Lowry Footbridge.

This impressive looking bridge was opened on 28th  April  2000.

It's four giant carbon steel towers, each thirty metres tall, enable  the 230 tonne bridge to be lifted to a height of  23 metres above the water level, so allowing large ships to enter the old dock area.  It is lifted by winches driven by two 75KW electro-hydraulic powerpacks at each end of the bridge, and counterweights totalling 230 tonnes help provide stability during the lifting operation. The lifting section of the bridge  is 95m  long and 7m wide.

The footbridge spans the ship canal allowing  pedestrians visiting the Lowry arts centre and the shopping facilities on one side of Salford Quays to cross over to where the new Imperial War Museum North is currently under construction.

From the bridge walkway distant views  of  Mode Wheel locks and the drydock complex (where some of the steelwork used in the bridge was produced), until mid 2002 the minesweeper HMS Bronington could also been seen moored alongside the Imperial War Museum - she is now with the Warship Preservation Trust and berthed at Birkenhead.

Further information can be obtained at http://www.sandiway.u-net.com/fsc/fsl/f114lowry.htm