Midland Bridge

It was originally built in 1870 by the Midland Railway Company to allow access to and from their goods station at Sydenham Field on the south bank of the river Avon, the opposite bank to the passenger Green Park terminus station and the city centre.

[1] The Midland Railway's Mangotsfield and Bath branch line opened to a temporary passenger terminus on the south side of the Avon on 4 July 1869; the railway bridge and the new permanent passenger station were built in the early months of 1870, and the road bridge followed by the middle of the year.

[3] But the new bridge also provided an important road link between the centre of Bath and the late Victorian suburbs to the south and west such as Oldfield Park and Twerton.

[8] But although the city council gave permission and the mayor was very encouraging at the bridge's opening, the tram scheme did not materialise and the single track was eventually removed.

[7] The original bridge was re-used to provide a link between the old 'scavenger's yard' and the new 'Destructor' incinerator across the Avon further to the west of the city.