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 3.42-mile (5,500 m) in length. The structure carries the former London and Greenwich Railway line and consists of 851 semi-circular arches and 27 skew arches or bridges. It is 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 1.6-mile (2,600 m) 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 the north side for1.9-mile (3,100 m)on the north side to accommodate the South Eastern Railway main line in 1850.[1]
History
editThe idea for a railway from London to Greenwich built on a viaduct, came from Colonel G. T. Landmann, and George Walter, and a company was floated on 25 November 1831. The line was elevated to avoid numerous level crossings over the many streets which were already appearing in the south of London.[2] The company also planned to rent the arches out as workshops. The intention had been for the line to descend to ground level after 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.
See also
editReferences
edit[Category:Buildings and structures in Cornwall]] [Category:Rail transport in Cornwall]] [Category:Railway bridges in England]] [Category:Works of Isambard Kingdom Brunel]] [Category:Bridges in Cornwall| ]] [Category:Viaducts in the United Kingdom]]