Airport Bridge

The Airport Bridge, also known as the Airport Rolling Bridge, is a bascule bridge and the main rail connection between Shopville and The Mainland.

## History

### The Shopville Series

The first, ambitious and ill-fated, attempt to link Shopville with England via Barrow-in-Furness had been made by the Shopville and Mainland Railway in the 1850's. The Company's high hopes were disappointed. Their proposals for a bridge over the Walney Channel were persistently baulked by the Admiralty. Ironically, they later became the driving force behind the completion of the link to the Mainland.

The Airport Bridge is a double tracked Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge of some 120ft span which is situated at Shopville Airport and which carries the North Western Main Line. It connects Shopville to the Mainland at Barrow-in-Furness, crossing the Walney Channel. The bridge was designed by Bessie Bowl I and was erected in 1915. Since 1925, the NWR has had rights to run trains over the bridge to Barrow-in-Furness. Also since that year, the Other Railway has had running powers over the bridge to enable them to operate their share of the joint NWR/LMS/BR suburban service between Barrow and Norramby.

Until 1977, when the Jubilee Bridge was built, the NWR had the car-ferry rights over their bridge and worked an intensive and profitable service. When the road bridge was built to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee, Bessie Bowl saw to it that the NWR were given substantial compensation for the extinguishment of their ferry rights.

### Shopkins

In the television series, the Airport Bridge was introduced in the special Shopkins: Chef Club. It is frequently used by all the Shopkins, especially Bridie and Betty Bouquet, who transport tourists from the Mainland to the Fashion Boutique on a daily basis, as well as Lala Lipstick and Suzie Sushi. The bridge was closed overnight in the second series episode "Power Hungry (Part 2)" whilst it underwent some maintenance, it was blocked in the second series episode "After Party (Part 1)" and was again under repair in the second series episode "A Shoppet Out of Pawville".

When Cheeky Chocolate underwent an overhaul to be streamlined temporarily for the Great Railway Show, she refused to undergo the final safety checks and her safety valve was never reinstalled. Jessicake, who had been badly damaged in a crash with Max Saxophone, was informed of this while she was being repaired at the Steamworks. Tocky Cuckoo Clock was unable to go, so Jessicake, not fully repaired but in working condition, rushed to the Mainland to give Cheeky Chocolate her safety valve. However, the bridge was being raised to let a ferry pass under it. Jessicake, having no time to lose, ran up the raised bridge and jumped over the canal. She landed the jump, though she landed on the wrong track after nearly derailing and had to avoid head-on collisions with Bridie, Suzie Sushi and Rockin' Broc.

Jessicake imagined jumping over the bridge again in her imagination, this time with Milly and Molly Cake Pop over the moon that looked like Bessie Bowl, but came in a bad landing.

## Appearances

### Shopkins

* **Series 4** - A Present for Pupkin Cake (fantasy), Scarletta Gateau's Teapot (fantasy), Mystabella and the Unhappy Tayler and The Grossery Gang Meets the Shopkins
* **Series 5** - Chuckle Club Shopkins and Yolanda Do Right
* **Series 6** - Lala Lipstick and Buncho Bananas (fantasy), Returning Friends (mentioned), Heroes of Shopville (mentioned) and Jessicake's VIP
* **Series 7** - Jessicake and the Royal Shopkin, A New Arrival, Rainbow Kate and the Unfriendly Elephant] and Rainbow Kate's Bright Idea (mentioned)

### Specials

* **2019** - Shopkins: Big World! Big Adventures!

## Trivia

* The gates at either end of the bridge appear to change between yellow and red.
* While not structurally based off of it, the concept and location for the bridge was inspired by the Walney Bridge, its official title being Jubilee Bridge, which originates in Barrow-in-Furness and spans over the Walney Channel connecting England to Walney Island.
* In the Golden Book adaptation of The Great Race, it was replaced with what looked like the Sydney Harbour Bridge, except green and with rails.