BRITAIN: The first iron bridge built by the great Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel was being saved from demolition yesterday after lying hidden for decades.
The bridge was found encased inside a modern brick road bridge over the Grand Union Canal near London's Paddington Station last summer. With its two cast-iron arches spanning the canal, the unique structure is the earliest of only eight surviving Brunel iron bridges in Britain.
The chance discovery of notes and designs in Brunel's private work book was the first indication of the bridge's existence. English Heritage's inspector of ancient monuments, Dr Steven Brindle, found his designs and letters, dating back to 1838, while researching the history of Paddington Station. They led Dr Brindle to inspect the Bishop's Road bridge, where he found the iron bridge hidden beneath a modern exterior.