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Blackfriars Railway Bridge

Coordinates: 51°30′35″N 0°06′12″W / 51.50972°N 0.10333°W / 51.50972; -0.10333
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51°30′35″N 0°06′12″W / 51.50972°N 0.10333°W / 51.50972; -0.10333

Blackfriars Railway Bridge
The current Blackfriars Railway Bridge (on the left) and remains of the old bridge, viewed from the north bank of the Thames
Coordinates51°30′35″N 0°06′12″W / 51.5097°N 0.1033°W / 51.5097; -0.1033
CarriesThameslink
CrossesRiver Thames
LocaleLondon, England
Preceded byBlackfriars Bridge
Followed byMillennium Bridge
Characteristics
DesignArch Bridge
History
Opened1886
Location
Map

Blackfriars Railway Bridge is a railway bridge crossing the River Thames in London, between Blackfriars Bridge and the Millennium Bridge.

There have been two structures with the name. The first bridge was opened in 1864 and was designed by Joseph Cubitt for the London, Chatham and Dover Railway. Massive abutments at each end carried the railway's insignia, preserved and restored on the south side. Following the formation of the Southern Railway in 1924, inter-city and continental services were concentrated on Waterloo, and St Paul's Station became a local and suburban stop. For this reason, the use of the original bridge gradually declined. It eventually became too weak to support modern trains, and was therefore removed in 1985 – all that remains is a series of columns crossing the Thames[1] and the southern abutment, which is a Grade II listed structure.[2]

The second bridge, built slightly further downstream (to the east), was originally called St Paul's Railway Bridge and opened in 1886. It was designed by John Wolfe-Barry and Henry Marc Brunel and is made of wrought iron. It was built by Lucas & Aird.[3] When St Paul's railway station changed its name to Blackfriars in 1937 the bridge changed its name as well.

At the southern end of the bridge was Blackfriars Bridge railway station which opened in 1864 before closing to passengers in 1885 following the opening of what is today the main Blackfriars station. Blackfriars Bridge railway station continued as a goods stop until 1964 when it was completely demolished, and much of it redeveloped into offices.

As part of the Thameslink Programme, the platforms at Blackfriars station have been extended across the Thames and partially supported by the 1864 bridge piers. The project is designed by WILL ALSOP and built by Balfour Beatty. The work also includes the installation of a roof covered with photovoltiac solar panels. It is the largest of only three solar bridges in the world (the others being Kennedy Bridge in Bonn, Germany, and Kurilpa Bridge in Australia). Other green improvements include sun pipes and systems to collect rain water.[4]

  • Looking southwards across Blackfriars railway bridge from platform 4 at Blackfriars railway station
    Looking southwards across Blackfriars railway bridge from platform 4 at Blackfriars railway station
  • Blackfriars Railway Bridge. The Millennium pedestrian bridge is in the foreground
    Blackfriars Railway Bridge. The Millennium pedestrian bridge is in the foreground
  • Blackfriars and Blackfriars Railway bridges, from South Bank, late afternoon, late summer light
    Blackfriars and Blackfriars Railway bridges, from South Bank, late afternoon, late summer light
  • Pillars of the 1864 bridge
    Pillars of the 1864 bridge
  • View from south bank in 2004 showing Blackfriars and old and new Blackfriars Railway bridges, bus, train, 30 St Mary Axe is still under construction
    View from south bank in 2004 showing Blackfriars and old and new Blackfriars Railway bridges, bus, train, 30 St Mary Axe is still under construction
  • LC&DR insignia on the southern abutment of the 1864 bridge
    LC&DR insignia on the southern abutment of the 1864 bridge
  • Insignia on the southern abutment of the 1864 bridge
    Insignia on the southern abutment of the 1864 bridge
  • Front and back of insignia on the southern abutment of the 1864 bridge, tables and chairs in between
    Front and back of insignia on the southern abutment of the 1864 bridge, tables and chairs in between
  • Looking back at the old station from a train crossing Blackfriars railway bridge
    Looking back at the old station from a train crossing Blackfriars railway bridge
  • Blackfriars with a Thameslink train run by Network SouthEast in 1989 with the 4 EPB in the old terminating platforms.
    Blackfriars with a Thameslink train run by Network SouthEast in 1989 with the 4 EPB in the old terminating platforms.

References

  1. ^ Blackfriars: Loughborough Junction
  2. ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database ({{{num}}})". National Heritage List for England. accessed 27 November 2008
  3. ^ Where Thames Smooth Waters Glide
  4. ^ "Work starts on solar bridge at Blackfriars station". The Guardian. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
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