Bridge 70a on the Grand Union Canal

Image: © Andrew Abbott Taken: 15 May 2021

Grade II* listed. Listing number 1246107. Railway Bridge. Built in 1834-5 for the London and Birmingham Railway, Chief Engineer, Robert Stephenson, widened probably in 1889 by the London and North Western Railway. Cast iron beams with brick and stone abutments. Sixteen cast-iron I-beams carry the track and these are supported on red and blue engineering brick abutments with a stone bearing. One girder is marked in relief lettering, BUTTERLEY (Butterley Iron Company of Derby). All the principal beams have a consistent concave-shaped bracing to the web, double bracing on some and single to others. One beam is faced with moulded timber infill panels that appear to be contemporary with the structure. This was the original eastern face girder. There are now two later face girders on this side. These are wrought iron or steel riveted girders; the bridge was probably widened here in 1889 to ease access to the new Lifting Shop (see Royal Train Shed). The bridge was built in two sections, each of eight beams width and with a space between in the centre. This space was filled by steelwork in the C20 and it is this part of the structure that carries the single railway line that crosses the bridge to give access to the works. The decking is mostly in the original cast iron plates. The bridge parapets consist of C20 timber boarding and steel railings, the original balustrades having been lost with the widening.

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0