Kennington Railway Bridge

Kennington Railway Bridge is a steel bowstring structure that spans the River Thames between Sandford Lock and Iffley Lock with three equal sections. The construction follows a curved path with a radius of 240 meters as it crosses the river at an angle.

The Great Western Railway commissioned the current steel structure in 1923 to replace an earlier five-span plate girder bridge that had settlement problems in its screw piles. This rebuild was necessary to overcome the structural flaws of the previous version.

The bridge carries a freight railway branch that connects to the BMW Mini factory in Cowley, keeping alive the industrial past of the Oxford area. This connection shows how railways continue to support manufacturing in the region.

The bridge is visible from the surrounding locks and offers viewing points along the river. The best time to visit is during daylight when light conditions make the steel structure clearly visible.

During construction, each 23-ton bowstring span was transported by rail from Tipton and positioned using two 36-ton rail-mounted cranes. This approach was a remarkable feat of engineering for its time.

Official opening: 1923

GPS coordinates: 51.72134,-1.24225

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:26