WILTS & BERKS CANAL TRUST

In 1976 Ken White was on a job creation scheme and one of the things that he painted was this mural of Swindon's beloved Golden Lion Bridge (see related articles).

This mural was repainted by Ken back in the 1980s but time and the weather had taken its toll and the wall was in a pretty bad state so Ken now 66 years old and still living in the town took up his paint brush once again and the results are quite amazing.

It took him 10 days to bring it back to life after the Swindon Council contacted him and ask him to restore the mural once more and this time he made it more vivid with stronger colours. The detail he has achieved is wonderful and the people of Swindon can once again look longingly at their canal even if only on a wall for now.

If you look closely you can see the huge draw bridge belonging to the Canal with its massive wrought iron pillars, and then this side of it the beautiful pedestrian bridge built so that the Railway workers could get into work on time even if the main bridge was up.

To view this mural yourselves you will need to go down to the spot where the Whale bridge used to stand on the junction of Princes Street and Fleming way about 100 yards away from the bus station.

Roy Cartwright
Swindon branch

Pictures by Gary Mason

The original photograph now held at Swindon Museum

Swindon: Canals - Wilts & Berks and North Wilts Canals

http://www.flickr.com/photos/swindonlocal/sets/72157620893857030/

Swindon Collection Central Library, Regent Circus, Swindon SN1 1QG

www.swindon.gov.uk/swindoncollection