Bathampton Bridge

The road between Bathampton and Batheaston is little over half a mile long, but encounters 4 different bridges, crossing 4 different transport corridors. Starting in Bathampton, the first bridge is a narrow horseshoe bridge over the Kennet & Avon Canal. While it is a pretty little bridge, and dates back to the construction of the canal in the late 18th Century, the same cannot be said for the next two. Next up is the single-track Victorian bridge over Brunel's Great Western Railway, swiftly followed by the modern bridge across the Batheaston Bypass. However, it is the final bridge, across the River Avon that we are interested in here.

The old bridge across the Avon is actually closer to Batheaston than Bathampton, but nevertheless is known as the Bathampton Bridge. It is also tolled, like its counterpart downstream at Clifton. However, the toll is not necessarily rigidly enforced, with an honesty box for those occasions when the toll collector is not present!

The bridge consists of three main arches spanning the river, with further smaller arches on the approaches. It is narrow, only single track, and so controlled by give way lines at either end. From memory, the toll collectors wave you through when it is clear (assuming they are there!).