Once upon a time, London Bridge wasn’t just one bridge. It was a series of them. Today we are standing in front of Seven Arches Bridge.
Let me introduce you to the London Bridge–Greenwich Railway Viaduct. It is a single structure stretching 3.45 miles. That is 5.55 km. The viaduct carries the former London and Greenwich Railway line. It comprises 851 semi-circular arches and 27 skew arches or road bridges.
Did you know that this is the longest run of arches in Britain? It is also one of the world’s oldest railway viaducts. The Seven Arches Bridge is the earliest example of an entirely elevated railway line. This marvel was built between 1834 and 1836.
Imagine the hustle. Contractor Hugh McIntosh used sixty million bricks. Four hundred navvies laid more than 100,000 bricks each day. This caused a brick shortage across London. All bricks came from Sittingbourne and transported by barge.
Work began in February 1834. In some spots, they dug 24 feet down to find a firm foundation. Experimental trains ran in 1835. The whole structure finished in December 1836. Delays happened securing materials for the Bermondsey Street bridge. It was near London Bridge.
Originally, the viaduct had a “pedestrian boulevard”. People paid a penny toll to walk it. Soon, that became another running line. The viaduct connected London Bridge, Spa Road, Bermondsey and Deptford stations. Southwark Park station opened on top of the viaduct in 1902. It also closed in 1915.
Consider Corbett’s Lane Junction. The London and Croydon Railway built a junction with the viaduct in 1838 and 1839. It became one of the first major railway junctions in the world. A “policeman” controlled train movements. He stood on a wooden tower. They called it “Corbett’s Lane lighthouse”. It was the start of the modern signal box.
Traffic grew. The London and Brighton Railway shared lines from 1841. The Southeastern Railway joined in 1842. The original viaduct needed widening. A second viaduct built on the south side as far as Corbett’s Lane. This provided two more tracks. The London Brighton and South Coast Railway later leased these.
The Southeastern Railway leased the London and Greenwich Railway from 1845. They widened the viaduct further by adding two lines on the north side. This work completed by 1850. The Southeastern Railway built a link to its Bricklayers Arms branch line.
Originally, directors planned low-cost housing inside the arches. They changed their minds. The arches became light engineering workshops and scrap dealers. Nowadays, some arches house fashionable restaurants and nightclubs.
So, as you gaze upon this still-standing section of the viaduct, imagine the trains rumbling overhead, the navvies laying bricks and the innovative spirit that shaped London’s railway history. This Seven Arches Bridge is more than just bricks and arches. It is a testament to London’s enduring spirit.