The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway has taken a huge step forward with the acquisition of the former Marple station footbridge, originally erected in 1875.
The footbridge will used at Bolton Abbey, realising a long-held ambition to reinstate a crossing between the existing platform 1 and soon-to-be-reopened platforms two & three.
To support the project, a grant of £27,100 has been gratefully accepted from the Association of Industrial Archaeology.
The footbridge once stood at Marple station in Cheshire, a former joint station of the Midland and the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railways. Preserved in the late 2000s when it was removed from the Network Rail station, it is now been purchased to erect at Bolton Abbey station.
Rob Shaw, Director, said
“We are delighted to be welcoming Marple footbridge to the railway. Its superb condition, Midland Railway heritage and generous dimensions make it perfect for our needs.”
“Our members and supporters have been hopeful for many years of completing the vision of Bolton Abbey station in its Edwardian heyday. With the completion of platforms two and three approaching after much hard work, it was very opportune for this footbridge to become available to us. A footbridge was a key part of the Bolton Abbey scene. This will allow members of the public to enjoy the fruits of our labour in rebuilding platforms two and three.”
“We are grateful to the AIA for their grant support, Kidderminster Railway Museum who are the most recent owners of the bridge, and the committed preservationists who saved the span initially. We look forward to resurrecting Marple footbridge for the benefit of the public.”
The bridge has been moved to a specialist contractor to undertake preparation works for erection.
This installation is part of a wider project to reinstate Bolton Abbey station's second platform, which you can read more about and support at https://www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk/platform2
This project has been supported by a restoration grant from the Association for Industrial Archaeology, the national society for industrial heritage, which has supported the study, preservation and presentation of industrial heritage in Britain since 1973.
More information can be found at https://industrial-archaeology.org.
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