The Battersea Thames Bridges

The Battersea Thames Bridges
Click on photos for an enlargement

Battersea Railway Bridge

Opened in 1863, as part of the West London Extension Railway, connecting the lines out of Paddington and Euston, with Clapham Junction. Apparently the track was laid for both standard gauge and GWR's broad gauge. At first it was only used for freight traffic, passenger services commenced in 1904. In the 1960s one of the last steam train services connecting Clapham Junction with Olympia passed over this bridge. In 1979 long distance Inter-City services passenger services resumed over this route. Trains crossing are restricted to 15 mph.

Battersea Bridge 1

Battersea wooden bridge was constructed 1771-1772 to Henry Holland's original design and made famous by Whistler’s Nocturne: Blue and Gold - Old Battersea Bridge, 1872-77 now in the Tate Britain. It was black spot for river transport with cargo boats regularly colliding with the bridge at night or in fog. Replaced 1886-1890.

Battersea Bridge 2

Replaced 1886-1890 with the current Battersea Bridge to Sir Joseph Bazalgette's design of cast-iron arches. The 26 July 1890 issue of ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS featured the Opening of New Battersea Bridge by The Earl of Rosebery, 21 July 1890. Battersea Bridge was hit by a gravel barge in September 2005, now reopened.

Albert Bridge

Designed by Roland Mason Ordish, Albert Bridge was built as a cable stayed bridge, bars radiating from the top of the towers supported the bridge deck. The bridge construction was authorized by 1864 Act of Parliament in 1864 it was opened in 1873. The centre span was 400 ft with 2 side spans of 155 ft. The roadway was 41 ft width.

In 1878 the Metropolitan Board of Works purchased both bridges and in 1879 they were freed of tolls.

The bridge was strengthened in 1884 to designs of Sir Joseph Bazalgette by adding suspension cables thus making the bridge a hybrid cable-stayed/suspension structure. A 5 ton vehicle weight limit was also imposed.

A conservation effort, including Sir John Betjeman, prevented the demolition of the bridge and, in 1973, an additional central pier had been added, a lighter deck installed and the vehicle weight limit reduced to 2 tons.

There is a notice at each end of the bridge instructing the soldiers to break step when marching over the bridge. This was to prevent setting up vibrations of the type recently seen on London's "Wobbly Bridge".

Chelsea Bridge 1

Construction of the original Chelsea Suspension Bridge began in 1851 to the designs of Thomas Page, Engineer. The bridge had pairs of domed tollhouses at each end. In 1879 Chelsea Bridge was freed of tolls. Although not officially so named it was known as the Victoria after its opening in 1858. In 1880 additional suspension chains were added. Demolished 1934/5.

Chelsea Bridge 2

Construction of the new suspension bridge commenced in 1935 to the designs of Rendel, Palmer & Tritton, Engineers, and G. Topham Forest, Architect, on new foundations. The the bridge is of the self anchored suspension type (for the technically minded, the compresssion in the bridge deck resists the tension at the ends of the suspension cables) with centre span of 352 ft and 2 side spans of 173 ft. WL Mackenzie King, the Prime Minister of Canada, opened the bridge in 1937. The Canadian connection being that Douglas Fir timber from British Colombia was used for the temporary works.

Grosvenor Railway Bridge

Built to the design of John Fowler for the LB & SCR). Construction started on 9 June 1859 and the bridge was opened a year later. The alignment of the piers matched that of Chelsea Bridge 150 yards upstream.

A second 100 ft wide bridge built alongside was opened in 1866, designed by Sir Charles Fox to match the existing bridge. A third bridge was constructed downstream in 1907 to bring the width to 178 ft and bringing the number of tracks up to10.

The whole bridge was replaced 1963 - 67 to the designs of Freeman, Fox & Partners, Engineers by 10 separate bridge structures each carrying a single track.

Thames Bridge Links

The River Thames Guide - Thames Bridges
The Port of London Authority - Thames Bridges (Drawings by Peter Kent)
Paintings by Doug Myers

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