Kingston Railway Bridge, Railway arch bridge in Kingston upon Thames, England
Kingston Railway Bridge is a railway arch bridge spanning the River Thames with five steel arches, three extending over water and two covering adjacent land. The structure carries passenger trains daily between London Waterloo station and the southwestern suburban terminals of Kingston and Hampton Wick.
An original cast-iron bridge was built in 1863 and replaced in 1907 with a new steel structure designed by J W Jacomb Hood to handle growing rail traffic. This replacement enabled the railway network to expand into London's southwestern suburbs.
The bridge represents a milestone in Victorian engineering, marking the expansion of London's railway network into the southwestern suburbs during industrialization.
The bridge is easily accessible on foot from both riverbanks, with the best views from the riverside pathways along either side. Visitors can watch trains crossing regularly while enjoying clear views of the Thames below.
Two power stations operated beside the bridge from 1893 to 1959, using barges in a dedicated dock to transport coal and ash along the river. These facilities supplied electricity to the growing population of southwest London.
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