Rewley Road Swingbridge

Following the completion of the enabling works package back in 2019, Avon Construction have now completed the restoration works contract for Oxford Preservation Trust. The aim of the contract was to restore this scheduled monument and to remove it from the Buildings at Risk Register.

The rotating railway Swingbridge built by Robert Stephenson, which dates back to 1850, sits on the north bank of Sheepwash Channel and would be manually operated to rotate over the channel to allow railway carriages to pass over the waterway.

The restoration package site works commenced in November 2020 carrying out the site setup and bridge strip off works. The contract works were interrupted from January to March 2021 due to site flooding but works quickly recommenced in the Spring with the bridge being jacked up by 1m to allow for the blasting, metalwork repairs and painting works to take place.

The Swingbridge turning mechanism was repaired, components of the bridge deck railway were rebuilt and the lowering of the bridge structure was completed in March 2022.

Update November 2022 - The Swingbridge has been removed from the Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register. It has also been shortlisted for a Railway Heritage Award.

Update December 2022