Heavy Lifting

This huge crane was today lifting in place a new service bridge over the River Irwell, directly alongside the existing road bridge.

It will replace the service route across the Irwell north of the Manchester-Liverpool railway line by Princess bridge. That will go with the construction of the new railway bridge which for the first time will link Piccadilly and Victoria stations, massively freeing up rail capacity at the heart of Manchester for the benefit of the whole of the north of England (which is why it is part of something called the Northern Hub).
That link - known as the Ordsall Chord and connecting Salford and Manchester - is controversial as it will affect listed railway bridges (although avoiding the George Stephenson Grade 1 bridge) and other structures. The outcome of the Inquiry is expected early next year.

If all goes to plan the construction of a much bigger rail bridge is going to follow on from this. That will need a very big crane indeed.