An archaeological report has been produced for the Bankfield Works
site located on the Bradley Arm. The following extract is taken from
the report which details the steel cladded bridge across the canal.

'The structure on the north of the canal is steel framed with brick
gables and plinth, and corrugated steel and asbestos cladding. The
space has internal divisions of steel cladding. The connecting
bridge is also of steel frame with steel cladding. A personnel
access bridge passes below the floor level of the main bridge. The
purpose of the bridge is clearly tied into the manufacturing
processes of the factory (Buildings B1 and C1), though the processes
are not yet fully understood. A loading bay is located on the
southern side of the canal below the bridge and it appears that this
was used to load / unload from the sides of boats, rather than from
above, though earlier evidence of any overhead crane may be obscured
by later alteration.
The building was latterly used to house a large Benelli Press. The
structure also housed a large loading bay (land), which was linked
to the adjacent railway by a plateway during the 1930's.The building
and connecting bridge first appear on the Ordnance Survey map of
1938 and does not appear on the earlier 1919 edition.The bridge may
be fairly rare, though the data to suggest its rarity may be
difficult to collect. Another example exists at Erdington Hall
Bridge on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.
The building has no significant architectural merit.
The building has limited historic value.' (p16 - Assessment of
buildings at Bankfield Road, Bilston, West Midlands A Report for GC
Bilston Ltd August 2007 © Mercian Archaeology and Historic
Buildings).

The report includes photographs of the internal and external
elevations of the bridge and it is expected that these photographs
will be deposited with the Local record office for future research
purposes.

Can you contact me if you find the above analysis acceptable prior
to the structures impending demolition? I shall pass on any comments
to the Local Planning Authority for consideration.

Kind regards

Elizabeth Turner
Heritage Adviser
West Midlands Waterway