Looking south-west before work starts, the canal is blocked by Gorrels Way, off Queensway, Rochdale.

December 3rd 2001: Looking south west at Gorrels Way. The route of the canal channel is shown by the concrete piles. The first half of the new bridge is to be constructed in front of the sheet piles. The diverted roadway is behind the sheet piles and the existing canl is beyond that.

June 28th 2002: The concrete side walls and roof of both halves of the new bridge are now in place. Traffic has been diverted across the first half. The roadway on the second half has yet to be surfaced.

March 25th 2002: Looking south east up Gorrels Way. The road has been across the first half of the new bridge as preparations are made for the construction of the second half to the right. The new road level is over 2 metres above the original level.

June 28th 2002: The second half of the new bridge has been constructed. The motorway bridge across Gorrels Way is to the right.

August 1st 2001: Looking towards Gorrels Way from the canal pound before bridge construction started. Environmental experts are removing protected plants from the canal before work can begin. Two protected species are found here:
Floating Water Plantain (Luronium Natans) and
American Ribbon-leaf Pondweed (Potamogeton Epihydrus).
These will be transplanted to a reservation being created further along the canal.

August 31st 2001: A reservation created for some of the rare plant species moved from Gorrells Way. This is just east of Edinburgh Way. The embankment carrying Hartley Lane is seen in the background. This has now been replaced with a bridge.

Next page: Manchester Road Bridge, Castleton

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