Bath’s vanishing railway?

Richard Wyatt
The track towards central Bath has vanished!
The track towards central Bath has vanished! Click on images to enlarge.

Got to be the most unusual sight l have seen in a while.

A section of the main line which passes through Bath on its way to London – without any rails!

Here's the section running through Sydney Gardens with the track coming from London no-where to be seen! Click on images to enlarge.
Here’s the section running through Sydney Gardens with the track coming from London no-where to be seen! Click on images to enlarge.

It’s all part of the multi-billion pound work Network Rail are carrying out to electrify Brunel’s original Great Western Railway. The line he built to link Bristol Temple Meads with London Paddington.

The Bristol to Bath section had opened in 1840 and Bath to London in 1841 on completion of the engineering feat that was Box Tunnel.

This section which passes through the historic Sydney Garden’s is currently having a new lowered bed and new track during a six-week period in which the line has been closed between Bath and Chippenham.

It’s all due to be completed by the end of the month so normal services can resume.

In this time engineers have also lowered the almost two miles of track that passes through Box Tunnel.

Published by Richard Wyatt

Freelance Journalist, broadcaster, columnist and local historian. Director of Bath Newseum. Married and lives in Bath. Interested in local history, architecture and visual display in museums and urban spaces.