Richard Beckett sent me the following story about Southease Bridge.

"This bridge has a severe weight restriction due to its construction and timber deck so during WW2 a bailey bridge was erected adjacent, to allow military tanks to cross the river at this point. On one occasion when a small convoy of tanks was using the crossing the engine of last tank failed when it was some distance behind and by the time the engine was restarted, the others had all crossed over the Bailey bridge. The driver of the failed tank, who was unaware of the weight restriction and the alternative route across the adjacent bailey bridge, gaily trundled his tank across the swing bridge. Luckily for him it did not collapse under the weight."

Jason tells me that the bridge may be owned by Network Rail, as the bridge originally gave access to Southease Station. It is no longer a through route as the level crossing further along the lane has been closed. The Newhaven Branch was originally owned by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway which was merged into the larger Southern Railway in 1932. The bridge was last opened in 1967 - although the mechanism is apparently still complete.

Jason has reminded that the wooden boards making up the deck are loose and rattly when a vehicle is driven across. On my site visit in October 2006 I was certainly quite alarmed when I saw a Land Rover being driven across the bridge!

In the November 2009 edition of 'Canal Boat' magazine it was reported that there had been a threat to replace Southease Bridge with a concrete structure but the 'South Downs Joint Committee, local residents and industrial archeologists' have fought a successful campaign to achieve Grade 2 listed status for the bridge, and that there is a now a campaign in motion to restore the bridge - including restoration of the swing mechanism.

The Canal Boat report claims that the bridge opened for masted vessels as late as 1988.

John Stainer reports that the bridge was removed in 2010 for repair and reinstated in 2011. Images of the bridge on Google Maps Streetview do show the bridge in much better condition than on my last visit to the site in 2006.