London Bridge – Greenwich Railway Viaduct
Encyclopedia
The London Bridge – Greenwich Railway Viaduct consists of a series of nineteen brick railway viaducts linked by road bridges between London Bridge railway station and Deptford Creek, which together make a single structure 3.45 miles (5.6 km) in length. The structure carries the former London and Greenwich Railway
line and consists of 851 semi-circular arches and 27 skew arch
es or road bridges. It is the longest run of arches in Britain, It is also one of the oldest railway viaducts in the world, and the earliest example of an elevated railway
line. It was built between 1834 and 1836. The original viaduct has been widened for 1.95 miles (3.1 km) of its length between Corbett's Lane and London Bridge on the south side to accommodate the trains of the London and Croydon Railway
and London and Brighton Railway
, in 1842 and also for 2.65 miles (4.3 km) on the north side to accommodate the South Eastern Railway
main line in 1850.
to Greenwich
built on a viaduct, came from Colonel G. T. Landmann, and George Walter, and a company was floated on 25 November 1831, which obtained Parliamentary approval in 1833. The line was elevated to avoid numerous level crossings over the many streets which were already appearing in the south of London. The intention had been for the line to descend to ground level after crossing the Grand Surrey Canal
but this was opposed by Parliament, and so it remained elevated as far as Deptford Creek on the River Ravensbourne
, where there was a drawbridge
.
using more than 100,000 per day, creating a shortage for other building activities in London. They were all made at Sittingbourne
and transported to the site by barge. Work started on the foundations in February 1834, and the first experimental trains were run in 1835. The structure was not however completed until December 1836, due to delays in obtaining materials for the Bermondsey Street bridge near to London Bridge. As originally constructed the viaduct included a 'pedestrian boulevard' where users could walk for a penny toll, but this was quickly replaced by an additional running line. The viaduct included the stations of London Bridge, Spa Road
, Bermondsey
(closed 1915) and Deptford
. A further station on top of the viaduct at Southwark Park
was opened in 1902, but also closed in 1915.
(L&CR) constructed a junction with the viaduct leading to its own 800 feet (243.8 m) viaduct shortly after Corbett's Lane, Deptford
, and thereafter shared the L&GR route to London Bridge. 'Corbett's Lane Junction' became one of the first major railway junctions in the world'. A 'policeman' was stationed at the junction to control movements of the trains, who was soon afterwards situated on a wooden tower on the viaduct to give him better visibility. The 'Corbett's lane lighthouse', as it was known, was the precursor of the modern signal box
.
from 1841 and were due to do so with the South Eastern Railway (SER) from 1842. During 1841 it became obvious that the original viaduct would be inadequate to share the growing traffic of four railway companies, and so the L&GR constructed a second adjoining viaduct on the south side of the original as far as Corbett's Lane. This provided two further tracks, which together with the southern viaduct were later leased by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway, the successor to both the L&CR and the L&BR.
The SER leased the L&GR from 1845, and in 1847 obtained powers to widen the viaduct still further with the addition of two further lines for 2.65 miles (4.3 km) on the north side to accommodate the South Eastern Railway main line. This work was completed by 1850. The SER later constructed a link from this structure leading to its Bricklayers' Arms
branch line.
London and Greenwich Railway
The London and Greenwich Railway was opened in London between 1836 and 1838. It was the first steam railway to have a terminus in the capital, the first of any to be built specifically for passenger service, and the first example of an elevated railway....
line and consists of 851 semi-circular arches and 27 skew arch
Skew arch
A skew arch is a method of construction that enables an arch bridge to span an obstacle at some angle other than a right angle. This results in the faces of the arch not being perpendicular to its abutments and its plan view being a parallelogram, rather than the rectangle that is the plan view of...
es or road bridges. It is the longest run of arches in Britain, It is also one of the oldest railway viaducts in the world, and the earliest example of an elevated railway
Elevated railway
An elevated railway is a form of rapid transit railway with the tracks built above street level on some form of viaduct or other steel or concrete structure. The railway concerned may be constructed according to the standard gauge, narrow gauge, light rail, monorail or suspension railway system...
line. It was built between 1834 and 1836. The original viaduct has been widened for 1.95 miles (3.1 km) of its length between Corbett's Lane and London Bridge on the south side to accommodate the trains of the London and Croydon Railway
London and Croydon Railway
The London and Croydon Railway was an early railway which operated between London and Croydon in England. It was opened in 1839 and in July 1846 it merged with other railways to form a part of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway ....
and London and Brighton Railway
London and Brighton Railway
The London and Brighton Railway was a railway company in England which was incorporated in 1837 and survived until 1846. Its railway runs from a junction with the London & Croydon Railway at Norwood - which gives it access from London Bridge, just south of the River Thames in central London...
, in 1842 and also for 2.65 miles (4.3 km) on the north side to accommodate the South Eastern Railway
South Eastern Railway (UK)
The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...
main line in 1850.
