IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Eldon Road, ROTHERHAM, S65 1RB

Another verse in the death of the back street boozer.

A sign of better, busier times remembered perhaps.

A relatively modern complex being demolished

The litter, debris and general detritus festooned in the trees to mark how high the water reached.

The Bailey Bridge was designed by Sir Donald Coleman Bailey, born in Rotherham in September 1901. Knighted in 1946 in recognition of the vital part played by his bridge in WW2. He died in Bournemouth in May 1985.

A superb example of an early Railway Footbridge ... the design is so evocative of 'the days of steam' ... a coat of paint and it would be just like new. This particular one also leads to a second bridge over the Canal. Image Image Image

This footbridge over the Don Navigation carries a path that links the Eastwood and Parkgate areas of Rotherham. To the south is a Bayley bridge crossing of the River Don (see Image) and Eastwood. To the north is a crossing of the Rotherham to Swinton railway line (see Image) and Parkgate. Eastwood Footbridge is shown as “swing bridge” on the 2000 edition of the OS Explorer map - the existence of a swing bridge at this point is borne out by the “constriction” in the Navigation visible in the photograph. The public footpath over Eastwood Footbridge is a good example of how a right of way has been maintained in spite of natural and man-made obstacles: * Firstly, there must have been a man-made crossing of the River Don which linked Park Gate in the north with Eastwood in the south. * When the Don Navigation (Rotherham Cut) was constructed in 1740 (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Don_Navigation ), a swing bridge (now a footbridge) was provided to maintain the right of way. * When the MS&L railway was constructed in 1868 (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotherham_Central_railway_station ), a crossing was provided (now a footbridge). * In the 1990’s, when the Parkgate Retail Park was constructed, a narrow pedestrian gap was provided in what would otherwise have been a continuous 600m row of retail units in order to preserve the right of way. * However, this is no longer a pedestrian-friendly route – there are 96 steps on the 2 footbridges and a walker has to brave the crossing of the many car parks and service roads in the Retail Park. * PS (Feb 2014): The footbridge has been closed, but will be replaced (see https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/512/eastwood-footbridge for details).