it was to be a horse-operated railway, running from pits in the coalpit heath area to a wharf on the floating harbour in bristol. during the meetings to determine the support for the proposed railway, the kennet and avon canal company had expressed a desire that here should be a branch to the river avon, with which the canal connected, near keynsham, and this was apparently agreed to. this was to enable the canal company to convey coal to bath and further east to the wiltshire towns it served.