aerial photograph of No. 2 Lift Bridge adjacent Whitchurch Branch Junction on the Shropshire Union Canal Whitchurch Shropshire England UK. Originally constructed as the Ellesmere Canal, the Whitchurch branch was added in 1804. In 1845 the Ellesmere Canal merged with several others to become the Shropshire Union Canal. Use of the canals declined after the first world war and was abandoned in 1944 but reopened to became an increasingly important leisure resource after the second world war. Today the Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal is one of the most popular in the country. The bridge was originally constructed in timber but has been replaced post war with a similar structure in steal. Unfortunately it is not very cycle friendly as the chap in the photo found out, the gap between the decking planks is enough to swallow a bicycle wheel...