Potley Lane Bridge (MLN19850)

MATERIALS: local Bath stone ashlar, with spandrels and soffit subsequently partially refaced in GWR contrasting red and purple engineering brick.

DESCRIPTION: flying segmental arch with span of c. 50ft (15m). Impost band on north (Up) side with narrow face beneath. On the south (Down) side there is a shallow projecting abutment beneath the springing point, possibly a later alteration. Soffits partially refaced in engineering brick. Faces with bold stepped string course. Parapets with square cut coping and terminating in square piers, expressed on the outer faces only. Above the coping rises aluminium panelling, attached to the inside faces. Approximately half of the spandrels on the east (low mileage) face have been refaced in engineering brick, very neatly so that they could be mistaken for deliberate panels. On the west (high mileage) face most of the north (Up) spandrel and less of the south (Down) is similarly refaced, though the south patch is more ragged. A steel pipe is attached to the west (high mileage) face, which is not of special interest.

A long quarry-faced stone along the roadside abuts the south (Down) side of the west (high mileage) parapet and a short-quarry faced boundary wall abuts the up side of the east (low mileage) parapet. These do not appear to be part of Brunel’s bridge.

The Box Tunnel East Portal (MLN1 9912) is visible from the bridge, to the west, and several accommodation bridges are visible to the east.