Forum Topic

Putney bridge

Now Putney bridge is falling down, I don't believe it.  Hammersmith now Putney. A Builder has taken pictures and put them on the front page of the forum.

Barbara Stevens ● 1606d13 Comments

Thank you for the photographs, Michael.  Now we can see the problem more clearly and perhaps it will not be too difficult to repair, provided the Council agrees to pay for the repairs!Poor Edmund, such a tough life!!!  :-) :-) :-)

Ivonne Holliday ● 1604d

Took some photos yesterday on a walk to Bishop's Park. Doesn't look serious to me but I must admit it's not something I know anything about! (In fact, if you asked me I'd say those buttresses almost look cosmetic :-) ) Now if the wall was curving out ...https://www.flickr.com/gp/m-j-i/450MM3Anyway, Edmund - the feline Lord of Bishop's Palace - looked very relaxed about it ...https://flic.kr/p/2mpGKWi

Michael Ixer ● 1604d

Ah it's the Fulham one; that's why I didn't see it. Just skimming the discussion there, it appears the consensus is that the bridge is not falling down but people read the wrong newspapers. Something of an improvement - the Putney one usually ends up blming cyclists for any mishap. Thank you for the link.

Michael Winstanley ● 1604d

The Govt severely cuts funding to the Local Authorities and then expects them to maintain major infrastructure like ancient bridges which are carrying far more traffic and sorts of traffic than they were designed to carry.  It's crazy.

Philippa Bond ● 1605d

Two of the three buttresses on the upstream side of the northern approach road to the bridge (at the eastern end of Bishop’s Park) are becoming detached. The wall between Putney Bridge Approach and Bishop’s Park is slightly bowed at this point. The integrity of the bridge itself isn’t comprised. If the damage has to be repaired then surely it is the responsibility of LBHF and would only involve closure of the upstream pavement at the very worst.

Caroline Underwood ● 1605d

Try thishttps://nextdoor.co.uk/news_feed/?post=17592202756021&ct=q5o8ruVSHMpFQBTC8-WgSTNEmJlI5VBQuuVVOiuFNTrfsYS0eV-_5DxXYFAWc3cD&ec=VxSJFbPbudqm3RmbqsRSIdKGxZqCXtJSS-0vyqMERec%3D&lc=8308&is=tpd§ion=16I can't guarantee it will work. It is an infuriating site.

Katrina Black ● 1605d

Hmm - I follow that site too and haven't seen them. Any informed comments from structural engineers who have taken measurements and done calculations or is it just more idle speculation from jobbing builders?

Michael Winstanley ● 1606d

There's been rather a lot about these cracks on the nextdoor.co.uk site. Sorry can't copy the comments on to here but worth a quick read if anyone's interested.

Katrina Black ● 1606d

It is not falling down; the brickwork pictured is cosmetic. The structural integrity of the bridge depends upon  granite arches and concrete piers. The blocks of the arches rest on steel girders, the ends of which rest on watertight iron sand boxes founded on timber piles driven into the river bed. This is why it has not been closed due to the observations of some random builder.The other point to bear in mind is the work involved with the Thames Tideway tunnel nearby. No way would their engineers not have made repeated checks on any recent movement in the bridge.

Michael Winstanley ● 1606d

Chokers corner.

Barbara Stevens ● 1606d

Ivonne, perhaps they are Fulham side, as the Builder was from Fulham. Not to sure, it wasn't really made very clear. Unless it can be seen from near the church.

Barbara Stevens ● 1606d

Oh never mind, we can all cross at Chiswick bridge.

Colin Redmond ● 1606d

Hello Barbara,As a lay person, I am not too sure that I can see where along the bridge the cracks are.  The cracks look very scary but there does not seem to be any water around them. Low tide?  I really do not know.  If the bridge had structural repairs to it in 2014 (I think), the quality of the workmanship is to be questioned? Are these cracks related to heavier traffic due to the Hammersmith Bridge being closed?  Does the sewage works have anything to do with this?  I do not know.Perhaps we have too many unanswered questions or the pictures taken are not clear enough as to where they are in respect of the bridge?

Ivonne Holliday ● 1606d