railography photo galleries : United Kingdom : Reading Area : 16-D-0856 : (95 of 164)

Brunel's Bridge

59.203 snaked around the London Road bridge at the west end of Sonning Cutting with 7A09, the 07:12 stone train from Merehead Quarry to Acton TC, on 17 March 2016. The bridge dates back to the original construction of the line in the late 1830s under the direction of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The main arch originally spanned a double track broad gauge line but when a second pair of tracks was added in 1891 the cutting sides were cut back to accommodate an additional line under each of the side arches. A realignment in the early 20th century saw what is now the Down Main relocated to join the Up Main and Down Relief under the central arch with the Up Relief remaining under the northernmost arch.