Lagan Railway Bridge

Lagan Railway Bridge is a railway and pedestrian bridge across the River Lagan in Belfast, slightly north of Belfast Central railway station.[1] The next bridge upstream is the Albert Bridge, whilst the next downstream is Queen's Bridge.

Not to be confused with the single-track Dargan Bridge further downstream.

Lagan Railway Bridge, looking towards Central station.

Original bridge

From 1875 to 1965, a more rudimentary structure existed in the same location. Built by the Belfast Central Railway as part of its line which linked the Great Northern Railway and the Belfast and County Down Railway, it was a single track eight-span wooden bridge.[2] Heavier locomotives were banned from crossing it, and by the time it was closed by the Ulster Transport Authority in 1965, it had earned the nickname, ''The Lagan Shaky Bridge''. It was subsequently demolished shortly after closure.[3]

Current bridge

The current structure was opened by Northern Ireland Railways in 1976 as part of the work to reopen the Belfast Central Railway line to passenger traffic. It is double track[4] and supported by four piers. It has six spans (including one over Laganbank Road and is 440 feet (130 m) long.[5] Immediately to the north of the bridge is Lagan Junction, where the Bangor line and Larne/Derry lines diverge at a level junction, with the latter veering to the left and crossing the Lagan again over the Dargan Bridge. On the downstream side of the bridge is a pedestrian walkway, linking Laganbank Road, which the railway part of the bridge crosses[6] and Laganview Court.

  • A train crossing the bridge.
    A train crossing the bridge.
  • The bridge as seen from East Bridge Street.
    The bridge as seen from East Bridge Street.

54.5976°N 5.9173°W / 54.5976; -5.9173

See also

References
  1. "Bridge Database, pg7".
  2. "Geograph:: Original Shaky Bridge (C) The Carlisle Kid". www.geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  3. "Geograph:: The Lagan railway bridge, Belfast (May... (C) Albert Bridge". www.geograph.ie. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  4. "NIR Network Statement 2018, Section 3.3.1.1 Track Typologies" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  5. "Irish Railways: 1946-1996 - Northern Ireland Railways". Irish Railway Record Society. 11 June 2008. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  6. "Geograph:: The Laganbank Road railway bridge,... (C) Albert Bridge". www.geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
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