Kingston Railway Bridge

Kingston Railway Bridge spans the River Thames in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, carrying the Kingston Loop Line from London Waterloo. The loop line branches off at New Malden and Richmond, serving Kingston and Hampton Wick stations on either side of the bridge. A branch line to Shepperton was added in 1863, making the bridge a key link for both passengers and freight. The present bridge was designed by John Wykeham Jacomb-Hood and built in 1907, replacing an earlier cast-iron structure from 1863. It has five arches, three crossing the river and two over dry land, with elevated approaches navigating curves and roads. Nearby power stations operated from 1893 to 1980, using coal delivered by barge and sending ash away the same way. Visitors see the bridge carrying suburban trains on the Kingston Loop, which returns to the south bank via Richmond Railway Bridge. The loop also serves the Shepperton Branch Line, with Kingston station’s bay platform handling diverted services when needed. The former power station sites have been landscaped into public parks, now surrounded by modern apartments.