Elsewhere on this blog l have mentioned the fact that Network Rail has started work on refurbishing the Brunel-designed pedestrian footbridge across the London line, and also masonry work on the Bath-facing side of Box Tunnel.
However, says Phil Fawkner-Corbett, we mustn’t forget there’s another issue affecting the Great Western rail line through Bath.
He writes: Thank you for your posting regarding GWR repairs at Box and Sydney Gardens – and a delight to witness this progress.
However, a location of very significant concern is the retaining wall adjacent to Beckford Gardens, which is ‘protected’ from the Kennet and Avon Canal by a 7 or 8-meter-high concave retaining wall.
The upper tier of the retaining wall has a veritable forest growing out of it. This can only lead to degradation of the retaining performance of the wall in the long term.
Memories of the canal bank breach at Whitchurch before Christmas demonstrated the effect of a canal breach. – Should the Bath wall be breached, the Whitchurch failure would pale into insignificance.
Maintenance of this structure is paramount!’
Actually, Phil l have already done a story on this and refer you to https://bathnewseum.com/2026/02/24/rail-wall-dangers/
Basically, Network Rail is currently organising a 26-week works order to deal with this wall, which will include removing all the offending vegetation and repairing or replacing any damaged copings or stonework that present a risk of falling onto the track or becoming loose.
Good to hear Network Rail are planning works along the canal but I see no mention of the tree damage on the Network Rail viaduct on the Wellsway roundabout near the station in Bath. Has anyone contacted Network Rail about this stretch?