Bishop's Bridge

Bridge in Paddington, London

51°31′6.5″N 0°10′46.4″W / 51.518472°N 0.179556°W / 51.518472; -0.179556CarriesBishop's Bridge Road – A4206Crosses

Paddington station rail approaches
Paddington Canal

LocalePaddington, LondonPreceded byWestbourne BridgeCharacteristicsMaterial

Cast iron (1839–2005)
Concrete (2006–)

HistoryConstruction end1839Rebuilt2006Location Map

Bishop's Bridge, sometimes known as Paddington Bridge, is a road bridge in the Paddington district of London which carries Bishop's Bridge Road across the rail approaches to Paddington station and across the adjacent Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal. The original Isambard Kingdom Brunel built bridge was replaced in 2006. The name Bishop's Bridge Road comes from the manor of Paddington which was granted to the Bishop of London, Nicholas Ridley, by Edward VI in the mid 16th Century.

Brunel's first iron bridge

In 2003 while researching a book about the station, Steven Brindle, Inspector of Ancient Monuments for English Heritage (London region), discovered that Isambard Kingdom Brunel was responsible for the original Bishop's Bridge,^[1] and that the section he built over the canal was his first iron bridge and had a unique design. The bulb-headed cast iron girders used in this bridge would have an influence on the much longer wrought iron girders he would later develop in his balloon flange pattern.

Unaware that they were intending to replace the bridge, by the time Brindle contacted Westminster City Council, their planning of the replacement project was at an advanced stage, with the main contract due to be signed the following week, and demolition due to take place 10 months later.

Investigations determined that the canal section of Brunel's 1839 bridge had survived, as rebuilding work in 1906 had merely obscured it and caused it to be forgotten. Negotiations between the council and English Heritage followed, and it was agreed that the 1839 iron bridge would be dismantled with a view to future reconstruction.^[2] The bulk of the dismantling work took place in April 2004, allowing the bridge replacement work to proceed as planned.

An application for planning permission to reconstruct the original iron bridge 200 yards (180 m) along the canal was submitted in April 2006. However, this has lapsed, and the dismantled bridge remains in storage in the care of English Heritage at Fort Cumberland, near Portsmouth.^[3]

Construction on the replacement bridge by Hochtief commenced in July 2003 with it opening on 14 June 2006.^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

References

^ Brindle, Steven (2006). "Brunel's Paddington Bridge: The discovery and saving of the Paddington Canal Bridge". Paddington Waterways and Maida Vale Society. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
^ Russell, Helena (28 May 2004). "Paddington bare". Bridge Design & Engineering. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
^ "Whatever happened to Brunel's bridge?". HydeParkNow.uk. londonblogger. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ "Bishop's Bridge Replacement". Always Touch Out. 28 January 2007. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
^ Work starts on Paddington bridge BBC News 29 July 2003
^ £62m Bishop's Bridge is blessed BBC News 13 June 2006
^ New £62 million bridge opens at Paddington Rail issue 543 5 July 2006 page 58

External links

Westminster City Council FAQ on Paddington Bridge
Westminster City Council Bridge Re-Opening Press Release
Hochtief's description of the project
DLT's description of the project
In Pictures: Brunel's hidden bridge (BBC)
Brunel's iron bridge is found buried in brick (Guardian)
Canal Bridge Bishop's Bridge Road by Malcolm Tucker (preliminary archaeological report prior to dismantling) (pdf)
Brunel's Lost Bridge: The Rediscovery and Salvage of the Bishops Road Canal Bridge, Paddington by Steven Brindle and Malcolm Tucker (Construction History Vol 20, 2004)