Last week, in his post Camouflaged lift bridge, Halfie commented on how he was caught by surprise by a lift bridge on the Llangollen Canal near Whitchurch:
On our recent cruise on the Llangollen Canal we came upon Tilstock Park Lift Bridge 42. It was at about ten minutes to ten on the morning of Wednesday 21st October. Unnecessary precision? Perhaps, but I was glad we hadn't cruised here in the dark.
Most swing or lift bridges are painted white so that they're visible in gloomy conditions. Not this one. It's been painted green so that it blends in to its surroundings, to avoid offending walkers - or car drivers - no doubt. And what is there to warn boaters of an obstruction at bow fender height? A small oval with the bridge number on it.
Halfie makes a good point, and his photo bears this out. It shows an attractive and well maintained structure, but painted in subterfuge-green.
I asked BW about it, and they said "nothing to do with us, guv, it's Shropshire Council, ask them."
So I spoke to John Williams, 'Structures Team Leader' at Shropshire Council. He confirmed that it is indeed the council's policy to paint all such structures a colour deliberately chosen to blend in with the countryside.
He said this bridge was last painted two years ago, and as far back as he can remember that bridge has always been dark green.
(The undated April 1979 picture on Geograph from Neil Clifton (pictured below right) shows a rather older bridge in the traditional black-and-white. It says it's the same bridge in the same location - is it? [Update: Yes, Dr Clifton confirms it is same location; he kept meticulous records of his photographs, and the trees in April 1979 would have had barer boughs than in October 2009. Plus there's another 30 years of vegetation growth.]
Canalplan location information here. By the way, the council calls it the 'Brickwalls' bridge, after the nearby farm.)
But it came as a complete surprise to John Williams that this could present any safety issues. He'd never thought about this before, and certainly BW had never mentioned it. His immediate reaction was slightly defensive, to ask if it was legitimate to cruise after dark anyway.
Well, yes, I said, but not just dark. This bridge could be tricky to spot in the gloom of a misty winter afternoon. And after all, this is the UK's most popular cruising waterway.
To his credit he then took the point very seriously. He said that while it's impractical to repaint the lift bridge just for one casual comment like ours, he'll certainly look into perhaps putting something bright on the parts that face the boats.
Fluorescent vinyls, or something like that? I asked, and he agreed, yes something like that.
So blame Halfie and me for spoiling a small corner of the Welsh Marches with yet more ugly fluoresence. Sorry.
I cruised the Lanigolly Easter 2009 and don`t remember a green lift bridge.
Amazed that a council has not covered it with some sort of signage under health and safety regs.
Also if it fails do we call the council, i think not.
Posted by: LES | Thursday, 10 December 2009 at 01:17 AM
Dr Neil Clifton, who provided the older 1979 photo, kindly emailed to say:
"This is the correct bridge as recorded in my Field Book, and was taken on 10 April 1979. It is not unlikely that the structure was replaced some time during the intervening 30 years."
Posted by: Andrew Denny | Tuesday, 08 December 2009 at 11:28 PM
I think all it needs is what looks like the horizontal wooden plank painting white. And the one (presumably) on the other side. Nothing too garish, please!
Posted by: Halfie | Tuesday, 08 December 2009 at 03:19 PM
Martin, I've emailed the photographer to see if he's sure it's the same bridge. Or at least, the same location. I guess those bridges need replacing more frequently than brick bridges.
Posted by: Andrew Denny | Tuesday, 08 December 2009 at 01:45 PM
An ElfandSafety paint brush
Posted by: Max Sinclair | Tuesday, 08 December 2009 at 01:44 PM
A splash of white emulsion on the bridge would help.Any passing boater?
Posted by: Max Sinclair | Tuesday, 08 December 2009 at 01:42 PM
Sheila, the Tilstock/Brickwalls bridge is probably the council's responsibility because it carries an 'adopted' (official) road.
I suspect the other bridges are just accomodation bridges, so are BW's responsibility.
Posted by: Andrew Denny | Tuesday, 08 December 2009 at 01:21 PM
The geograph page has 'year taken 1979'. It doesn't look like the same bridge to me. I'm also puzzled like Sheila.
Posted by: Martin Ward | Tuesday, 08 December 2009 at 12:04 PM
I am puzzled that Shropshire Council seems to have responsibility for this lift bridge. The rural Whitchurch lift bridges near the A41 are not painted green. I wonder if SC are responsible for them too. They are within their area. Is the local council responsible for all lift bridges or indeed road bridges over canals? Or does a council claim some and BW others. Pull the lift bridges out of the hat, sort of thing. I had thought BW did the repairs when agricultural vehicles damage small bridges. I wonder if anyone can clarify this. Sheila
Posted by: Sheila Halsall | Tuesday, 08 December 2009 at 09:31 AM