Bennerley Viaduct cyclists complete epic 384-mile bridges tour
A team of 20 cyclists from the Friends of Bennerley Viaduct (FOBV) group has just returned from a six day, 384-miles tour, visiting historic bridges in the west of the country.
Iron to Iron West was the third in a series of bridge-themed rides initiated by Kieran Lee in 2021 as part of the FOBV’s inclusion in World Monuments Watch.
The route included stops at Ironbridge, Longdon-on-Tern Aqueduct, Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and the Menai Suspension Bridge.
Next came Warrington Transporter Bridge, Castlefield Viaduct in Manchester, Marple Aqueduct and Millenium Walkway.
The group set off on their trip on September 26 and volunteers and well-wishers gathered on the deck of the Bennerley Viaduct to welcome the return of the tired but happy riders.
The tour was in support of plans to build an accessible pedestrian and cycle bridge over the river Erewash underneath the western end of the viaduct.
Ron Yee, a bridge architect at the University of Kent and FOBV trustee, has designed the bridge which will be built by some of his students and FOBV volunteers under his supervision.
Ron, who was part of the peloton, says that the cost of constructing the bridge will be minimal and the main expense will be on building materials.
The new bridge will re-open the circular walk taking in the western ramp, the deck, the path beneath the structure and the soon-to-be-completed eastern ramp.
The project will also secure the riverbank to prevent erosion.
The bridges tour, organised by Hadley Trueman and supported by back-up vehicle driver Phil Ellis, went smoothly, minor incidents and punctures notwithstanding.
The pedallers were motivated by the challenges of the route and what they call fun, but there was the serious purpose of raising funds for the proposed bridge and the challenge fundraising had exceeded the target of £1,000 for the event.
Hadley said: “We have raised nearly £20,000 now in different ways for the bridge, so we are one third of the way to the overall target of £60,000.
"I’d like to thank the cyclists, Phil for driving the support vehicle, all those who helped with the start and finish and everyone sponsoring the ride with their donations.
"There will be more fundraising initiatives in the months to come.”
Contributions, small or large, can make a difference to the campaign to raise funds for buying sustainable materials for the bridge and for river erosion works.
Donations can still be made at crowdfunder.co.uk/p/iron-to-iron-west-1