Gathurst Viaduct carries the M6 motorway across the Douglas valley at

Shevington Shevington is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, England. The population of the Wigan ward called Shevington and Lower Ground had increased to 11,482 at the 2011 Census. Lying within the historic county boun ...

, Wigan, Greater Manchester. The second largest bridge on the M6 motorway, it lies between junctions 26 and 27. Constructed in 6 spans, it crosses the

Leeds-Liverpool Canal The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , crossing the Pennines, and including 91 locks on the main line. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal has several small branc ...

, the Manchester to Southport railway line and the River Douglas itself. The viaduct is long and above the level of the river. The reinforced concrete piers consist of five sets of four diameter columns supporting a cill beam. The reinforced concrete deck is carried on ten deep continuous welded plate girders extending over the full length of the bridge. In design terms it is a sister bridge of the

Rakewood Viaduct The Rakewood Viaduct carries the M62 motorway over Rakewood Valley and Longden End Brook between junctions 21 and 22 at Littleborough, Greater Manchester, England. The viaduct is long and above the valley floor. It was built in 1966 by Reed ...

on the M62 motorway near Littleborough. It was built primarily out of wrought iron. It was built in 1961 by A. Monk and Co Ltd of Irlam at a cost of some £830,000. Steelwork was manufactured by Robert Watson Steelwork Ltd of Bolton.

References

{{Buildings and structures in Wigan Borough Buildings and structures in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan Viaducts in England Motorway bridges in England Bridges in Greater Manchester M6 motorway