Blackfriars Bridge railway station
Encyclopedia
Blackfriars Bridge railway station was a railway station on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
(LC&DR). It was constructed in 1864 and, for six months, was the northern terminus for a line from via . It was part of a scheme by the company to extend into the City of London
. It ceased to be the terminus when the line was extended across the River Thames
to where a temporary station in New Bridge Street was opened on 21 December 1864.
In 1885 with the opening of St Pauls station (later renamed Blackfriars
) it was no longer deemed necessary for passenger requirements, and remained open solely as a goods station
. It remained in this capacity into the 1960s until 1964, outlasting several other stations on the line such as Camberwell
which was closed down in 1916. Demolition of the station took place in August 1968. Today offices stand on the site of the goods yards, although a few remnants of the station still remain.
The station was situated on the southern bank of the River Thames, directly opposite what is now Blackfriars station
and connected to it via the Blackfriars Railway Bridge
. Until the mid-twentieth century trains along the line used the original 1864 bridge built by the LC&DR, but it was not considered strong enough for modern trains, and it was partially dismantled in 1984 and the traffic now uses the newer bridge. Of the older bridge just the abutments remain, leaving an odd appearance in the river.
London, Chatham and Dover Railway
The London, Chatham and Dover Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1859 until the 1923 grouping which united it with other companies to form the Southern Railway. Its lines ran through London and northern and eastern Kent to form a significant part of the Greater London...
(LC&DR). It was constructed in 1864 and, for six months, was the northern terminus for a line from via . It was part of a scheme by the company to extend into the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. It ceased to be the terminus when the line was extended across the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
to where a temporary station in New Bridge Street was opened on 21 December 1864.
In 1885 with the opening of St Pauls station (later renamed Blackfriars
Blackfriars station
Blackfriars station, also known as London Blackfriars, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the City of London, England. Its platforms will eventually span the River Thames a short distance downstream from Blackfriars Bridge. The current entrance is located on the...
) it was no longer deemed necessary for passenger requirements, and remained open solely as a goods station
Goods station
A goods station is, in the widest sense, a railway station which is exclusively or predominantly where goods of any description are loaded or unloaded from ships or road vehicles and/or where goods wagons are transferred to local sidings.A station where goods are not specifically received or...
. It remained in this capacity into the 1960s until 1964, outlasting several other stations on the line such as Camberwell
Camberwell railway station
Camberwell railway station was a railway station on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway . It opened in 1862 as part of the company's ambitious second London railway. In 1863 the name was changed to Camberwell New Road but in 1908 reverted to Camberwell...
which was closed down in 1916. Demolition of the station took place in August 1968. Today offices stand on the site of the goods yards, although a few remnants of the station still remain.
The station was situated on the southern bank of the River Thames, directly opposite what is now Blackfriars station
Blackfriars station
Blackfriars station, also known as London Blackfriars, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the City of London, England. Its platforms will eventually span the River Thames a short distance downstream from Blackfriars Bridge. The current entrance is located on the...
and connected to it via the Blackfriars Railway Bridge
Blackfriars Railway Bridge
Blackfriars Railway Bridge is a railway bridge crossing the River Thames in London, between Blackfriars Bridge and the Millennium Bridge.There have been two structures with the name. The first bridge was opened in 1864 and was designed by Joseph Cubitt for the London, Chatham and Dover Railway...
. Until the mid-twentieth century trains along the line used the original 1864 bridge built by the LC&DR, but it was not considered strong enough for modern trains, and it was partially dismantled in 1984 and the traffic now uses the newer bridge. Of the older bridge just the abutments remain, leaving an odd appearance in the river.