Bowstring Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Braunstone Gate Bridge from the west showing lattice girders in 2005 | |
| Coordinates | 52°37′54.2″N 1°08′38.7″W / 52.631722°N 1.144083°W |
| Carries | Great Central Railway (1899–1969) Great Central Way (until 1997) |
| Crosses | River Soar and Western Boulevard, Leicester |
| Locale | Braunstone Gate |
| Official name | Braunstone Gate Bridge |
| Maintained by | Leicester City Council[1] |
| ID number | 1041[1] |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Bowstring lattice girder bridge[2][3] |
| Material | Steel |
| No. of spans | 1 |
| Clearance below | 4.80 metres (15.7 ft)[1] |
| History | |
| Opened | 1898 |
| Closed | 2009 |
| Location | |
 | |
The Braunstone Gate Bridge (also known as the Bowstring Bridge) was a former railway bridge carrying the Great Central Railway, and later a public footpath and cycleway, over Western Boulevard and the River Soar in Leicester, England. The bridge had been in a poor state of repair following years of neglect by the local council and it was demolished to facilitate developments for De Montfort University. The Council claimed that the costs of restoration were prohibitive.
- ^ a b c "Bowstring Bridge Duns Lane Leicester (Br. No. 1041) Bridge Inspection Report" (PDF). Leicester: Leicester City Council. April 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
- ^ Bidder, Frederick William (20 March 1900). "The Great Central Railway Extension: Northern Division". In Charles Hawksley (ed.). Minutes of proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers (Google books). Institution of Civil Engineers. p. 18. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
At Braunstone Gate the line is carried over a road bridge and the river beneath by a single-span open-web girder bridge.
- ^ Braunstone Gate Bridge, Leicestershire County Council historic photographs. Trains crossed "a 'bowstring' lattice girder bridge."