Network Rail has announced that major restoration work is to be carried out on two of Bath’s most significant heritage structures, the Grade II listed Sydney Gardens footbridge and the eastern entrance to the Box Tunnel.
Scaffolding for the two projects will be installed during a series of planned closures between Bath Spa and Chippenham on two consecutive weekends across April and May, which will also see other essential maintenance works carried out, including track renewal at Bathford and drainage improvements in Corsham.
The Sydney Gardens footbridge in Bath
© Network Rail
Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel; Sydney Gardens Footbridge is the last surviving cast-iron footbridge of its kind on the Great Western Mainline, and is situated within one of Britain’s oldest Georgian pleasure gardens.
Over the course of the next two months, the bridge will be subjected to grit-blasting, steel and masonry repairs, a total repaint and the replacement of its wooden deck. In order to protect surrounding parkland, the bridge will be fully wrapped whilst work is undertaken.
Meanwhile; further along the line east of Bath near Corsham, engineers will begin work to repair and survey the Grade II listed eastern entrance of Box Tunnel – also an important component of Brunel’s engineering history.
In order to complete the works, an area will be set up in the existing Bath & North East Somerset Council compound in Sydney Gardens from Monday 13 April. The area beneath the footbridge, including the footpath, will be closed, with clear pedestrian diversions set to be put into place. The second footbridge in the park will remain open throughout.
The Box Tunnel portal
© Network Rail
Dan Parkes, Principal Portfolio Manager for Network Rail, said:
Sydney Gardens footbridge and the Box Tunnel entrance are not just railway structures, they are irreplaceable pieces of Brunel’s legacy. Restoring them is both a responsibility and a privilege.
By coordinating this work with other planned maintenance, we’re minimising disruption to passengers whilst protecting two of the most historic landmarks on our railway.
If you’re planning to travel during this time, please make sure to check before you travel, as bus replacement services will be in place on some routes and journeys may take longer than usual.
Passengers have been advised to check their journey times and plan ahead for the works, with the following advisories in place from Network Rail:
Buses will replace trains between Bath Spa and Chippenham or Westbury on 25–26 April and 2–4 May
Rail tickets will be accepted on First Bus services between Bath and Trowbridge or Frome
Trains between London Paddington and Bath Spa will run via an alternative route between Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads and will not stop at Chippenham
Some services will still run between London Paddington and Chippenham (except Sundays)
GWR will continue to run trains between Cardiff Central and Bath Spa, and between Westbury and Portsmouth Harbour, Frome or Weymouth
Additional improvement work means buses will also replace trains between Swindon and Westbury until around midday on 26 April
Rail replacement buses will stop in Freshford village and Westwood village, not at the stations
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