London and Greenwich Railway

Overview

The London and Greenwich Railway opened in stages between 1836 and 1838. It was the capital’s first steam railway, the first railway designed specifically for passenger traffic and the world’s first railway constructed entirely on an elevated structure.

The railway was conceived by George Thomas Landmann and George Walter, who organized the company in 1831. The approximately 3¾-mile route extended from near London Bridge to Greenwich and was constructed on a viaduct of 878 brick arches. The elevated alignment allowed trains to cross the increasingly developed streets of South London without level crossings.

Parliament authorized the railway in 1833. Its promoters ultimately envisioned extending the route toward Dover, and a proposed extension from Greenwich to Gravesend was presented to Parliament in 1836 but was unsuccessful.