2019
SC3875 : Douglas Harbour Bridge Tower, South Quay, Douglas
taken 5 years ago, near to Douglas, Isle of Man
Douglas Harbour Bridge Tower, South Quay, Douglas
On the Protected Buildings Register, I understand the accumulator and mechanism inside is largely still complete. It was used to operate the original swing bridge all built in 1895. It was built by Sir W G Armstrong-Mitchell & Co Ltd, of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. The bridge cost £6,590.00 weighed 450 tons and was 176 feet long and 24 feet wide. The water hydraulic system operated at 700 psi. Operating as a toll bridge, the two toll huts occupied the site of the current machine towers and generated £1,699.00 in tolls in 1935, dropping to £144.00 in 1941. With a footpath on one side only, vehicular traffic was limited to 2 tons. Due to the deterioration of the bridge structure and its unsuitability for modern vehicular traffic loads, it was restricted to pedestrian use in 1959 and the bridge was finally replaced in 1979 by a steel box section design, constructed by Taylor Woodrow Ltd. A photograph apparently taken in April 1999 appears to show the new lift bridge under construction. In 2015 it was reported that The Department of Infrastructure offered the Swing-Bridge Tower to Douglas council for a nominal fee but the offer was declined after concerns were raised about the amount it would cost to redevelop the tower.
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