Oxford Rewley Road Railway Bridge to celebrate 175 years

The Oxford Preservation Trust (OPT) is inviting the public to join a drop-in event and guided walks on Wednesday, May 20, marking this milestone.

Designed by Robert Stephenson, son of George Stephenson, and first used in 1851, the Rewley Road Swing Bridge is considered the earliest surviving moving-element railway bridge globally.

Spanning the Sheepwash Channel, the 22-metre, 85-tonne bridge was initially constructed to facilitate the Buckinghamshire Railway’s trains into Oxford’s Rewley Road terminus.

After being closed to passengers in 1951 and to goods traffic in 1984, the bridge deteriorated significantly and was added to the national Heritage at Risk Register in 2013.

Ownership of the bridge was transferred to the OPT in 2019, who led a £900,000 restoration effort, funded by the Railway Heritage Trust, Historic England, and Network Rail.

The restoration, completed in 2021, resulted in the bridge’s removal from the At Risk Register.

Today, the OPT continues to maintain the bridge, with the help of monthly volunteer work parties.

In 2026, OPT contracted Greenford Ltd to carry out finishing works on the bridge and the surrounding area.

These works included stabilising the northern bank of the channel near the road bridge, repairing the bank edging, and re-painting the railings.

They also worked on repairing the locking slides and control gear on either side of the bridge.

The upcoming anniversary event will take place from 10.30am to 3.30pm, and is free to attend, with no prior booking necessary.