Maidenhead Railway Bridge - Definition and Overview

Maidenhead Railway Bridge today; Maidenhead Road Bridge behind

Maidenhead Railway Bridge is a railway bridge carrying the main line of the Great Western Railway over the River Thames in Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. The bridge was designed in 1838 by the Great Western's famous engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The railway is carried across the river on two brick arches, which at the time of building were the widest and flattest in the world. Each span is 128 feet, with a rise of only 24 feet. The Thames towpath passes under the right-hand arch (facing upstream), which is also known as the Sounding Arch, because of its spectacular echo.

As built, Maidenhead Railway Bridge carried two lines of Brunel's broad gauge track. Subsequently the bridge has been widened, and now carries the four lines of standard gauge track that make up the Great Western Main Line out of London Paddington Station.

Maidenhead Railway Bridge features in Rain, Steam and Speed - The Great Western Railway, painted by Turner in 1844 and now in the National Gallery, London

Grid reference: SU901810 (http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/frames.htm?mapAction=gaz&gazName=g&gazString=SU901810)

See also

• Crossings of the River Thames
  • Maidenhead Road Bridge (next crossing upstream)
  • M4 Thames Bridge (next crossing downstream)

Sources

• Web page http://www.newcomen.com/mhead.htm from the web site of the Newcomen Society, retrieved 14:30 21 Sep 2004 (UTC).