Historic canal bridge could be returned home

A former canal bridge that is being held in storage at a local museum could be returned to its original home.

Teagues Bridge once spanned the canal in the Trench area of Telford, but was replaced when Wombridge Road was constructed in the 1960s.

Today it is kept at Blists Hill Victorian Town museum in Ironbridge and Wrockwardine Wood and Trench Parish Council said it was talking to the National Trust, which took over the museum last year, in the hope of getting it back.

The council said the bridge "represented the history of the area's industrial heritage" and it was considering erecting it close to its original spot, with an information board for visitors.

The bridge is remembered locally in the name of the Teagues Bridge Primary School.

Shirley Reynolds, who chairs the parish council, and fellow councillor John Thompson, said money has been put aside to help get the bridge returned.

They also said the process of getting it returned had been delayed by the takeover of the museums by the National Trust last year.

The trust said it would be happy to discuss the future of the bridge, but it would have to look at agreements made by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust and talk to Telford and Wrekin Council.

It said that would have to wait however, until after it had finished reopening the museums, following its takeover.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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