Stephenson's Sankey Viaduct (Grade I)

Also known as the Nine Arches Viaduct, this impressive stone & brick railway bridge was the first significant structure of its kind in the country. It was built by George Stephenson between 1828-30 as part of the Liverpool-Manchester railway, the first passenger line of the railway era. At the time it crossed the Sankey Canal, England's first purpose-built canal dating from 1757. Although the latter was infilled during the demise of the canal network in the 1960s, both are within the popular Sankey Valley Linear Park & the juxtaposition of two of the pioneering pieces of transport infrastructure makes this a unique location.