Under the bridge echoes
Under the bridge echoes and opera
I have a friend who used to pay close attention to the numbers on railway bridges. He probably still does, now that I think about it. I can’t recall what they meant, but I find myself wishing I could because I’m sure there was some kind of secret to it and it was really interesting. In any case, that’s a long-winded way of burying the lede. Bridges.
There’s this really great bridge in Leeds along the canal, one in particular of many, and I decided to find out more about it. This may read like some bizarre answer to an emergency Richard Herring question, but I think it could actually be one of my favourite bridges. It has a great echo and reverb, which you can observe audibly (not sure why I clarified that) from these ridiculous voice memos. This is what I like most about the bridge.
Turns out it was built in 1846 as one of the earliest railways in Leeds—apparently it’s also the only example of Thomas Grainger’s work outside of Scotland. It closed in the late ‘60s, along with the Leeds Central Station, when much of the rest of the viaduct was demolished. It’s Listed Grade II.
Besides a great echo, a pleasing structure, and a scenic view, it also has a huge space on top that might very well become the next Highline. Or, at least, the first one in Leeds. I’ve always hoped the space on top became something and—were I a better climber, or at least, a more determined one—I’d have gotten up there to take some photos.
You can see it on Google maps using these coordinates:
53.794267, -1.559770.
