Jump to content

Craigavon Bridge: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 54°59′26″N 7°19′4″W / 54.99056°N 7.31778°W / 54.99056; -7.31778
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Rescuing 1 sources and tagging 1 as dead. #IABot (v1.6.1) (Balon Greyjoy)
No edit summary
 
(41 intermediate revisions by 30 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Double decked bridge}}
[[Image:Craigavon_bridge.jpg|thumb|right|Craigavon Bridge, 2006]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
The '''Craigavon Bridge''' is one of three [[bridge]]s in [[Derry]], [[Northern Ireland]]. It crosses the [[River Foyle]] further south than the [[Foyle Bridge]] and [[Peace Bridge (Foyle)|Peace Bridge]]. It is one of only a few double-decker road bridges in [[Europe]]. It was named after [[Lord Craigavon]], the first [[Prime Minister of Northern Ireland]].
{{Use Irish English|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox bridge
| bridge_name = Craigavon Bridge
| image = Craigavon_bridge.jpg
| carries = [[A2 road (Northern Ireland)|A2]]
| crosses = [[River Foyle]]
| locale = [[Derry]]
| named_for =
| maint =
| heritage =
| website =
| preceded =
| followed =
| design =
| length =
| height =
| architect =
| begin =
| complete =
| opened =
}}


The '''Craigavon Bridge''' is one of three [[bridge]]s in [[Derry]], [[Northern Ireland]]. It crosses the [[River Foyle]] further south than the [[Foyle Bridge]] and [[Peace Bridge (Foyle)|Peace Bridge]]. It is one of only a few double-decker road bridges in Europe. It was named after [[Lord Craigavon]], the first [[Prime Minister of Northern Ireland]].
The present bridge began construction in the late 1920s and was finished in 1933. The lower deck of the bridge originally carried a [[railway]] line for freight wagons, but this was replaced by a road in 1968, and at each end a silhouetted mural of a railway station stands to mark the railway.{{Fact|date=March 2009}} On 3 July 1968, as part of a series of protests against housing conditions in Derry, the [[Derry Housing Action Committee]] (DHAC) held a sit-down protest on the newly opened second deck of the Craigavon Bridge.<ref name="CA">{{cite web|title=A Chronology of the Conflict - 1968| work=Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN)|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch68.htm|accessdate=11 July 2009}}</ref>


The present bridge was designed by the City Architect, Matthew A Robinson. Construction began in the late 1920s and was finished in 1933. The lower deck of the bridge originally carried a [[railway]] line for freight wagons, but that was replaced by a road in 1968. At each end, a silhouetted mural of a railway station stands to mark the former railway.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} On 3 July 1968, as part of a series of protests against housing conditions in Derry, the [[Derry Housing Action Committee]] (DHAC) held a sit-down protest on the newly opened second deck of the Craigavon Bridge.<ref name="CA">{{cite web|title=A Chronology of the Conflict - 1968| work=Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN)|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch68.htm|accessdate=11 July 2009}}</ref>
A pair of bronze statues forming a sculpture entitled ''Hands Across the Divide'' are situated at the west end of Craigavon Bridge in Carlisle Square and were produced by Derry sculptor [[Maurice Harron]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Hands Across the Divide|work=Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN)|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/images/photos/Londonderry/citywithout/statuesbr.htm|accessdate=2007-08-23}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>


''[[Hands Across the Divide]]'', a pair of bronze statues forming a sculpture, produced by Derry sculptor [[Maurice Harron]], are situated at the west end of bridge in Carlisle Square.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hands Across the Divide |work=Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN) |url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/images/photos/Londonderry/citywithout/statuesbr.htm |accessdate=23 August 2007}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
==Refurbishment==
[[File:Craigavon_Bridge_decoration_-_Londonderry_(Derry)_Coat_of_Arms_- Original 2.jpg|The upper deck of the bridge is decorated with [[Derry]]'s coat of arms.|thumb]]
Between October 1999 and August 2000, the Roads Service of the [[Department for Regional Development]], in Phase I of a refurbishment project, concentrated on the refurbishment of the upper deck of the bridge to provide increased safety and to prolong the service life of the bridge. This included concrete and steelwork repairs, re-waterproofing of the deck to protect the steelwork from corrosion, resurfacing of both carriageway and footways. Later phases II and III concentrated on refurbishment of the lower deck and painting of the bridge.<ref>{{cite web | title=Update on £1 million Craigavon Bridge Refurbishment | date=2000-05-05 | work=Department for Regional Development News Releases | url=http://archive.nics.gov.uk/rd/000505a-rd.htm | accessdate=2007-08-23 | deadurl=yes | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927004811/http://archive.nics.gov.uk/rd/000505a-rd.htm | archivedate=2007-09-27 | df= }}</ref> The total cost of refurbishing Craigavon Bridge was £4·2 million.<ref>{{cite web | title=Craigavon Bridge | date=2001-09-10 | work=NI Assembly Report | url=http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/record/reports/010910c.htm | accessdate=2007-08-23 | deadurl=yes | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926215649/http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/record/reports/010910c.htm | archivedate=2007-09-26 | df= }}</ref>


