royal which crosses the River Barrow.

G_R

Judgement Day wrote: »

Monasterevan is certainly an interesting place for bridges and waterways. I think the bridge in question is technically called an aqueduct.
Monasterevan's other two claims to fame are also visible from the railway - the grotto with the moving statue, and the site of the 1975 siege which resulted in the successful freeing of the Dutch industrialist Dr Tiede Herrema from his kidnappers at a house in St.Evins Park. Sorry for wandering off topic.

Thats the word!!!

i was sitting here for 5 mins and it just wouldn't come to me.

Thank you haha