Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB21/10/001 D

Address :
Railway Bridge Glenville Road Newtownabbey Co Antrim BT37

Townland:
Whiteabbey

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
07/04/2010 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Bridge

Former Use
Bridge

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
114-06SW

IG Ref:
J3531 8322

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Owner Category

Public Body

Exterior Description And Setting

A skew single-span concrete bridge carries the double-track Belfast-Londonderry railway over Glenville Road (including two footpaths, one of which is raised). It is of painted reinforced-concrete throughout, all cast in situ. The arch is of three-centred profile, over which is a banded reveal of shallow segmental profile. The parapets have recessed rectangular panels and carry the date 1932 on the middle of their outside faces. The bank retaining walls on both sides have banded rustication and slightly advanced copings; they merge with the wing walls of the adjoining bridges (HB21/10/001C and HB21/10/001E). As this line is at a higher level than those adjoining, this bridge is slightly higher as a consequence. The line continues across the Three Mile Water on viaduct HB21/10/001A.

Architects

Wallace W.K

Historical Information

When the Belfast-Ballymena railway was opened in 1848, the line ran via Greenisland in order to avoid the expense of constructing a massive viaduct over the valley of the Three Mile Water (here known as Valentine's Glen). This dogleg necessitated reversing trains between Greenisland and Antrim and added to the journey time. In the early 1930s, the London, Midland & Scottish Railway (Northern Counties Committee) embarked on the construction of a viaduct across the glen in order to cut out the Greenisland detour and reduce the journey time by 20-25 minutes. The Greenisland Loop Scheme, as it was known, entailed the construction of this and four other bridges at the Whiteabbey end and four en route to Monkstown. The project cost £250,000 (approx £12m in today's values) and was directed by the NCC's Resident Engineer W.K. Wallace. It was also a job creation scheme, taking 550 men off social security. Although the scheme was not opened until January 1934, this particular bridge was built in 1932 to carry Belfast-Londonderry up and down lines. In 1999, Translink repaired the bridge as part of the reopening of the Belfast-Antrim line which had closed to passengers in 1978. This entailed blast cleaning, repairs to the concrete, waterproofing and painting. The line reopened in June 2001. References - Secondary sources: 1. Hamond, F.W. 'Railway Bridges, Bleach Green Junction, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim' (NIEA Listed Building record HB21/10/001, December 1994). 2. Translink. 'Antrim - Bleach Green: Rebirth of a Railway Line' (Belfast, 2001).

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

B. Proportion F. Structural System J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest V. Authorship Z. Rarity

Evaluation

This railway bridge bears the distinctive utilitarian style of the LMS (NCC). Although of modest scale in itself, its interest is greatly enhanced by its association with the 1930s Greenisland Loop Scheme. This was the largest civil engineering project of its day and also brought much needed employment to the area during construction. This bridge is one of three in very close proximity to one another (the others are HB21/10/001D and HB21/10/001E), all of which are distinctive features of the Glenville Road. It also has a functional association and group value with the two viaducts at Bleach Green Junction, a short distance to the north (HB21/10/001A and HB21/10/001B). The viaducts and bridges are of particular interest as an uncommon group of original and unaltered concrete structures expressive of their time and function.

General Comments

Date of Survey

23 November 2008