Brunel's First Iron Bridge
In 2003 while researching a book about the station, Steven Brindle, Inspector of Ancient Monuments for English Heritage (London region) discovered that Isambard Kingdom Brunel was responsible for the original Bishop's Bridge, and that the section he built over the canal was his first iron bridge and had a unique design.
Unaware that they were intending to replace the bridge, by the time Brindle contacted Westminster City Council, their planning of the replacement project was at an advanced stage, with the main contract due to be signed the following week, and demolition due to take place 10 months later.
Investigations determined that the canal section of Brunel's 1839 bridge had survived, as rebuilding work in 1906 had merely obscured it and caused it to be forgotten. Negotiations between the council and English Heritage followed, and it was agreed that the 1839 iron bridge would be dismantled with a view to future reconstruction. The bulk of the dismantling work took place in April 2004, allowing the bridge replacement work to proceed as planned.
An application for Planning Permission to reconstruct the original iron bridge 200 yards along the canal was submitted in April 2006.
Read more about this topic: Bishop's Bridge
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