Sunday 30 November 2014

Deptford Creek bridge close to completion

The new bridge across Deptford Creek has been swinging to and fro over the last couple of weeks, as engineers commission the mechanical and electrical equipment and operators are trained in its use. When I passed by on Friday it looked like lots of snagging was under way on the structure, and I've been told that handover to the council is imminent.



The bridge designer Flint & Neill made a nice little film showing the bridge swinging across for the first time - ooh the excitement of whether it's going to slide smoothly into place and the two ends are going to meet properly as it reaches the other side! (Spoiler - it does!)


According to one of my sources, who lives in a flat with a view of the bridge, it looks 'quite sexy' with its lights on. It's a very pretty little bridge alright, but I think 'sexy' is taking it a bit far. All the same it's much more fulfilling than watching property investors talking about selling Deptford. 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Quite ironic really as the only way this bridge was finally funded was by allowing Gallard to build their blocks a couple of stories higher and sell them at over priced rates to international buy to let investors but I guess people quickly forget the benefits international investment brings...

Deptford Dame said...

@anon absolutely, although even after twisting Greenwich Council's arm for the two extra floors, Galliard had spectacularly low aspirations for the 'benefits' they were willing to concede. Really we have the local community and councillors to thank for putting on the pressure and making sure we didn't end up with the kind of lumpen monstrosity that Network Rail has been imposing on some of our local stations. http://deptforddame.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/deptford-creek-tale-of-two-footbridges.html

Anonymous said...

Hi Dame,
is the other one you mention in the link still going to happen? Or is it what is already there next to the railway?

nice movie btw, hope it will still work if extents when hot. Ah well I'm sure they thought about that.

There seems to be still quite a lot of rework to be done on the road surface around the area before it can be handed over.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know when the bridge will actually swing to allow usage? The builders completed it and left the site 3 weeks ago and it's just been left open with a fence to stop anyone going on it.

Anonymous said...

The bridge is opening next Monday, the 19th January.