Bridge Turrets

Leeds Hippo · Post by **Leeds Hippo** » Fri 09 Jul, 2010 9:52 pm

Anyone know what these bridge "turrets" were used for?Were they to allow pedestrians to take refuge.This is the famous "Turner" bridge over the Leeds Liver pool canal in Kirkstall at the bottom of the Leeds and Bradford road.http://www.secretleeds.com/forum/Messag ... .74585&z=8

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Fri 09 Jul, 2010 10:37 pm

I always thought they were for people to step into to dodge the traffic.

jim · Post by **jim** » Fri 09 Jul, 2010 10:50 pm

I understood they were provided for the adjudicators in that greatest of all extreme sports..........all-day Pooh sticks!

Richard A Thackeray · Fri 09 Jul, 2010 10:56 pm

Chrism wrote: I always thought they were for people to step into to dodge the traffic. My thoughts too, before pavements were added.

anthonydna · Post by **anthonydna** » Sat 10 Jul, 2010 12:05 am

Every fool knows what the are, they are Armley Hippo crossing points. Two hippos could not pass each other without confrontation, only one design was proposed. Thankfully the Leeds rhinos were far more cooperative.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Sat 10 Jul, 2010 12:45 pm

Such things on bridges reminds me of the recessed parts in train tunnels. When I see the recesses from a train I wonder just how long people have to get in before a train passes by! Apologies for going a bit off topic from bridge turrets but there is a connection.

Leeds Hippo · Post by **Leeds Hippo** » Sat 10 Jul, 2010 1:38 pm

Yes the suggestions seems to explain it - just wondered why they bothered when the bridge was built the traffic would have been mainly stage coaches and people on horse back (see Turners painting). The turrets could have served 2 purposes since they also appear to reinforce the structure of the bridge. Thing is why did Turner leave them off his painting when they appear in his sketch book? Note also that the path under the bridge appears to be missing. If you look at the guy on the bridge he appears to be walking "through" the keystones rather than above them as you would expect.

Leeds Hippo · Post by **Leeds Hippo** » Sat 10 Jul, 2010 2:05 pm

Another view from the other sideWasn't this also a toll road at one time - note also that Turners arch seems narrower and higher - Artistic licence? - or maybe he couldn't paint bridges!Also the wall seems less pronounced on Turners painting Sounds like sacrilege but I wonder if Turner made a mistake and found that in order to squeeze Kirkstall abbey in he had to shorten the bridge.

Leeds Hippo · Post by **Leeds Hippo** » Sat 10 Jul, 2010 2:33 pm

And another from LeodisEllers Bridge 1944