Footbridge over railway to south of Whitehead Railway Station

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single-span cast-iron foot bridge over the Belfast to Larne railway line, erected c.1910, located to the south of Whitehead Railway Station (HB22/05/008A).

Cast-iron girder structure forming a depressed arch with wrought-iron latticed parapets and balustrades, and a quarter-paced landing to either side; newel post with ball-headed finial to each corner. Carriageway accessed via straight flight of steps to east and west; fretted iron risers and non-slip surface to treads. Parapet is supported by a series of swan-neck iron brackets; landings are supported on four cast-iron columns with ornate Corinthian capitals and fluted lower section; elliptical-headed fretted spandrels.
Iron plaques to north and south elevation read
‘WALTER MACFARLANE & Co., Architectural, Sanitary & Artistic Ironfounders, SARACEN FOUNDRY, GLASGOW’.

Bridge is accessed by seven concrete steps enclosed by English Garden wall bonded red brick walling at east and west of railway.

Historical information

The iron foot bridge at Whitehead station was built by the McFarlanes, as detailed on an iron plaque on the footbridge.

The station lies on the Belfast-Larne line, the Carrickfergus-Larne section having opened in 1862 by the Carrickfergus & Larne Railway. At the time Whitehead was reletively undeveloped, and was not particularly in need of a station. In 1864 a platform was added on the Whitehead side of the tunnel. This halt was replaced in 1877 by a station close to the village. The station was designed by the CLR’s consultant architect John Lanyon. Characteristic features of Lanyon’s work include the use of red brick, decorative stringing, terracotta chimney pots, pointed ridge tiles, platform facing gables etc, features which are in evidence at Whitehead.
The BCNR (Belfast & Northern Counties Railway) bought out the CLR, and in the mid 1890’s ‘substantial additions’ were made to Whitehead Station.

The architect John Hanna undertook this work (he also re designed Carrickfergus Station in 1895). This improvement was part of the effort by the BCNR to develop Whitehead as a seaside resort. The company offered ten years of free first class rail travel to anyone building a residence within a mile radius of the station.

The station master's house was erected in 1870s to Lanyon’s design, the waiting room built in the 1890s by Hanna.

References

Secondary Sources:
1. F. Hamond. First Survey Information, 1991.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

Relatively rare example of a late Victorian/Edwardian single-span cast-iron foot bridge over the Belfast to Larne railway line, located to the south of Whitehead Railway Station (HB22/05/008A). The bridge remains intact and in use, evidence of its significance to the station and the town. The bridge displays construction of considerable technical merit and the attractive arched bridge is enhanced by ornate detailing and fretwork.

General comments

This record has been renumbered as part of a group. It was previously included in HB22/05/008.