County: Antrim Site name: Belfast Transport Hub: Busway Bridge, Great Victoria Street, Belfast
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/22/73
Author: Tom Meharg
Site type: Urban, railway features
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 733094m, N 873855m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.595421, -5.940366
A watching brief was carried out intermittently in advance of the construction of the Busway Bridge, built as part of the Belfast Transport Hub project. Open-cast excavations were carried out at the southern and northern off-ramps while the remainder of the bridge was constructed on piles which were inserted by means of direct percussion. A brick-built water tank, comprising three chambers, was uncovered to the exterior of the site boundary wall during clearance works. This tank is likely contemporary with the original rail construction during the mid 19th century. The tank was backfilled and preserved in situ. A portion of a concrete turntable was identified to the southern end of the site. The turntable corresponds with one recorded on the 3rd Edition OS map (1902) and was mapped until 1957. The turntable was recorded by means of GPS survey and photography before being removed. No other features or deposits of archaeological interest were uncovered.
IAC Archaeology, 9 Stranmillis Road, Belfast, BT9 5AF
