Two-year revamp of suspension bridge is complete


Clifton Suspension Bridge, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in the 19th Century, has undergone a major refurbishment - Image © Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust

The multi-million pound refurbishment of one of the world's oldest surviving iron suspension bridges has been completed.

Work to restore Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol began in April 2024, focusing on protecting its historic ironwork and installing an environmentally sustainable lighting system.

The project, which was funded through bridge tolls, represents the most significant conservation investment since the structure opened in 1864.

Bridge master Tristan Ralph, who oversaw the work, said it demonstrated the "long‑term responsibility to protect Brunel's extraordinary structure".

"Something that is a really key thing for us is that our only funding comes from the tolls," he said.  "We don't get any money from local or central government."

The Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust said the conservation process will protect the ironwork from corrosion for the next 25 years.  The work involved specialist engineers hand-painting more than 4,000 original iron chain links, many of which are more than 180 years old.

Ralph said: "The chains are incredibly difficult to get to, and very complicated to paint.  We had to clean each of them individually and re-apply the paint. It was very meticulous work, using toothbrushes to get into every nook and cranny."

The project also saw the installation of a new lighting system designed to minimise light pollution and improve energy efficiency.  The new illuminations will also allow the bridge to be lit up to mark significant moments in its history.

Ralph added: "The old lighting system was actually expired and unreliable, so this was a good time to change the lights.  We will be lighting up for different themed-events celebrating the bridge's engineering and heritage, and significant cultural events, which is really exciting."

The Network Rail Western Region sectional appendix (Route 105) has Bath's platform 1 as 195m, even adding 6.5m extensions, it is still well short of a 260m 5+5 IET

Grumpy ageing person here. Are the public suffering from information overload and too many sources of information? Did it work better when anything really important was sent out in the post only to those really affected?

Surely, the wind-up versions. No batteries required.....

And today's BBC entry to the competition is a picture of ...

The picture has this undeniably valid label attached to it: "A blue and yellow South Western Railway train approaching a station."

Personal opinion - effective attention from GWR to their customers in the area in which I live is a lot poorer than it was a even just a handful of years ago. But then perhaps I'm seeing things through rosy tinted spectacles, and getting older / more extreme / more critical?  Where are my thoughts? 

As discussion points, I find myself wondering from this array:
* Money Saving measures
* Staffing on revenue - lots on gatelines, fewer looking after other matters
* New marketing team / different layer and goals / masking the experts
* Company looking at short term goals, and staff at their future roles
* Less important line/service; prioritisation of freight
* Safety increase
* A heavier burden of rules and regulations
* Staff unable / not encouraged to take a look out of the box
* "Reliability", "simplification" and "being PC and modern" goals outweigh customer service
* talk at, not talk with approach from GWR to community
* I am retired and no longer of any consequence
* Our Wiltshire product is no longer the proud flagship "look how good we are" baby

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

This is often a risk when a train is in reverse formation.

A train I was on yesterday was bound for Weston-super-Mare but had the first class coaches leading.

Also, valve radios preferred...

Mark

Unless this item has appeared in lists above, one also needs an analogue radio (presumably FM) plus plenty batteries.

The "no nonsense" enforcement mode.

Above are "facts" ... my personal opinion ... to follow

It was also in the August and October TransWilts newsletter. 

Fantastic, thanks Graham. Wish I could have been there.

Great photos. One question - from Melksham platform looking down the line towards Trowbridge, eg. slide 47, there looks to be a pretty substantial building on what I'm guessing is now the Asda site. Do you know what that was?

Hi Claire,

I was meaning to give you a quick call.

We have openings for speakers at the upcoming FLEET ELECTRIFICATION EUROPE 2027 event in Berlin, Germany.

Would you (or someone you know) be interested in taking part?

Best,
Alan Grant

But telling users well in advance, seems to be non-concept with GWR, my local station, Bradford on Avon has nothing about the weekday closures to Bristol later in October.

Perhaps misplaced, we have a thread running on that on the board that covers the line through Pewsey.