Until 1977 a cooling tower once stood on the bend of the River Foss. It was famously recorded in L.S. Lowry’s paintings of York. The tower was linked to the City’s electricity power station on Foss Islands Road by a small, iron hump-backed bridge. The bridge allowed power station workers to access the site of the tower – now a nature reserve – without need for a 10-minute walk to cross the Foss at Layerthorpe Bridge.
Originally constructed by the Monk Bridge Engineering Company in 1931, and seen by hundreds of thousands of people each year using Foss Islands Road, this remnant of York’s industrial past needs renovation. The bridge, last painted green but now faded to blue, is rusting and locked shut.
The Civic Trust is exploring how repair can best be done, and, who knows, perhaps one day soon the bridge might even be used by pedestrians again!
York Civic Trust will work with City of York Council, Northern Powergrid and the Environment Agency to assess options to refurbish the bridge.
The painted has been painted a number of colours over its 90 years and the Civic Trust are interested in any photographs or views on what colour the bridge should be painted for the next chapter of its life. If you have a view then please do email us at info@yorkcivictrust.co.uk.
