The Abandoned Bridge in Limehouse

A few of you asked me about the abandoned viaduct in Limehouse in my London and Blackwall Railway video. Let’s take a closer look.

I’m going to pretend the “title text here” bit is a deliberate joke.

[wannabeuk]

This video brings back many fond memories. I am the architect that designed the apartments and housing that now occupies the site of the curve. It was a pretty complex project with the site spanning conservation areas and abutting listed buildings and structures. I remember it was very important to me to retain the history of the Limehouse Curve for the future and so designed into the landscaping of the development is the trace of the original demolished viaduct that spanned the site. It can still be seen on Google maps.

[marienbad]

"It's not really relevant, I just thought it was interesting." Well thanks, actually, as I was wondering what it was! It's the little, obscure details like that that add a lot to these videos.

[cjr]

I have passed under that bridge so many times and I have never given it a second thought. No Wonder I never saw any trains on it while I stared vacantly at it waiting for the traffic lights to change. Thanks for enlightening me Jago. I will now look upon it with a different perspective. The high line garden scheme sounds a great Idea though sadly I cannot see it happening.

[xander]

Jago Hazzard, not the UK railway history channel people wanted, but the one we need and love for content like this

[AtheistOrphan]

‘Limehouse curve’ sounds like some Victorian medical condition: ‘Many of the children suffered from Limehouse curve’.

[crispinalanrobinson]

Love watching your videos because my grandad comes from London so the is lots of things I learn from watching your videos. He worked at Smithfield Meat Market when he was a teenager in the 1930s

[deanwright]

My Dad bloody loved this video. Says he spent years driving buses under that bridge trying to work out what it connected to.

[thomasohare]

When I die, I want your voice to say at my funeral "Hi all, thanks for watching this life, if you enjoyed, consider liking and subscribing"

[bartonseagrave]

The Limehouse Curve were a rock band in the 60s and often played at the Roundhouse. Their first album had some good tracks on it.

[BibtheBoulder]

There is a good argument for keeping track alignments undeveloped 'just in

[needtlc]

Thank you so much. I was born not far from limehouse and passed under there 1000's of times and never new the history of it. I moved out of london 10 years ago and the docks have changed so much. Felt like a tourist visiting lol

[theowinters]

I was actually aware of the Limehouse Curve already, which just seems wrong somehow.

It interesting to try and track where train lines used to be in modern cities. Even 50 years on you can still pick out the path they used to take due to the shape of the roads and buildings. It's quite a fun little game really.

[paulfogarty]

First time I visited London, I was getting a strange feeling I was there before. Some streets and places looked familiar - yet different. It's only a illusion of course because some familiar streets in Dublin look similar to streets in London. This bridge / road is one example. It looks very like the railway bridge in Drumcondra here in Dublin that connects the North / South line with the East / West line starting at Heuston station near the Phoenix park.

[isctony]

The artists impresser of the curve was very useful to understand what is left!

[sextoncardew]

I was born in Sheffield, and moved with my parents to OZ 69 years ago. Have visited Sheffield, London etc several times and loved it. Now I am getting older traveling becomes physically difficult. and it is wonderful to be able to watch videos of locations, I am not familiar with, such as Limehouse. Keep up the good work.

[andreww]

I don't even live in the UK and I find his videos rather refreshing: insightful, interesting, with a wonderfully dry sensibility.

[davidsummer]

The Limehouse Curve is a possible name for a band that could work in a a number of musical genres

[Deepakverma-ybro]

I went underneath that bridge yesterday. I was in London. It’s a lovely railway bridge I’m glad it still stands there. It’s a memory line . I hope that bridge stands forever. They could turn that bridge into a walkway so people can walk on top it . I’m so glad they never knocked it down . That bridge brings me back memories of when I lived in Oldham. Oldham mumps used to have a railway bridge like that. Hi my name is George I live in cramlington. May god bless George’s bridge . I name that bridge after me .Keep that railway bridge. It’s very precious to me I love that railway bridge. It was my first time I saw it yesterday. Since I live in cramlington

[Mergatroid]

Chicago also has a park (really just a long walking/bike trail with greenery along the sides) on a former elevated rail line. It's now known as the 606 or sometimes as the Bloomingdale Trail. It's actually been a source of controversy in the city as its causing property values and rent costs to increase nearby and therefore gentrifying all the neighborhoods along it. As a trail though it is very nice and gives some nice views of the neighborhoods it passes through.

[denisoleary]

1970 I worked for BR, and one of my jobs was to. take the tools from Poplar dock to liverpool St on a Friday affternoon, for re-laying works on Saturday nights. I would walk that section of line to Fenchurch St (now DLR). ( about an hour and half) Then onto the street to Liverpool St wher I would plaace the tools ( Shovals and a great big Kettle) under the platform ready for the nights work