==History==
==History==
Craigavon Bridge is the third bridge to be built in the area. The first bridge over the River Foyle was a wooden one built in 1790. It was assembled in [[United States|America]] and transported to [[Derry]] to be positioned in the Bridge Street area about 90 metres north of the present bridge.<ref name="RC">{{cite web|title=Craigavon Bridge |work=Richmond Centre - When in Londonderry |url=http://www.richmondcentre.co.uk/when_in_derry.html |accessdate=2007-08-23 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070822214526/http://www.richmondcentre.co.uk/when_in_derry.html |archivedate=August 22, 2007 }}</ref> It was built from 1789-1791 between Bridge Street and Fountain Hill. The structure allowed for a drawbridge as the inhabitants of [[Strabane]] had navigational rights to the river.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Craigavon Bridge | work=Go Ireland | url=http://derry.goireland.com/scripts/low/xq/asp/areaid.173/areatype.C/cat.9/SubjectID.155/PremisesID.14570/qx/premises.htm | accessdate=2007-08-23 | deadurl=yes | archiveurl=https://archive.is/20120708170311/http://derry.goireland.com/scripts/low/xq/asp/areaid.173/areatype.C/cat.9/SubjectID.155/PremisesID.14570/qx/premises.htm | archivedate=2012-07-08 | df= }}</ref>
Craigavon Bridge is one of three bridges to be built in the area. The first bridge over the River Foyle was a wooden one, assembled in the United States and transported to [[Derry]]. It was built from 1789–1791, and sited between Bridge Street and Fountain Hill, about 90 metres north of the present bridge.<ref name="RC">{{cite web |title=Craigavon Bridge |work=Richmond Centre - When in Derry...
|url=http://www.richmondcentre.co.uk/when_in_derry.html |accessdate=23 August 2007 |url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070822214526/http://www.richmondcentre.co.uk/when_in_derry.html
|archivedate=22 August 2007 }}</ref> The structure included a drawbridge because the inhabitants of [[Strabane]] had navigational rights on the river.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Craigavon Bridge | work=Go Ireland | url=http://derry.goireland.com/scripts/low/xq/asp/areaid.173/areatype.C/cat.9/SubjectID.155/PremisesID.14570/qx/premises.htm | accessdate=23 August 2007 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120708170311/http://derry.goireland.com/scripts/low/xq/asp/areaid.173/areatype.C/cat.9/SubjectID.155/PremisesID.14570/qx/premises.htm | archivedate=8 July 2012 }}</ref>


In 1863 the steel Carlisle Bridge was erected, a little further upstream, almost where Craigavon Bridge is today, to replace the old wooden bridge after it was destroyed after being hit by an iceberg in 1862.<ref name="RC"/>
In 1863, the steel Carlisle Bridge was erected, a little further upstream, almost where Craigavon Bridge is today, to replace the old wooden bridge.<ref name="RC"/>

{{Panorama|image=File:Craigavon Bridge, Derry 2018-07-29.jpg|height=300|caption=Panorama of Craigavon Bridge in 2018}}


==References==
==References==
Line 25: Line 49:
|downsub =
|downsub =
|type =
|type =
|thisis = Foyle Bridge
|thisis = Craigavon
|location = }}
|location = }}


Line 33: Line 57:
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Derry (city)]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Derry (city)]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1933]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1933]]
[[Category:Derry (city)]]
[[Category:Double-decker bridges]]
[[Category:Double-decker bridges]]

Latest revision as of 19:18, 23 August 2024

Craigavon Bridge
Coordinates54°59′26″N 7°19′04″W / 54.9906°N 7.3178°W / 54.9906; -7.3178
CarriesA2
CrossesRiver Foyle
LocaleDerry
Location
Map

The Craigavon Bridge is one of three bridges in Derry, Northern Ireland. It crosses the River Foyle further south than the Foyle Bridge and Peace Bridge. It is one of only a few double-decker road bridges in Europe. It was named after Lord Craigavon, the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.

The present bridge was designed by the City Architect, Matthew A Robinson. Construction began in the late 1920s and was finished in 1933. The lower deck of the bridge originally carried a railway line for freight wagons, but that was replaced by a road in 1968. At each end, a silhouetted mural of a railway station stands to mark the former railway.[citation needed] On 3 July 1968, as part of a series of protests against housing conditions in Derry, the Derry Housing Action Committee (DHAC) held a sit-down protest on the newly opened second deck of the Craigavon Bridge.[1]

Hands Across the Divide, a pair of bronze statues forming a sculpture, produced by Derry sculptor Maurice Harron, are situated at the west end of bridge in Carlisle Square.[2]

History

[edit]

Craigavon Bridge is one of three bridges to be built in the area. The first bridge over the River Foyle was a wooden one, assembled in the United States and transported to Derry. It was built from 1789–1791, and sited between Bridge Street and Fountain Hill, about 90 metres north of the present bridge.[3] The structure included a drawbridge because the inhabitants of Strabane had navigational rights on the river.[4]

In 1863, the steel Carlisle Bridge was erected, a little further upstream, almost where Craigavon Bridge is today, to replace the old wooden bridge.[3]

Panorama of Craigavon Bridge in 2018

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "A Chronology of the Conflict - 1968". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 11 July 2009.
  2. ^ "Hands Across the Divide". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 23 August 2007.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ a b "Craigavon Bridge". Richmond Centre - When in Derry... Archived from the original on 22 August 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2007.
  4. ^ "The Craigavon Bridge". Go Ireland. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2007.


Next bridge upstream River Foyle Next bridge downstream
Lifford Bridge Craigavon Peace Bridge (Foyle)

54°59′26″N 7°19′4″W / 54.99056°N 7.31778°W / 54.99056; -7.31778