Kew Railway Bridge

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Kew Railway Bridge
Middlesex, Surrey
Kew Railway Bridge.jpg
Kew Railway Bridge
Location
Carrying: London Overground raiway
London Underground District line
Crossing: River Thames
Location
Grid reference: TQ195775
Location: 51°29’3"N, 0°16’45"W
Structure
Length: 575 feet
Design: Lattice truss bridge
Material: Wrought iron
History
Information

Kew Railway Bridge (or Strand-on-the-Green Bridge) spans the River Thames between Kew in Surrey and Strand-on-the-Green, part of Chiswick in Middlesex, carrying the railway line used today by London Overground services and London Underground. Immediately upstream lies Oliver's Island in the mdst of the river, and further upstream stands Kew Bridge, a road bridge.

It is a Grade II listed structure.[1]

The bridge was designed by W. R. Galbraith and built by Brassey & Ogilvie for the London and South Western Railway. The bridge is part of an extension to the latter company's railway line from Acton Junction to Richmond. The bridge was opened in 1869.[1] It consists of five wrought iron lattice girder spans of 115 feet each. The cast iron piers are decorated in three stages.

During the Second World War a pillbox was built to guard it on the south end, along with an open enclosure to fire an anti-tank gun from.

Kew Railway Bridge stonework

The bridge carries two tracks which are electrified with both third rail and London Underground-style fourth rail. It is now owned by Network Rail and used by London Overground for North London Line passenger trains running between Richmond and Stratford. The same tracks are also used by London Underground's District line trains running between Richmond and Upminster.

In fiction

In The Dalek Invasion of Earth, a 1964 serial from the BBC's Doctor Who, the TARDIS materialises under Kew Railway Bridge, where it is subsequently trapped when the bridge collapses.[2] A District Line service can also be seen crossing the bridge in the 1965 drama Four in the Morning.

Outside links

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References

  1. 1.0 1.1 National Heritage List 1065412: Kew Railway Bridge
  2. "Kew Railway Bridge". Drwholocations.net. http://www.doctorwholocations.net/locations/kewrailwaybridge. Retrieved 6 March 2013. 


Bridges and crossings on the River Thames
Twickenham Bridge Richmond Lock Kew Bridge Kew Railway Bridge Chiswick Bridge Barnes Bridge Hammersmith Bridge