NENE RR BRIDGE 1850 Peterborough, Cambridgeshire N 52o 34’ 05.08” W0o 14’ 42.44” HEW93 TL191 981
This handsome bridge was built by Thomas Brassey (1805-70) for the Great Northern Railway. It has three semi-elliptical cast iron arches each one resting on a pair of cast iron fluted Doric columns and carries the Great Northern Railroad across the River Nene. Each arch spans 66 feet with six ribs set in pairs. The arches are framed in solid arched girders, but the spandrels have a diamond lattice design. The concept of greek columns supporting the arches of a bridge can be seen in the Macclesfield Bridge 1815 on the Regent's Canal, London which Mr. Brassey may have seen.
The Twentieth Century was not kind to this bold, elegant rail road bridge. At least it was not torn down. It has been strengthened with steel bracing and with solid steel panels behind the spandrels so that it can still carry the up trains of the East Coast Main Line. However an extremely unfortunate boxy girder bridge has been built right beside it to carry the tracks of the down trains and it dwarfs the old bridge's elegant scale and completely hides it from one side.
This makes it difficult to find and many Petersborough natives don't know it exists. It is located on A605 which is Oundle Road. Look for the Rail World Museum which is under the masonry arches of the viaducts. From their parking lot you can see the old bridge peeking out under the new truss box bridge as they both cross the River Nene there.
