The historic Hungerford railway bridge, which has stood for 161 years, is set to undergo restoration to ensure its longevity. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of winter 2028.
Starting on January 18, Network Rail will commence crucial refurbishment work on the Hungerford Bridge, which spans the Thames between the South Bank and London Charing Cross station.
Constructed with wrought iron lattice girders in 1864, the bridge requires regular maintenance to ensure the railway remains safe and reliable for passengers.
During the refurbishment, engineers will prepare and paint the bridge, test the truss pins that connect the supports, and replace the pin end caps on the girders. All original metalwork will be preserved and refurbished.
David Davidson, Network Rail’s Kent Route director said: “Many of the bridges on Britain’s railway are from the Victorian era and being responsible for this national heritage is both a privilege and a challenge. Some of the structures are very old, so are vulnerable to corrosion and damage from weather.
“Refurbishment of Hungerford Bridge will take three years, and we won’t need to close the bridge to trains during this first phase as we’ll be working at times that cause the least disruption to train services. This means we are carrying out some of our work during the night.
"To avoid further disruption, we will also use barges to deliver and remove waste materials to Surrey Pier for the period of the works to avoid creating extra traffic and the resulting pollution. This will avoid the equivalent of six truck freight deliveries through central London a week.”
Hungerford Bridge spans the River Thames, connecting the South Bank near London Waterloo station to the north side at Charing Cross Station, just east of Trafalgar Square.
This steel truss railway bridge is flanked by two newer pedestrian bridges.
Refurbishment work is set to begin in January 2025 and is expected to be completed by the end of winter 2028.
The project will be executed in two phases. The first phase, from January 2025 to January 2026, will focus on the spans on the South Bank and the south side of the river. The second phase, from January 2026 to winter 2028, will involve the main refurbishment works on the remaining spans across the river.
Additional weekend closures are planned for 2026-2028, with specific dates to be announced.
Image credits: Network Rail