Kirkless iron bridge remains - then and now
Photo: dk

This is the remains of the bridge supports for the Kirkless iron bridge crossing lock no 4 which carried the line connecting Wigan Coal and Iron to the roundhouse. I have never actually seen this bridge and the only picture I have seen showing it is the ariel view of Wigan Coal and Iron on places/wigan coal and iron/ posted by Ron Hunt and from this it can be seen that this bridge was a twin construction to the iron bridge lower down the cut by the rabbit rocks. The two pics are from 1980 and earlier this year taken from the canal bank in the general direction of New Springs with what was Redland Tiles behind the fence. The local urchin from 1980, last seen atop the bullet rock, has been mirrored by an urchin of today. (They are bggrs for climbing these urchins) Apart from the soot having washed away a bit the stonework is practically identical - as are the local urchins!