London, Chatham & Dover Railway -- Blackfriar's Railway Bridge, City of London, UK
N 51° 30.520 W 000° 06.175
30U E 701037 N 5710372
The coat of arms for the London, Chatham & Dover Railway, which formerly adorned Blackfriar's Railway Station
Waymark Code: WMRXF3
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/17/2016
Views: 6
All that remains of the London, Chatham & Dover Railway station that served this area of London is the railway coat of arms, which is preserved on the side of the current overground rail line to Blackfriar's Station. The coat of arms is located at the south end of Blackfriar's Bridge.
From Wikipedia: (
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"The London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) was a railway company in south-eastern England created 1 August 1859, when the East Kent Railway was given Parliamentary approval to change its name. Its lines ran through London and northern and eastern Kent to form a significant part of the Greater London commuter network. The company existed until 31 December 1922 when its assets were merged with those of other companies to form the Southern Railway as a result of the grouping determined by the Railways Act 1921. The railway was always in a difficult financial situation and went bankrupt in 1867, but was able to continue to operate. Many of the difficulties were caused by the severe competition and duplication of services with the South Eastern Railway (SER). However, in 1898 the LCDR agreed with the SER to share the operation of the two railways, work them as a single system (as the South Eastern and Chatham Railway) and pool receipts: but it was not a full amalgamation. The SER and LCDR remained separate companies with separate shareholders until both becoming constituents of the Southern Railway on 1 January 1923.
'The Chatham', as it was sometimes known, was often criticised for its lamentable carriage stock and poor punctuality, but in two respects it was very good: it used the highly effective Westinghouse air brake on its passenger stock, and the Sykes 'Lock and Block' system of signalling. As a result, it had an excellent safety record.
History
. . .
The LCDR originated through the dissatisfaction felt by the inhabitants and businesses of towns in north and east Kent with the services provided by the South East Railway, resulting in the formation of the East Kent Railway (EKR).. . .
In 1859 the EKR changed its name to the LCDR. . . .
London, Chatham and Dover Railway
. . .
Second London line
On 1 June 1864 the railway reached the City of London, when the line from Herne Hill to Blackfriars Bridge station (south of the river), was extended from Elephant & Castle. The next year the LCDR crossed the Thames on a bridge . . .
On 1 January 1866, LCDR and Great Northern Railways (GNR) joint services from Blackfriars Bridge began operating . . .
In 1886, St. Paul's station (later renamed Blackfriars) was opened by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, reached by a parallel bridge across the river. Blackfriars Bridge station closed at this time."