This rather more spectacular photo shows the new Long Horse Bridge across the R.Trent being swung into place.

The bridge has a 52 metre span, weighs 60 tonnes, and the cost of the bridge plus 1.5 miles of "Greenway" is £1.4million. 

There is a planned project completion date of 11 November, which I presume is the construction period for bridge + tracks to and from. There will be an "official launch" at a date yet to be fixed. 

As 1.5 miles is the full distance between the B road in Leics and Shardlow in Derbys, and there is mention of "issues to be resolved" so "officially a delay in the upgrade to bridleway", I take it that the Greenway will legally have bridleway status in both counties.  My understanding was that the bridleways would be totally new creations, separate from previous footpaths except at the bridge.

Scroll down for more photos showing the final stages of the positioning of the new Long Horse Bridge across the R.Trent between 4pm and 5pm on Thursday 15 September 2011.  They are taken from the Leicestershire bank, looking across to Derbyshire.

You can see the point at which the bridge was sufficiently secure for the workmen to be allowed across and boats to go under it. 

Also that, on the Leicestershire side, you need a ladder to reach the deck of the bridge.  Presumably an embankment will be built to match that on the Derbyshire side once the steelwork and machinery on this side is cleared away.

The steelwork and its concrete footings supported the ready-made bridge before it was craned into position.

The lady with the dog is Jane Keenan, a member of Erewash Riders Association which has been one of the main campaigners along with LRBA for this bridge to be built to bridleway standard.

The final two photos show the remains of the old Long Horse Bridge, demolished in 2003, on the Derbyshire bank.  The new bridge is sited about 150m upstream from the old bridge.

Work on the replacement was expected to start on 1st April 2004.  Each year since we have been waiting for the new bridge., so it's final arrival fills a long felt want!

Once construction is complete and bridleways have been created on both sides of the river and over the bridge, it will carry the long-distance Midshires Way from Leicestershire into Derbyshire.  When further improvements to the route of the Way are made in Derbyshire, riders will be able to reach the Pennine Bridleway.  Walkers, cyclists, anglers and the disabled will benefit from the new, wider, bridge and its improved access routes and local riders between Sharnford and Kegworth will be able to reach new areas.

The Federation of East Midlands Bridleway Associations (FEMBA) has been campaigning for this route since 1994.  In 1999 it made strong representations that the dangerously derelict bridge should be replaced with a bridleway-standard bridge instead of a footbridge. 

Original estimates in 2002 were that a bridge adjacent to the old one would cost in excess of £1.1 million.  Although the new bridge has a shorter span and simpler design, inflation may mean that the final cost - which is not yet known - may be similar.

Riders are very grateful to Derbyshire County Council which has taken the lead on the project, Leics CC, British Waterways, and various funders and landowners for supporting the replacement bridge as a bridle bridge and for committing to the creation of the necessary bridleways. 

FEMBA, LRBA, ERA and other groups are looking forward to holding celebratory Rides once the bridge is legally approachable from both banks.  We do not, however, expect these legal processes to be complete until at least 2013.

Contact Vicky Allen, Chair LRBA, for further information.  01509 215619 or vicky.allen@freeuk.com

Long Horse Bridge carried the towpath of the Trent & Mersey Canal over the Trent at the watery cross roads where the Canal goes through "Derwent Mouth" where the Trent and Derwent meet, leaving Leicestershire to go into Derbyshire.

In April 1994 the Federation of E Midlands Bridleways Associations was excited by the imminent opening of the long-distance riding route, the Midshires Way but concerned that a lack of connected bridleways in Derbyshire meant it was only a walking route in that county. 

An informal riding route had been mapped out, which started with half a mile of the very busy B6540 between Sawley Marina and Sawley village over the long and narrow Harrington Bridge. FEMBA looked for another route and its committee walked along the canal towpath from near the Marina to Long Horse Bridge, where they found a long, narrow concrete bridge showing signs of extreme dilapidation although the remains of its predecessor could still be seen below.  Curving up over the R.Trent, it was impossible to see anyone starting from the other bank and would be very difficult to pass them if met mid-bridge.

It was clear that the Long Horse Bridge could not be used by horses until it was rebuilt.  And the footpaths leading to and from it would have to become bridleways. 

There matters stayed until Vicky Allen, Chair of Leics & Rutland Bridleways Assn, investigating three planning applications for distribution centres at the M1/A6-A50/A453 cross roads, in NW Leicestershire District Council's offices on 4 February 1999, was shown an application from British Waterways to rebuild Long Horse Bridge to footpath standard. 

This was the signal for a bout of lobbying to get the bridge built to bridleway standard and for the creation of bridleways that would carry the Midshires Way for horses safely between the B6540 and Shardlow and then up through the Wilnes, following the route chosen for walkers. 

The Federation and its constituent Bridleway groups got to work on the two county councils, British Waterways and NWLDC as the planning authority.  The status of the Way was a key factor in getting agreement in principle fairly quickly for a "bridleway" bridge, which would also provide more room for kit-laden anglers.  British Waterways committed the £800k it had budgeted for the foot bridge to the project.

In spite of the bridge being, just, in Leicestershire, Derbyshire County Council became the lead partner in the project to build the new bridge and create the bridleways to and from it.  They were able, in the 2002/3 estimate for the bridge, to win £100k from Landfill Tax, and a gravel extraction application on the Derbyshire bank was granted with a commitment to dedicate a bridleway parallel to the towpath to Shardlow on what was expected to be the route for bringing in the bridge.

There was still, however, a funding gap, which was solved by re-siting the bridge about 100 metres upstream so that it could be single span. 

In July 2002 the old Long Horse Bridge was closed (until 20003!) on safety grounds.  It was expected that work on the replacement bridge would start in April 2004.  It didn't. 

The old bridge was demolished in 2003 and work on the new bridge was expected to start on 1st April 2004.  Each year there were promises/hopes that the new bridge would be built "this summer" but each year something happened to prevent it.

So it was with some surprise that we learnt that the bridge would be erected on 23 August 2011.  And no surprise that there was a "fault" found on site (it needed an extra coat of paint).  And great joy that it WAS 'craned in' on Thursday 15 September 2011.

A beautiful white "bowstring" bridge with a flat surface now reaches from Derbyshire to Leicestershire, with boats of all types and sizes cruising beneath it.

In the end, the structure came in from the Leicestershire side and, until the special platform on which the bridge rested before it was swung into place is removed together with all the other equipment, it will not be possible to build the embankment which will take users up to bridge level.  The slope on the Derbyshire side has been ready and waiting for so long its grass is now a healthy deep green but, as yet, there is no usable bridge unless you happen to have a handy ladder.

Whilst we wait for work to be completed, it's hoped the necessary 'legal events' will occur so the Definitive Maps for Derbyshire and Leicestershire have bridleways over and from the bridge to the nearest roads.  We believe this will be through dedication except for a "ransom strip" that will need compulsory purchase.  We are all looking forward to a celebratory ride on the bridleways and over the bridge - but past experience warns that 2012 may be too soon!

Nevertheless, FEMBA and its constituent groups, the British Horse Society and riders all over England hope that now this physical gap between Derbyshire and southern England has been bridged, it will be the trigger for Derbyshire County Council to finally resolve various other problems with the equestrian version of the Midshires Way as it heads for the High Peak Trail and the southern end of the Pennine Bridleway.