IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
WORKINGTON, CA14 1JL

In November 2009 severe flooding of the River Derwent brought down or damaged all four road and pedestrian bridges in Workington. The railway bridge survived, but travelling between the north and south sides of the town by road involved a 14 mile detour, with long delays in the rush hour. The Army were requested to build this temporary footbridge, and worked round the clock in difficult conditions to complete it. The bridge was opened 18 days after the floods hit. It is named in memory of Police Constable Bill Barker, who was swept to his death when the Northside Bridge http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/571476 collapsed under him as he was directing motorists away from it. For more information see Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barker_Crossing . Other photos with additional descriptions on Geograph : http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2096743 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2096817 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2096835 .

For background information, see Image . This temporary footbridge across the River Derwent is 52m long and weighs 110 tonnes. It is a Mabey Compact 200 bridge http://www.mabeybridge.co.uk/compact-bridging.asp built from prefabricated components. It was opened on the morning of 7 December 2009. First across were children, who had been putting up with long bus journeys when floods destroyed their usual routes to school.

For background information see Image . The sign says "BARKER CROSSING - BUILT BY 3 ARMD ENGR SQN DEC 2009" Up to 200 soldiers from the Regular and Territorial Army were involved in the planning, transport and erection of this footbridge, which is of a type used by the British Army in conflict zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

For background information see Image . This is on Mill Field - Workington Hall Mill can be seen in the distance. Bus services operated between here and the town centre until a new temporary road bridge reconnected the north and south sides of Workington in April 2010. The area of hardstanding was for the buses to turn - private vehicles were not allowed here or on the access road.

A George VI wall box in an ivy topped garden wall on Calva Brow, Workington.

The sign welcoming those who pass it into Workington. Proud winners of Cumbria in Bloom on several occasions. The sign doesn't indicate Workington's fate in the competition in the years since 2005, I couldn't help thinking whether they had simply ran out of space on the sign or if their fortunes in the competition had waned since.

The field here is part of a large area of parkland gifted to the people of Workington by the Curwen family who once lived in Workington Hall http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/571432 . Its official title is Curwen Park http://www.allerdale.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/parks-and-open-spaces/parks-and-open-spaces---genera/curwen-park.aspx but it is commonly called Hall Park. The stream flows from the River Derwent past Workington Hall Mill, seen in the distance.

Tollhouse by the A596, in parish of Workington (Allerdale District), Toll Bar House, Calva Brow. Demolished in 2015. To be surveyed Milestone Society National ID: CB.WOR

The bridge was so badly damaged when the River Derwent flooded in November 2009, it was thought collapse or demolition was inevitable. Part of the central pier was washed away, causing the deck to drop by about 1ft and twist out of shape http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Workington_%27Calva%27_Bridge._Collapsed_Navvies_visible_(photo-_Andy_V_Byers).JPG . Engineers decided it could be repaired, but it would be a delicate operation. This photo shows an access causeway constructed on the upstream side of the bridge, with pipes incorporated to maintain river flow. The bridge was built in 1841 and is a Grade II listed structure http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=72281 . Named Workington Bridge, when it was the main road bridge into the town, now usually called Calva Bridge due to its location.