Sunday 25 August 2013

Across Manchester Road Roving Bridge


My posting yesterday on Hyde Daily Photo Vol.2 showed the Manchester Road bridge over the Peak Forest Canal and my posting on Hyde DP Xtra showed the view of the canal from the north side of the bridge and Manchester road as it crossed the bridge.

This view is of the original "roving bridge" on the south side of the roadway. The towpath crosses sides here. It comes in from the left here, crosses the top of the bridge and then turns under the bridge on the other side. Narrowboats on the canal were originally horse-drawn and the arrangement of the "roving bridge" allow the horse to be led over the bridge without the necessity of unhitching it from the boat.

There is another photograph of this bridge on Old Hyde which may give you a better idea of it.

A contribution to Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

7 comments:

  1. How very clever! It's a lovely bridge.

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  2. I've never seen a bridge like this. Well thought out.

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  3. I love this view! I'd heard of horse pulled boats before but have never seen this kind of bridge.

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  4. Very fascinating, Gerald! You really come up with excellent contributions to Sunday Bridges!

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  5. Gerald, great shot, show your followers a picture of the rope marks on the stonework on the bridges. When I walked along the Peak Forest Canal it always amazed me how many times a horse must have passed under the bridges pulling a barge and worn a groove in the stonework with the rope.

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  6. Great photo, is the canal still there or did I miss a post.

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