Sparrow Lane Bridge, Guisborough
Sparrow Lane followed the line of what is now Pytchley Road, with the bridge passing under the dismanted Guisborough and Brotton railway line.
The North-West edge of the bridge appears to be present in the undergrowth, with an arch visible just under ground, the top row of stone poke out just below the level of the adjacent path.
More stonework is visible at the top of steps on the south side, although the main area on the south is currently inaccessible due to thick undergrowth.
I would guess the bridge was filled-in when estate to the south was built, although i have no pictures or written proof as yet.
September 7th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Has anyone seen the bridge over the original Belmont mine branch line? I have crossed it countless times but due to undergrowth etc and private land around it haven’t managed to see it properly. It lies just between Belmangate and Butt Lane on the same line as the Sparrow Lane bridge and apparently is important for some reason, possibly due to an unusual design. There is somewhere near it remains of a concrete structure which can be seen from Belmangate itself, which I believe may be linked to the original Belmont mines. Any information anyone?
January 1st, 2009 at 5:57 pm
I had a friend who lived on Pytchley Road for many years….I must have passed by this feature a thousand times and only today have looked at the remnants properly!!!!! Thanks Chris for enlightening us.
May 26th, 2009 at 7:49 am
What I realise now, after thinking about the history of the area, is that I believe Sparrow Lane to still be in existance alongside the Focus store on Rectory Lane. It leads up to where the infilled bridge is and is lost amongst the new housing estate, surviving as a footpath across (?) the school field. It re-emerges at the top of Silverton Road near the new Belmont mine site. There is a double gate at the Rectory Lane end containing a Guisborough Estate sign, which should really be restored.
December 28th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Just discovered this site, thanks to brother in law Phil for telling me about.
When I first moved to Guisborough as a kid in the early 70s we lived in Sinnington Close which is of Pytchley. Back then there was a lot less undergrowth and you could see the remains of the bridge much more clearly. You could walk up sparrow lane in between the foundry buildings from a point opposite the scout hut, they shut this in the early 80s when they opened a new path which goes up the side of what is now Sainsburys. When I was a kid you could see the remains of another bridge which I now think must have been on the older (Cleveland?) railway which was built first and rendered redundant with the new line, it’s just east of Pytchley where the two joined up. There used to be quite a bit of stonework from the older bridge but this has vanished over the years.
December 29th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
I think the other bridge may have been where one line (Cleveland?) crossed the other (Middlesbrough and Guisborough?) just behind what is now Morgan Drive. If you walk down the Guisborough town branch from Enfield Chase the line of the original railway can be seen as an embankment on the right, which I believe bridged over the town branch. I have not seen any photographs of this however and would be very interested if anyone has any further information. The available information simply states that one crossed the other just south of the station.