BLACKFRIARS - LOUGHBOROUGH JUNCTION

 

 

The London, Chatham & Dover Railway's foray into Central London via Blackfriars, linking up with the Metropolitan at Farringdon, has played a significant part in the development of current crossriver Thameslink services. However, in common with all the major main line services into London, the inner city stations suffered from bus, tube & tram competition and the dwindling passenger numbers proved to be fatal for most of them.


 

Blackfriars railway bridges.

Two railway bridges crossed the River Thames side-by-side to Blackfriars Station formerly named St Paul's. The downstream (easternmost) bridge of 1886, is currently being used by Thameslink trains. The older 1864 bridge was dismantled in 1985, leaving only four sets of quadruple-clustered cylindrical piers with foliated capitals standing clear of the water on granite plinths that stand on cast iron cylinders filled with concrete. Joseph Cubitt and F T Turner designed the bridge, which was a lattice girder structure.

In 1860 the London Chatham & Dover Railway (LDCR) was allowed to build an extension from its existing station at Beckenham to Ludgate Hill in the City of London. The new railway line would cross the Thames beside Blackfriars Bridge. As Joseph Cubitt was rebuilding the road bridge, it was agreed that he should design both bridges. Work started on the railway bridge in 1862 and the bridge and the station, then called St Paul's, opened in 1864.

The wrought-iron girder railway bridge has spans supported by masonry abutments and composite piers. Since the bridge formed part of St Paul's Station it was given a great deal of cast-iron ornamentation. The supports had ornate Romanesque capitals and decorated with large, brightly coloured shields incorporating the coat of arms of the LCDR.

The Blackfriars Railway Bridge carried only four tracks and 20 years later it was decided to construct a second railway bridge beside the first. Designed by W. Mills, the new wrought-iron bridge opened in 1886. Its river spans match the old bridge, and on the downstream side the bridge is decorated with pulpit turrets, while on the upstream side there are Gothic-style cast-iron parapets. Following the re-organisation of the railways in 1923, the new Southern Railway decided to concentrate all its long-distance and Continental traffic at Waterloo and Victoria. As a result St Paul's Station lost all but its local and suburban services.

In 1937 St Paul's Station was renamed Blackfriars Station and the St Paul's Railway Bridge lost its identity to become just a widening of Blackfriars Railway Bridge. However, by the mid-20th century the old bridge was considered too weak to carry modern trains and the obsolete railway bridge was eventually dismantled in 1984 and its approach tracks removed. The land was taken up to provide offices such as the Daily Express building to the south, which is somewhat thin as a result.

Today all that is left are the ornate red columns of the original bridge. One of the cast-iron shields bearing the insignia of the LCDR can now be seen on display on the South Bank having been beautifully restored.

(Nigel Callaghan)   ©2005



 

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Looking south at the original Blackfriars bridge in 1979 before its decking was removed.

The newer bridge is just visible on its left.

 

 

 

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The marooned piers in June 2006  [pun intended!]

 

 

 

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LCD crest on the southern end of the original bridge. These days just the abutment remains.

(June 2006)

 


 

BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE (L.C.D.)

(1864 - 1885)

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Map showing the location of Blackfriars Bridge station, used as a goods station subsequent to its closure to passenger traffic.

 

 

 

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The entrance to the station.

(May 2006)

 

 

 

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Westward view of the track area for the original alignment.

(May 2006)

 


 


BOROUGH ROAD

(1864 - 1907)

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Southern view of the main entrance area to Borough Road station, its space now utilised by a garage.

(June 2006)

 

 

 

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Aerial view of Borough Road platform area looking north. The platform space in the middle is still evident.

Image courtesy of Google Earth.

 


 

WALWORTH ROAD

(1863 - 1916)

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1930s map still showing Walworth Road station.

 

 

 

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View eastwards at the vacated platform space.

(June 2006)

 

 

 

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View southward at the vacated platform space.

(Sep 2006)

 

 

 

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Looking north at the Walworth Road platform area. The spread of the tracks is noticable as is the central staircase.
The station building was situated at the bottom right.

Image courtesy of Google Earth.

 

 



C
AMBERWELL

(1862 - 1916)

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Eastward view of the platform space.

(June 2006)

 

 

 

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Southward view of the platform space.

(Sep 2006)

 

 

 

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The remaining part of the station building. The upper stories were lopped off leaving just the base of it.

(Aug 2005)

 

 

 

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Demonstrating how useful Google Earth is for viewing the whereabouts of disused stations.

 

 

 

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Map showing the Camberwell station location and also the triple-sided Loughborough Junction station.

 


 

LOUGHBOROUGH JUNCTION


(Original station on the Brixton/west side: 1864 - 1916)
(Cambria Road/east side: 1872 - 1925)
(Main line (still open): 1872 - present)

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Southern view of the Cambria Road platforms on the east side of the station.

(June 2006)

 

 

 

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Southern view of the Cambria Road platforms.

(June 2006)

 

 

 

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Southern view. The Cambria Road platforms are on the left, either side of the tracks veering off to the left. The right hand of these two platforms was shared with the main line, seen heading straight on. The main line island platform is on the right.

(June 2006)

 

 

 

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The site of the station platforms on the west side of the station. These have been completely demolished.

(June 2006)


 

Crystal Palace High Level - Nunhead