Rail passengers travelling through Bath are being warned to plan ahead as major work is due to begin on two historic structures on the railway line later this month.
A GWR train arriving at Bath Spa Railway Station | Photo © Colin Peachey / Shutterstock.com
Network Rail is preparing to start restoration work on the footbridge in Sydney Gardens and the eastern entrance to Box Tunnel, with line closures also being used to carry out other maintenance in the area.
At Sydney Gardens, the Grade II-listed footbridge will undergo grit-blasting, steel and masonry repairs, a full repaint and the replacement of its wooden deck over the next three months.
Engineers will also repair and survey the Grade II-listed eastern entrance to Box Tunnel.
Scaffolding for both schemes will be installed during planned closures between Bath Spa and Chippenham on two consecutive weekends in April and May.
The closures will also allow track renewal at Bathford and drainage improvements in Corsham to take place.
Buses will replace trains between Bath Spa and Chippenham or Westbury on 25th and 26th April and 2nd to 4th May.
Rail tickets will also be accepted on First Bus services between Bath and Trowbridge or Frome.
Trains between London Paddington and Bath Spa will run by an alternative route between Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads and will not stop at Chippenham, although some services between London Paddington and Chippenham will continue to run except on Sundays.
GWR will also continue to run trains between Cardiff Central and Bath Spa, and between Westbury and Portsmouth Harbour, Frome or Weymouth.
Additional work means buses will also replace trains between Swindon and Westbury until around midday on 26th April. Rail replacement buses will stop in Freshford village and Westwood village rather than at the stations.
GWR Station Manager for Bath Spa and Chippenham, Oana Apetroaie, said: “We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause but the work planned will help us to maintain our train services in the area for years to come.
“Rail replacement services are planned for those stations affected and ticket acceptance is in place on some local bus services in the area as an alternative.
“It’s important that customers are aware these alternative travel arrangements could make journey times much longer, so please plan ahead.”
Network Rail Principal Portfolio Manager, Dan Parkes, 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.”
The Grade II-listed Sydney Gardens footbridge is the last surviving cast-iron footbridge of its kind on the Great Western Mainline. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, it stands within one of Britain’s oldest Georgian pleasure gardens.
A work area has been set up in Bath & North East Somerset Council’s existing compound in Sydney Gardens.
For safety reasons, the area beneath the footbridge, including the footpath, will be closed while work is carried out, although pedestrian diversions will be in place and the second footbridge in the park will remain open throughout.
