London Bridge Redevelopment January 2016 Status

Our London Bridge correspondent Colin Price returned to London Bridge in the early days of 2016 to record changes that happened during the Christmas/New Year shutdown. All photographs and the report are by Colin Price.

(above) Over the Christmas/New Year period the Charing Cross lines were moved to run through the new platforms and over the new viaduct through Borough Market (which was lowered in to place in May 2011). On 4th January 375829 is leading the 12:14 Folkestone Central over the new bridge over Borough High Street.

(below) On 4th January, on the left 465169 is on the rear of 13:57 Cannon Street - Dartford, in the middle 465237 is on the 12:40 Cannon Street - Cannon Street and on the right 466026 is on the rear of the 13:52 Charing Cross - Gravesend. The down Charing Cross train is more or less where the old 6 Up line was, and the front is just turning onto the stretch where the line is slewed over to join the old alignment of 3 Up.

(above) 465237 calls at platform 3 with the 12:40 Cannon Street - Cannon Street on 4th January. The hoarding on the left indicates that the work site has now moved over to take in the area that prior to Christmas was the Up and Down Charing Cross lines, previously on the alignment of platforms 4 & 5. Also visible on the right is the new platform "canopy" (as also pictured previously). What was left of the section of footbridge over platforms 4/5 is now completely removed.

(below) Moving onto 7th January, 375603 and 375603 come over from the old alignment towards the new Charing Cross lines working the 12:14 Folkestone Central - Charing Cross. The green signal above and to the left of the front of the train is the first signal controlled by London Bridge signalbox on the Charing Cross lines, everything from there on into Charing Cross is now controlled by Three Bridges ROC.