There are 4 stone buttresses which support the railway bridge which crosses the River Mersey between Runcorn and Widnes. The one on the Runcorn side of the river displays the Arms of London, the two central ones (which stand in the river) display Britannia (only one of which is displayed here), and the one on the Widnes side displays the Arms of Liverpool. The bridge was built to create a direct rail link between Liverpool and London, hence these emblems. The guard rails of the footpath which ran across the bridge can be clearly seen on the photos. The footpath closed in 1961 after the opening of the new road bridge.
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