Northern Outfall Sewer Bridge Over Channelsea River

The Northern Outfall Sewer Bridge over the Channelsea River is a Grade II listed sewer bridge built between 1900 and 1902. It was designed by engineer Maurice Fitzmaurice, following a report by engineers Sir Benjamin Baker and Sir Alexander Binnie for the London County Council. The bridge features steel girders and ornamental cast-iron railings adorned with guilloche friezes. It is supported by outer brick abutments and two large central piers, with the north side displaying polychrome white and black brickwork, while the south side is constructed of yellow stock brick, all in English bond. The copings are made of millstone grit. The northwest abutment wall is curved, and the south abutment parapets extend approximately 18 meters to the west and 15 meters to the east towards the terminating piers. The interior of the bridge has not been inspected.

This bridge is part of the Northern Outfall Sewer, which was a crucial element of Sir Joseph Bazalgette's extensive drainage program for London in the 1860s. The nearby Abbey Mills Pumping Station, located just west of the bridge, was the most impressive part of this initiative. The pumping station itself was expanded between 1891 and 1896. The bridge was rebuilt and widened in 1900-1902 to accommodate five 9-foot diameter sewers, two more than the original structure. It plays an important role in the group of historic structures at Abbey Mills, highlighting the early expansion of the complex to meet the needs of London's growing population, and it stands out as an extraordinary structure in its own right.