Barton Swing Bridge

The Bridgewater Canal, built in 1761, was the first true canal built during the Industrial Revolution.

See here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgewater_Canal

In 1776 an extension was built to carry goods from the docks at Liverpool to Manchester, the biggest Industrial City in the area. However the Dock workers and Warehouses in Liverpool charged so much money for their services that the Businessmen of Manchester found it cheaper to build a canal big enough to bring sea-going vessels all the way inland, and build a set of docks at Salford. Thus bypassing Liverpool. see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Ship_Canal

So when the Manchester Ship Canal was planned in 1882, the Bridgewater Canal, which crossed its path, had already been in existence for 106 years. The problem was that the Bridgewater was only about 20 feet higher than the Ship canal – not enough for sea-going vessels.

So the Barton Swing Bridge was built. It was, and remains, the only swing aqueduct in the world.

see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barton_Swing_Aqueduct

Here are some shots of it, and the adjacent road swing bridge, in operation

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