Maidenhead Railway Bridge

Maidenhead Railway Bridge
Maidenhead Railway Bridge prior to electrification
Coordinates	51°31′16″N 0°42′06″W / 51.5211°N 0.7017°W / 51.5211; -0.7017
Carries	Great Western Railway
Crosses	River Thames
Locale	Maidenhead
Heritage status	Grade I listed
Characteristics
Design	Arch
Material	Brick
Height	32 feet 2 inches (9.80 m)[1]
Longest span	Each span 128 feet 0 inches (39.01 m)
No. of spans	2
Clearance below	(?)
History
Designer	Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Opened	1 July 1839 (1839-07-01)
Location

Maidenhead Railway Bridge, also known as Maidenhead Viaduct and The Sounding Arch, carries the Great Western Main Line (GWML) over the River Thames between Maidenhead, Berkshire and Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England. It is a single structure of two tall, wide red-brick arches buttressed by two over-land smaller arches. It crosses the river on the Maidenhead-Bray Reach, between Boulter's Lock and Bray Lock, and is near-centrally rooted in the downstream end of a very small island.

The Maidenhead Bridge was designed by the Great Western Railway Company engineer, the noted mechanical and civil engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It was completed in 1838, but not brought into use until 1 July 1839.^[2] While it was being constructed, the innovative low-rise arches of the structure attracted considerable criticism and controversy, relating to their alleged lack of stability.

As a result, the centring for the arches was left in place until its destruction during a heavy storm in late 1839, despite which the arches stayed up, effectively vindicating Brunel's design. During 1861, dual-gauge track was installed across the structure, allowing both broad gauge and standard gauge services to cross it. During the late 1890s, the bridge was widened on either side to allow the structure to carry four standard gauge tracks, a task which was supervised by the civil engineer Sir John Fowler, who placed a high level of importance upon preserving the original design and appearance of the bridge.

Today, the Maidenhead Bridge forms a key crossing along the eastern section of the Great Western Main Line, allowing trains to travel to and from the line's terminus in the capital, London Paddington station. During the 2010s, the tracks across the structure were provided with overhead line equipment and associated infrastructure, to allow electric trains to use the route. The Maidenhead Bridge features in Rain, Steam and Speed – The Great Western Railway, painted by J. M. W. Turner during 1844, which is now in the National Gallery, London.

The bridge is approximate to the finish line of an annual day of rowing races, known as the Maidenhead Regatta. The Thames towpath passes directly under the right-hand arch (facing upstream), which is also known as the "Sounding Arch", due to its spectacular echo. During July 2012, the bridge was upgraded to a Grade I listed structure in light of its historical importance. To this day, the arches of the structure remain the flattest ever constructed.^[3]