Battersea Railway Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Battersea Railway Bridge - properly called the Cremorne Bridge, after the pleasure grounds in Chelsea
and originally commonly referred to as the Battersea New Bridge - is a bridge across the River Thames
in London
, between Battersea
and Chelsea and forming part of the West London Line
of the London Overground
from Clapham Junction to Willesden Junction.
, chief engineer of the London and North Western Railway
, and was opened in March 1863 at a cost of £87,000. It carries two sets of railway lines and consists of five 120 feet (36.6 m) lattice girder arches set on stone piers. Within Network Rail, this bridge is also referred to as "Chelsea River Bridge" (Engineers Line Reference WLL, Bridge No. 9).
Strictly speaking, this structure may be considered a viaduct
as it consists of 5 spans (Network Rail Bridge Book definition).
There is a three-arch brick viaduct
on the north side of the bridge, with one arch having been opened to provide a pedestrian route under the railway, as part of the Thames Path
. On the south side there are four arches, two of which are used as storage for the residents of a houseboat
community located immediately downstream of the bridge, whilst the remaining two allow traffic on the B305 to pass under the rail line.
The bridge was strengthened & refurbished in 1969, and again in 1992. During a high tide in late 2003, the structure was struck by a refuse-barge, and some of the lower structural elements damaged significantly. Until the repairs in early 2004, the up line (normal direction from West Brompton towards Clapham (Latchmere junction)) was blocked to locomotive hauled freight traffic, which in turn caused extensive delays to passenger services on the West London Line. Upon completion of the repairs by Edmund Nuttall Ltd, all restrictions were lifted.
Trains crossing the bridge are subject to a 20/30mph speed limit (locomotive-hauled traffic is restricted to 20mph, all other traffic is limited to 30mph). The lines are bi-directionally signalled in this area; thus each line can be travelled in each direction.
The bridge was declared a Grade II* listed structure in 2008, providing protection to preserve its special character from unsympathetic development.
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
and originally commonly referred to as the Battersea New Bridge - is a bridge across the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, between Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
and Chelsea and forming part of the West London Line
West London Line
The West London Line is a short railway in inner West London which links lines at in the south to lines near Willesden Junction in the north. It has always been an important cross-London link especially for freight services...
of the London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
from Clapham Junction to Willesden Junction.
History
The bridge was designed by William BakerWilliam Baker (engineer)
William Baker was a railway engineer.Between 1834 and 1839 Baker was articled to George W. Buck and then worked on the London and Birmingham Railway between London and Tring. From 1837 he worked with Buck on the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
, chief engineer of the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
, and was opened in March 1863 at a cost of £87,000. It carries two sets of railway lines and consists of five 120 feet (36.6 m) lattice girder arches set on stone piers. Within Network Rail, this bridge is also referred to as "Chelsea River Bridge" (Engineers Line Reference WLL, Bridge No. 9).
Strictly speaking, this structure may be considered a viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
as it consists of 5 spans (Network Rail Bridge Book definition).
There is a three-arch brick viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
on the north side of the bridge, with one arch having been opened to provide a pedestrian route under the railway, as part of the Thames Path
Thames Path
The Thames Path is a National Trail, opened in 1996, following the length of the River Thames from its source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier at Charlton. It is about long....
. On the south side there are four arches, two of which are used as storage for the residents of a houseboat
Houseboat
A houseboat is a boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily as a human dwelling. Some houseboats are not motorized, because they are usually moored, kept stationary at a fixed point and often tethered to land to provide utilities...
community located immediately downstream of the bridge, whilst the remaining two allow traffic on the B305 to pass under the rail line.
The bridge was strengthened & refurbished in 1969, and again in 1992. During a high tide in late 2003, the structure was struck by a refuse-barge, and some of the lower structural elements damaged significantly. Until the repairs in early 2004, the up line (normal direction from West Brompton towards Clapham (Latchmere junction)) was blocked to locomotive hauled freight traffic, which in turn caused extensive delays to passenger services on the West London Line. Upon completion of the repairs by Edmund Nuttall Ltd, all restrictions were lifted.
Trains crossing the bridge are subject to a 20/30mph speed limit (locomotive-hauled traffic is restricted to 20mph, all other traffic is limited to 30mph). The lines are bi-directionally signalled in this area; thus each line can be travelled in each direction.
The bridge was declared a Grade II* listed structure in 2008, providing protection to preserve its special character from unsympathetic development.
Further reading
- Loobet, Patrick — Battersea Past, 2002, p49. Historical Publications Ltd. ISBN 0-948667-76-1