Leeds-A very Spanish bridge

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Sat 29 Oct, 2011 11:10 am

I saw a photo last night of the Viaducto de Segovia in Madrid you can see below, It suddenly made me realise we have a very similar bridge in Leeds. It's one we have all passed over hundreds of times, but very few ever see the full structure. It has to be one of the more impressive structures in Leeds, and it's all built out of concrete too. I thought I'd post the two photos for comparison.Madrid, El Viaducto de SegoviaAnd the Leeds version.This looks like a catenary arch, as favoured by Gaudí. Such a beautiful shape to be carried out in concrete and hidden away like that.The bridge itself carries the Horsforth New Road over the River Aire at Rodley. It must be one of Leeds best kept secrets really, It's worth taking a look at, and is more impressive than the photos suggest. The Google street view across the bridge is herehttp://g.co/maps/b4y6p

trophy · Post by **trophy** » Sat 29 Oct, 2011 11:52 am

years ago there were bats under the bridge wonder if they are still there.

keyholekate · Post by **keyholekate** » Sat 29 Oct, 2011 2:57 pm

I like it when you are in another place and something reminds you of Leeds.I cant get over how Portsmouth Town Hall is strikingly similar to ours.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Sun 30 Oct, 2011 1:56 am

keyholekate wrote: I like it when you are in another place and something reminds you of Leeds.I cant get over how Portsmouth Town Hall is strikingly similar to ours. It is indeed very like Leeds Town Hall, and the red building on the left, at a glance, gives a passable impersonation of Oxford Place Chapel too

tilly · Post by **tilly** » Sun 30 Oct, 2011 8:40 am

Its even got the two lions outside.

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Sun 30 Oct, 2011 10:11 am

"A suitable site for the new Town Hall was found at Landport, at what had formerly been the residence of Sir Thomas Ridge, but was at that time the official residence of the Commander of Artillery. The design for the building was under the control of a sub-committee of the Council, the members of which greatly admired the architecture of the modern Town Halls in the North of England, particularly those of Leeds and Bolton. The latter had been designed by Mr William Hill who was appointed the Architect for Portsmouth. He copied many of the features from Bolton but made so many improvements that it was larger by some 412,000 cubic feet. The lowest tender for the construction, which was carried out by Messrs. Armitage and Hodgson of Leeds, was £98,245. The old Town Hall in High Street subsequently became the Town Museum, a role it provided until it was destroyed in WW2. "

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Sun 30 Oct, 2011 1:36 pm

Good spot phill - I've been over that bridge (the Leeds one!) goodness knows how many times but had no idea what lay beneath. Quite a shame that all that splendour is hidden away. It looks worth a visit for a closer look. keyholekate wrote: I like it when you are in another place and something reminds you of Leeds.I cant get over how Portsmouth Town Hall is strikingly similar to ours. Spookily enough, I was watching the F1 this morning and before the race there was a preview of next years first F1 race in Austin, Texas. Obviously a lot of their city centre is glass, steel and chrome (as you might expect), but then suddenly in the background for just a second was a building which also bore more than a passing resemblance to our own Town Hall, albeit built from a lighter stone. Much as I'd like to think that there are cities copying us across the globe, I suspect it was just the architectural style of the times....

PC - Dublin · Post by **PC - Dublin** » Sun 30 Oct, 2011 2:12 pm

Phill_dvsn wrote: The bridge itself carries the Horsforth New Road over the River Aire at Rodley. It must be one of Leeds best kept secrets really, It's worth taking a look at, and is more impressive than the photos suggest. The Google street view across the bridge is herehttp://g.co/maps/b4y6p When was the Leeds bridge built Phill? The Spanish one was probably built around the same time and the reinforced concrete bridges probably had the same designs internationally.PC

Post by **mhoulden** » Sun 30 Oct, 2011 4:05 pm

Judging by the Old Maps website "our" bridge was in place by 1934 and as far as I can tell the Spanish version was built in the 1930s. Interestingly Broadway only continues after where the Rodley roundabout is now from some time in the 1960s. There's probably quite a story to tell about the building of the road because it affects so many different areas of Leeds, including the "ghost" bit of Featherbank Rd that runs up to the Toby Inn/Eleventh Earl, and the disappeared Rose Street near me in Horsforth. Trying to find much about it is pretty tricky though.

Richard A Thackeray · Post by **Richard A Thackeray** » Sun 30 Oct, 2011 5:56 pm

Now, is it just me, or did Tim Burton use a very similar bridge (minatures/models) in his 1989 'Batman' film (with Michael Keaton)