History
The idea of a railway from LondonLondon
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...
to Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
built on a viaduct, came from Colonel G. T. Landmann, and George Walter, and a company was floated on 25 November 1831, which obtained Parliamentary approval in 1833. The line was elevated to avoid numerous level crossings over the many streets which were already appearing in the south of London. The intention had been for the line to descend to ground level after crossing the Grand Surrey Canal
Grand Surrey Canal
The Grand Surrey Canal was a canal constructed in south London, England during the early 19th century. It opened to the Old Kent Road in 1807, to Camberwell in 1810, and to Peckham in 1826. Its main cargo was timber. It closed progressively from the 1940s, with all but the Greenland Dock closing in...
but this was opposed by Parliament, and so it remained elevated as far as Deptford Creek on the River Ravensbourne
River Ravensbourne
The River Ravensbourne is a tributary of the River Thames in South London, England. It flows into the River Thames on the Tideway at Deptford, where its tidal reach is known as Deptford Creek.- Geography :...
, where there was a drawbridge
Drawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
.
Original viaduct
Sixty million bricks were used to construct the viaduct, with 400 navviesNavvy
Navvy is a shorter form of navigator or navigational engineer and is particularly applied to describe the manual labourers working on major civil engineering projects...
using more than 100,000 per day, creating a shortage for other building activities in London. They were all made at Sittingbourne
Sittingbourne
Sittingbourne is an industrial town about eight miles east of Gillingham in England, beside the Roman Watling Street off a creek in the Swale, a channel separating the Isle of Sheppey from mainland Kent...
and transported to the site by barge. Work started on the foundations in February 1834, and the first experimental trains were run in 1835. The structure was not however completed until December 1836, due to delays in obtaining materials for the Bermondsey Street bridge near to London Bridge. As originally constructed the viaduct included a 'pedestrian boulevard' where users could walk for a penny toll, but this was quickly replaced by an additional running line. The viaduct included the stations of London Bridge, Spa Road
Spa Road railway station
Spa Road railway station in Bermondsey, south-east London was the original terminus of the capital's first railway, the London and Greenwich Railway. It opened on 8 February 1836, with the other end of the line at Deptford. The extension to London Bridge opened on 14 December 1836. The extension...
, Bermondsey
Bermondsey
Bermondsey is an area in London on the south bank of the river Thames, and is part of the London Borough of Southwark. To the west lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe, and to the south, Walworth and Peckham.-Toponomy:...
(closed 1915) and Deptford
Deptford railway station
Deptford is a suburban railway station in the UK capital city of London. It is located in Deptford, London Borough of Lewisham, on the North Kent Line, about three miles from London Bridge station...
. A further station on top of the viaduct at Southwark Park
Southwark Park railway station
Southwark Park railway station was in southeast London on the Greenwich Line of the South Eastern Railway. It opened on 1 October 1902, on approximately the same site as the then long-closed Commercial Dock railway station. It was close to the southern end of Southwark Park, from which it took its...
was opened in 1902, but also closed in 1915.
Corbett's Lane Junction
During 1838 and 1839 the London and Croydon RailwayLondon and Croydon Railway
The London and Croydon Railway was an early railway which operated between London and Croydon in England. It was opened in 1839 and in July 1846 it merged with other railways to form a part of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway ....
(L&CR) constructed a junction with the viaduct leading to its own 800 feet (243.8 m) viaduct shortly after Corbett's Lane, Deptford
Deptford
Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...
, and thereafter shared the L&GR route to London Bridge. 'Corbett's Lane Junction' became one of the first major railway junctions in the world'. A 'policeman' was stationed at the junction to control movements of the trains, who was soon afterwards situated on a wooden tower on the viaduct to give him better visibility. The 'Corbett's lane lighthouse', as it was known, was the precursor of the modern signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
.
Southern widening
The L&CR lines into London were also shared with the London and Brighton RailwayLondon and Brighton Railway
The London and Brighton Railway was a railway company in England which was incorporated in 1837 and survived until 1846. Its railway runs from a junction with the London & Croydon Railway at Norwood - which gives it access from London Bridge, just south of the River Thames in central London...
from 1841 and were due to do so with the South Eastern Railway (SER) from 1842. During 1841 it became obvious that the original viaduct would be inadequate to share the growing traffic of four railway companies, and so the L&GR constructed a second adjoining viaduct on the south side of the original as far as Corbett's Lane. This provided two further tracks, which together with the southern viaduct were later leased by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway, the successor to both the L&CR and the L&BR.
Northern widening
Bricklayers' Arms
Bricklayers' Arms is a busy road intersection between A2 and the London Inner Ring Road in south London, England. It is the junction of Tower Bridge Road, Old Kent Road, New Kent Road and Great Dover Street; Old Kent Road and New Kent Road east-bound are connected by a flyover.The area is named...
branch line.
Use of the arches
The London and Greenwich Railway directors originally envisaged using the arches for low cost housing, but were soon dissuaded of the plan. The arches are extensively used for light engineering workshops, scrap dealers, and lockups. In recent years some of the arches have been used for fashionable restaurants and nightclubs.See also
- List of railway bridges and viaducts in the United Kingdom