{"id":14194,"date":"2014-03-19T13:52:51","date_gmt":"2014-03-19T13:52:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/?p=14194"},"modified":"2014-03-19T13:56:23","modified_gmt":"2014-03-19T13:56:23","slug":"photos-of-london-blackfriars-railway-bridge-the-worlds-largest-solar-powered-bridge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/photos-of-london-blackfriars-railway-bridge-the-worlds-largest-solar-powered-bridge\/","title":{"rendered":"Photos of London Blackfriars railway bridge – the world’s largest solar-powered bridge"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"London<\/p>\n

Now spanning the width of the Thames with station entrances on both the north and south sides of the river,\u00a0London Blackfriars railway station has recently been fitted out with thousands of\u00a0photovoltiac solar panels, making it the\u00a0largest of only two solar bridges in the world.<\/p>\n

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\"London<\/p>\n

[Steam locos at Blackfriars station in the early 20th Century]<\/p>\n

Significantly renovated between 2009 and 2012,\u00a0Blackfriars station first was opened by the London Chatham and Dover Railway company in 1886.<\/p>\n

Originally called St. Paul’s, the station (and the bridge) was renamed Blackfriars in 1937, and in 2012 became the first station to span the Thames with the opening of a new station entrance at Bankside on the south bank of the river.<\/p>\n

\"London<\/p>\n

The columns of an earlier 1864 bridge built by\u00a0Joseph Cubitt<\/span>\u00a0can still be seen running\u00a0<\/span>alongside the current structure.\u00a0\u00a0The bridge\u00a0<\/span>became too weak to support modern trains, and the decking was removed in 1985.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"London<\/p>\n

Walking along the South Bank towards the new Bankside station entrance.<\/p>\n

\"London<\/p>\n

New station entrance.<\/p>\n

\"London<\/p>\n

The redevelopment of the station forms part of the\u00a0Thameslink Programme<\/a>, and the project was designed by Jacobs and\u00a0Tony Gee & Partners\u00a0and built by\u00a0Balfour Beatty.<\/p>\n

\"London<\/p>\n

The new station roof is equipped with a\u00a0\u00a37.3m solar array \u00a0(funded by the Department of Transport’s Safety and Environment Fund) and can generate\u00a0600m2\u00a0of PV cells that produce over 1.1MW of energy.<\/p>\n

The bridge is also fitted with\u00a0sun pipes for natural lighting and systems to collect rain water.<\/p>\n

\"London<\/p>\n

Computer-generated image of the station roof covered by 4,400 solar panels. Photo: SolarCentury<\/p>\n

\"London<\/p>\n

The station looks very futuristic with its clean lines and blue glow.<\/p>\n

\"London<\/p>\n

Station detail.<\/p>\n

\"London<\/p>\n

Timelapse video of the station under construction:<\/p>\n