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was discovered and it became necessary to close all but one northbound lane. As the M6 at the time carried an estimated 150,000–160,000 vehicles per day, this led to serious congestion. The viaduct was not completely reopened to daytime traffic until
February 2005, and subsequently remained partially
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It comprises two separate bridges, one of 4,414 feet (1,345 m) long carrying the northbound carriageway, the longest motorway bridge in
England when it was opened in July 1963, and one 4,500 feet (1,400 m) long carrying the southbound carriageway, opened in 1995. The longest single span is
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The bridge's height and openness to the elements mean that it has frequently been the subject of speed reductions because of strong gusts of wind that badly affect the stability of high-sided vehicles. On several occasions lane closures have resulted as a consequence of articulated vehicles simply
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At approximately 8am on 13 September 1971 thick fog led to a catastrophic multiple vehicle crash on the viaduct. More than 200 cars, trucks and tankers piled up, five vehicles burst into flames, 10 people were killed and 70 injured. It was the worst accident ever recorded on
British roads at that
469:. On Thursday 16 May 1963, the last two girders were put into place. The bridge had taken longer to build than expected, and the motorway was due to open on Monday 29 July 1963. The bridge was designed to take up to 79,000 vehicles per day.
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being blown over. However, the open sides of the bridge are a deliberate design feature to reduce the likelihood of snow drifts building on the carriageways.
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closed at night for further remedial work to take place. In all, 148 bearings were replaced, the repair scheme costing around £52 million.
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Work started in
September 1959, and was to be finished by March 1962. 10,500 tons of steel superstructure was made by
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In August 1990 it was proposed to build a second viaduct, to start in 1992. The £52.5m contract was awarded to
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took place under the bridge, with reportedly over 5,000 ravers in attendance.
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The scheme was announced on
Thursday 9 July 1959 by Minister of Transport
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20 and 21 of the M6, the former being also known as junction 9 of the
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445:. The bridge would cost £5,056,678, and was to be built by
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that of 336 feet (102 m) crossing the Ship Canal.
465:. Concrete was supplied by Four Square Industries of
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658:Written Answers, 14 April 2003 col. 600W
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748:"Weatherwatch: September mists and fogs"
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539:"M6 Warrington to Preston (J20 to J29)"
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37:Main span of the two bridges over the
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722:"Ravers take over Thelwall Viaduct"
211:Slip road on the northbound descent
574:Thursday 17 September 1959, page 7
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674:"M6 viaduct reopen after repairs"
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646:Wednesday 9 October 1996, page 2
622:Wednesday 15 August 1990, page 7
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808:Bridges across the River Mersey
344:Location in UK motorway network
244:Second bridge: 23 December 1996
634:Monday 26 October 1992, page 1
586:Tuesday 5 January 1960, page 8
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177:4,500 ft (1371.6 m) southbound
175:4,414 ft (1345.4 m) northbound
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598:Thursday 12 July 1962, page 9
793:The Motorway Archive website
661:Transport - Thelwall Viaduct
562:Friday 10 July 1959, page 12
541:. The Motorway Archive. 2009
447:Leonard Fairclough & Son
828:Motorway bridges in England
676:. BBC News. 7 February 2005
610:Friday 17 May 1963, page 11
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441:, near Stafford, over the
242:First bridge: 29 July 1963
823:Bridges completed in 1995
818:Bridges completed in 1963
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226:Leonard Fairclough (1963)
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505:In April 2011 a massive
347:Show map of UK motorways
195:93 ft (28.3 m)
16:Bridge in United Kingdom
700:North Wales Daily Post
696:"M6 clear at Thelwall"
488:In July 2002 a failed
449:, and designed by Sir
632:Birmingham Daily Post
584:Birmingham Daily Post
398:Manchester Ship Canal
105:Manchester Ship Canal
39:Manchester Ship Canal
316:Show map of Cheshire
833:Viaducts in England
813:Bridges in Cheshire
754:. 21 September 2011
726:Warrington Guardian
474:Tarmac Construction
162:Reinforced concrete
152:Plate girder bridge
66: /
644:Winsford Chronicle
234:Dorman Long (1963)
70:53.3906°N 2.5059°W
702:. 7 February 2005
392:. It carries the
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137:National Highways
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439:Creswell Viaduct
435:Gathurst Viaduct
431:Harold Watkinson
404:. It is between
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358:Thelwall Viaduct
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338:Thelwall Viaduct
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304:Thelwall Viaduct
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209:4 each direction
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185:336 ft (102.4 m)
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75:53.3906; -2.5059
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25:Thelwall Viaduct
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728:. 4 April 2011
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756:. Retrieved
752:The Guardian
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543:. Retrieved
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457:Construction
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402:River Mersey
357:
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310:Location in
182:Longest span
172:Total length
109:River Mersey
18:
838:M6 motorway
484:Maintenance
463:Dorman Long
451:James Drake
433:, with the
396:across the
394:M6 motorway
267:Count point
73: /
48:Coordinates
802:Categories
522:References
507:free party
467:Middlewich
386:Warrington
373:composite
249:Statistics
58:53°23′26″N
758:12 August
732:12 August
706:12 August
680:12 August
545:12 August
443:River Sow
416:Structure
406:junctions
61:2°30′21″W
400:and the
366:SJ664883
312:Cheshire
273:Location
158:Material
127:Cheshire
123:Woolston
425:History
390:England
378:viaduct
369:) is a
216:History
101:Crosses
86:Carries
518:time.
501:Events
375:girder
239:Opened
148:Design
115:Locale
371:steel
205:lanes
166:Steel
760:2017
734:2017
708:2017
682:2017
547:2017
437:and
382:Lymm
356:The
119:Lymm
410:M56
380:in
203:of
201:No.
804::
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698:.
530:^
453:.
412:.
388:,
384:,
164:,
125:,
95:M6
762:.
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710:.
684:.
549:.
360:(
121:/
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