Location
Dymock Bridge is a former road over rail bridge in the centre of Dymock village.
History
The bridge was constructed originally for the Gloucester – Ledbury railway in 1885, much of which was built on the line of the earlier canal. following closure of the railway in 1964, the track was taken up and the land sold off.
Although the bridge lies slightly off the original line of the canal, the policies and foresight of Forest of Dean DC mean that the former line of the railway here has been “protected” in anticipation of being needed for the future restoration of the canal.
Restoration
In 2004, the deck of the bridge was in poor condition, and plans were made to “infill” the bridge to make the structure safe. Intervention by the Canal Trust led to Gloucestershire CC completely replacing the deteriorated bridge deck, thereby “restoring” the structure and leaving more than adequate space for the canal to pass beneath at some point in the future.
The Trust acknowledges the ongoing support of both local authorities. See also an article in The Wharfinger – Edition 82.
