Black Potts Railway Bridge

Infobox_Bridge
bridge_name=Black Potts Railway Bridge


caption= Downstream side of Black Potts Bridge
official_name=
carries= Staines to Windsor & Eton Line
crosses=River Thames
locale= Windsor
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material = Iron
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height=convert|19|ft|6|in|m [River Thames Alliance. [http://www.visitthames.co.uk/text.asp?PageId=320 Bridge heights on the River Thames.] ]
clearance=
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open= 1850
closed=
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Black Potts Railway Bridge carries the railway from London (Waterloo) to Windsor, Berkshire across the River Thames. The Staines to Windsor & Eton Line terminates immediately after the bridge at Windsor and Eton Riverside railway station. The bridge crosses the Thames on the reach above Old Windsor Lock, shortly before Romney Lock.

In 1849 the Windsor Staines and Richmond Railway sought leave to erect a temporary crossing here and the bridge was opened in 1850. [Fred. S. Thacker "The Thames Highway: Volume II Locks and Weirs" 1920 - republished 1968 David & Charles] The opening delay was caused by the collapse of one of the piers on the day before inspection. [ [http://www.thamesweb.co.uk/windsor/windsorbridges/bridges2.html Thames web on the Windsor bridges] ] The bridge is supported in the middle by Black Potts Ait. Originally the bridge had ornate cast-iron ribs, but these corroded and were replaced with more utilitarian wrought iron girders, which radically altered the bridge's appearance.

Immediately to the east of the bridge is the Black Potts Railway Viaduct. This had to be provided with substantial protection [ [http://www.jubileeriver.co.uk/070722%20-%20black%20potts%20weir.htm Detail photo of viaduct protection] ] when the Jubilee River was constructed, as the outfall of this channel passes through the brick arches of the existing Victorian viaduct, just downstream of the Black Potts Railway Bridge.

ee also

* Crossings of the River Thames

References

External links

* [http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?id=s0011242 Structurae database entry]

River item line|upstream=Windsor Bridge (pedestrian)
downstream=Victoria Bridge (road)