Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB19/03/013

Address :
Railway bridge over canal Station Rd Moira Craigavon Co Armagh BT67

Townland:
Ballycanal / Magheramesk

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
23/07/2012 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Bridge

Former Use
Bridge

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
164/14

IG Ref:
J1560 6184

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Owner Category

Transport

Exterior Description And Setting

This highly skewed brick and masonry bridge carries the double-track Lisburn-Lurgan section of the Belfast-Dublin railway over the former Lagan Canal just west of Moira Station. The abutments are of squared random rubble blackstone with ashlar sandstone quoins. A chamfered ashlar sandstone string course runs around the quoins and through the arch at spring level. The arch is of semi-elliptical profile with ashlar vee-jointed sandstone voussoirs. It measures 9.21m (30ft) perpendicularly across the abutments (10.90m on the skew) and is 41.5m (136ft) long. The soffit is of highly skewed machined brick. The spandrels are of ashlar sandstone. Tapered buttresses rise from each side of the arch. They are of vermiculated and margined sandstone blocks laid to courses. They extend above track level as ashlar terminal piers to two-bar metal railings (possibly replacements). An ashlar sandstone string course runs over the arch crown and around the base of the terminal piers. At each end of the bridge are curved wing walls of squared blackstone rubble with dressed sandstone copings. They terminate in square piers surmounted by pyramidal sandstone caps. The NW and SE wing walls are partly bridged by reinforced-concrete slabs to facilitate foot access along the track. Behind the NW wing wall is a squared random rubble bank retaining wall with vertical stone copings. A similar retaining wall extends beyond the SE wing wall. A 1.5m wide towpath runs through the bridge along its north abutment. Although long disused as a towpath it is still in use as a recreational footpath between Moira Station and Broadwater. A three-bar timber and metal safety railing now runs along its edge. It is faced with random rubble black stone edged with dressed stone blocks. There is a similar berm along the south abutment. In combination they restrict the width of the still-watered canal to 6.28m (20ft 6in) as it passes through the bridge. A sacrificial metal post is embedded in the towpath at each end of the bridge to protect the quoins from towrope damage.

Architects

Historical Information

This bridge lies on the Lisburn-Lurgan section of the Belfast-Dublin railway. The Belfast-Lisburn section was opened by the Ulster Railway Company in August 1839 and had reached Lurgan by November 1841. In 1876, the Ulster Railway Company became part of the Great Northern Railway Company (Ireland). Although a railway bridge is shown over the canal on the 1858 OS six-inch map, the present one was, according to McCutcheon, built in 1883. The original one was probably a timber or metal girder span. The Ulster Transport Authority took over the railway’s operations in 1958, then Northern Ireland Railways in 1968, and now Translink. References – Primary sources: 1. PRONI OS/6/1/67/2. Second edition OS six-inch map, Co Antrim sheet 67 (1858). 2. PRONI OS/6/3/13/1. Second edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 13 ((1858) References - Secondary sources: 1. McCutcheon, W.A. The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland, pp 104-105, 159 (Belfast: HMSO, 1980).

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form F. Structural System J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

Z. Rarity W. Northern Ireland/International Interest

Evaluation

Although not an original feature of the Ulster Railway, this bridge is arguably the finest examples in Northern Ireland of a skew brick-arched bridge. This structural attribute is greatly enhanced by the use of ashlar sandstone and contrasting blackstone on its elevations and the scale of the skewed arch. It is testimony to its builders that no structural upgrading has ever been necessary during its 125+ years of service. Its interest is also enhanced by the passing of the canal through it and it has group value with the other nearby listed bridge on this line (HB19.03.061).

General Comments

Date of Survey

10 December 2010