Isnt it suppossed to be one of the marvels of the modern world, yet its beauty and presence is lost after the sun sets, and in the day its rusting and is heavily overgrown with plants and moss.

Its time we looked after this landmark, clear it up and light the fucker up at night, its something to be proud of.

:applause:

Totally agree! It would look stunning if done right.

I don't like it. It creeps me out when in the dark lonely parts of Castlefield with that great big monster looming over you with the metrolink making its eery whistling sound :cry:

I don't like it. It creeps me out when in the dark lonely parts of Castlefield with that great big monster looming over you with the metrolink making its eery whistling sound :cry:


Your right, knock it down :eek2:

Pics?

And it's immortalised in that Smiths song...

"Under the iron bridge we kissed..."




http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/STILL-ILL-BBC-lyrics-The-Smiths/A91462465A4B3A90482568AB00274802

I absolutley LOVE it.

pics

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y122/richardjamesbrowning/DSCF1820.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y122/richardjamesbrowning/DSCF1823.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y122/richardjamesbrowning/DSCF1812.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y122/richardjamesbrowning/DSCF1817.jpg

taken on crap camera.

Yup, love it...


















tear it down! tear it down!

i love it, its one of the defining features of the area, i dont know what you could do with the dissused one but someone should do something to stop it dissintergrating

Is it this one that Sean Bean jumped off into a canal? My mate's planning to recreate the act.

Yeah, just one of many sites that needs to be fully appreciated.

It's great for TV and movies, I've seen a lot filmed down there. It's where Corrie's evil-doers always come to a sticky end - Richard Hillman's down there under the water somewhere.

I walked along the top of it once many years ago. Managed to cover the whole stretch and turned back - overgrown like a jungle it is too.

Might be an answer for the calls for a link between the Castlefield and Pomona developments and the city centre. Put a cycleway and footpath on it and add a couple of access points at St Georges and Pomona, Add some nice lighting,"et viola".

Might be an answer for the calls for a link between the Castlefield and Pomona developments and the city centre. Put a cycleway and footpath on it and add a couple of access points at St Georges and Pomona, Add some nice lighting,"et viola".



That would be quality. Get a letter written to someone.

And it's immortalised in that Smiths song...

"Under the iron bridge we kissed..."




http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/STILL-ILL-BBC-lyrics-The-Smiths/A91462465A4B3A90482568AB00274802

Nah.

THE Iron Bridge is the one off Kings Road which goes over the Metro line, Moz used it everyday to get to school.

Correct young CAW- He was also born in Park Hospital - now called Trafford General in Davyhulme - where I was born.

I love it.

Manc- what do you love !

I think he's talking about the viaduct.

Always loved this part of town. It's pretty unique - you get a real feel for the history of the city. In chronological order - Roman Fort (foundation of the city) - Canals ( Industrial Revolution)- Big Railway viaduct (ditto) - slightly run down iron bridge (era of decline) - The Arena (re-generation).

This for me is Manchester's answer to Sydney Harbour bridge. It's great to walk around the base of that and see the massive 'Land of the Giants' nuts and bolts that hold it all together. For want of drawing parallels, the unsed viaduct could also be Manchester's answer to the river in Valencia, that was blocked off, redirected and the old route is now used (as suggested below), as cycle route, jogging path and much needed GREEN SPACE. I was in Riga last week, and the city is alledgedly 54% park space!! Again, with parkland along an existing pathway- in this case the river.

Manchester's answer to Syndey Harbour Bridge?

Now there I was thinking it was just a grim old dirty old viaduct.

We have had for a long time in this country a real problem with maintenance or more accurately lack of it. Not enough emphasis is put on it and not enough funding set aside for it. The Castlefield viaduct is a classic example whereby we have an 'urban heritage park', supposedly a premier attraction for Manchester, and yet my eye is always drawn to the rust, dirt and protruding plant life rather than the industrial infrastructure. Owners of these structure (such as Network Rail, British Waterways) should be legally obliged to maintain them or risk fines etc.. The long and short of it is if you can't afford to maintain it properly then you shouldn't own it.

Can't they let buses use it as a quick way out of the centre.

Unlike the Sydney Harbour Bridge you cannot walk across it but like the SHB you can catch the train over it.

For want of drawing parallels, the unsed viaduct could also be Manchester's answer to the river in Valencia, that was blocked off, redirected and the old route is now used (as suggested below), as cycle route, jogging path and much needed GREEN SPACE.

It could be used in such a way yes, but it's important to remember that it wasn't some farsighted collection of individuals that came up with the idea, they were forced to divert the rio turia because it kept flooding the city centre and killing people (the notorious case in the late 50s). It's only when they had a dry river bed snaking its way through the city centre that they then decided to make it into the park it is today. I don't think it would have happened without the disaster and it would still be a river. I can't see Manchester's planners being so ingenious to come up with such an idea for the viaduct. Plus, I don't know whether it would make such a nice stroll along the viaduct with trams whizzing past on the other side every 5 minutes or so. Interesting idea though.

Odd question here, please forgive the lack of building knowledge:

How were the columns of the viaduct built? Were they empty cylinders built off-site, put into place and filled (with concrete? I tapped on one once and they didn't ring hollow...). Or were they built in place?

I thought that as some were in the water they would be caisson-like constructions. Please don't laugh at me.

If they were premade and simply lifted into position, does anyone have a photo? That would be sweet.

^^I think they are just thick wrought (or cast if under water) iron curved plates riveted together to form a very large circular hollow section. Couldn't say whether they are concrete filled but I doubt it.

Jerv's the man to ask. Being a shitty wee drunken ponce though, I'd wager those columns were full.

Mark Ronson - Just. If you like Radiohead and like trip hoppy funk covers, this is the song for you.

Wasn't it sold for a pound a few years ago? It went cheap because the purchaser had to meet all the maintenance costs

Or was I just dreaming?

Correct. :)

Manchester's answer to Syndey Harbour Bridge?

Now there I was thinking it was just a grim old dirty old viaduct.
I do believe he was just taking the piss FS... :)

Some picces. Apologies for the quality of some - I'm still messing around with camera settings.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c119/Latic12/P1010052.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c119/Latic12/P1010056.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c119/Latic12/P1010051.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c119/Latic12/P1010050.jpg

Taken Tuesday.