M3: Old photographs show when bridges were built in 1972

Colin Tyrrell was a senior engineer when bridges were built at the same spot more than 50 years ago.

Mr Tyrrell, of Teg Down Meads, has written in and sent personal photos that show how things were done in the 1970s. One difference was that there was no closures over a weekend to allow the girders to be put in place.

READ MORE HERE: Contractors close M3 for bridge-laying over the weekend

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He wrote: "I saw the spread of photos of the bridge construction at Winnall junction on the M3 in today's Chronicle, and wondered if you would be interested in how we did it at Bar End a little further down the old Winchester Bypass in July 1972. I was Deputy Resident Engineer.

"The bridge there was built with pre-cast beams in two halves, with a temporary support in the central reservation until the two halves were stitched together.  As a result, we only had to close the bypass one half at a time, with two-way traffic on the part kept open.  

null (Image: Colin Tyrrell)

"Technically, the bridge was made of pre-cast, pre-stressed, post-tensioned beams with an in-situ concrete deck.  It was intended to improve the accident record on the Bypass and to form one half of a two-bridge elevated roundabout interchange over the future M3. Back in 1972 it was planned to build the M3 on the line of the old Bypass, but the plans were changed to align it on the other side of St Catherine's Hill.  The bridge is still there at the end of the St Catherine's Park and Ride, but became semi-redundant although it served for 20 years to relieve the ground-level junction of Bar End Road/Morestead Road with the Bypass. 

"It was designed by HCC Bridges Section of the County Surveyor's Department and built by Reed and Mallik, contractors of Salisbury."