Crossings of the River Thames 14 - Fulham Railway Bridge

Skip a little downstream and we come to crossing number 14, Fulham Railway Bridge. What's this, a railway bridge that you can cross by foot! Of course, why else would it be on this blog? To those who are not in the know, hop on a District line train from Putney Bridge going south. Look out to your left and attached to the bridge is a narrow footpath that will take you across the Thames for free.



And yes, this bridge, like the road bridge next to it represents London's ever increasing sprawl. For this piece of rail engineering is one of the few times that the Underground crosses the river. And like so many things in London, what happens in South London is infinitely inferior to what happens north of the Thames.



Seriously though, I do like this bridge. In fact, it is probably the funkiest thing in Putney, precisely as it is so weird. Firstly, it is the only bridge in London that curves, ever so slightly, but it is there. Secondly, on the South side you are deposited in a residential area. In fact, it feels like the middle of nowhere and it could be any part of London. Thirdly, it is a bit of a hidden secret. Compared to nearby Putney Bridge, almost no one uses it (although my unsubstantiated observations could be due to the fact that it was bucketing down that day).



One interesting aspect of Fulham Railway Bridge. It does not feel like you are in Fulham at all. Now, maybe this is the bias of a South Londoner but Fulham as in centered around the Fulham Broadway shopping centre is a mission from its own railway crossing. Again, the north side of the river, if not for the tube station, also feels like the middle of nowhere significant. Maybe, this is one of those 'special' crossings. Made for the many (the tube) and for the few (the footbridge). Also, it provides a pleasant alternative to the hustle and bustle of nearby Putney.



Putney and Fulham, two strangely affluent twins staring at each other from across the river. Interesting how in the past twenty years, both these places have changed beyond recognition. In the early eighties, they both had a seedy air to them. Hey, on a personal note, my own father used to live in Putney. But the gentrification of London has transformed booth areas beyond recognition. Today, smart terraced houses can easily reach £500,000 and the 'villages' of Putney and Fulham are now associated with sophisticated living rather than poverty. However, both towns are as boring as f**k. Like much of gentrified areas London, they are very pleasant and safe places to live, but there is no life. They are dull. There are no funky spots to eat out in, no eclectic performance venues, chain cinemas and the chicks only come out after their weekly 'Hen Night'. Before hand, each of the crossings had something unusual or unique about them. The obscurity of the Hampton Ferry or the history behind Kew. But what exactly is there in either Putney or Fulham that makes it quirky and Londonesque? I am not too sure...

Getting there and away by tube:



Getting there and away by bus:

14 (24hr), 22, 39, 74, 85 (24hr), 93 (24hr), 220 (24hr), 265, 270, 414 (Northbank only), 424, 430, 485 (Southbank only), N10, N22, N74