The London Thameslink station so big it has two postcodes and the world’s largest solar powered bridge roof

-
The London Thameslink station so big it has two postcodes and the world’s largest solar powered bridge roof

As one of the best connected cities in the world, London has hundreds of train stations, and each one has its own story to tell.

One of the most unique stations in the city is Blackfriars station, which straddles across two postcodes owing to it being located on a bridge that crosses the River Thames.

While the northern part of the station is found in the EC4V postcode, the southern part of the station is in SE1. The fact that the station is on a bridge also means it provides some fantastic views of the London skyline.

READ MORE: The London Underground station that's now someone's house because it only got 6 passengers a day

Blackfriars is one of the most unique stations in London
Blackfriars is one of the most unique stations in London

Saying that, the bridge itself is something to be marvelled at. Its entire roof is covered in solar panels. With 4,400 solar panels on the roof the size of 23 tennis courts sitting directly above the four National Rail platforms, the Thameslink station is actually recognised as having the world's largest solar bridge roof.

The panels were installed as part of the station's redevelopment in 2014 and generate around 900,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, enough to meet about half of the station's energy needs, including its lighting, escalators, and lifts.

The solar panels also help to reduce the station's carbon footprint and contribute to London's efforts to become a more sustainable city.

Blackfriars roof
The 4,400 solar panels on this station roof generate almost 900,000 kWh of electricity a year

The solar bridge is a remarkable feat of engineering, and it has won several awards for its design and innovation. The bridge is made of steel and is supported by two massive piers that rise from the riverbed. The solar panels are arranged in rows on top of the bridge, and they are connected to an inverter that converts the direct current produced by the panels into the alternating current used by the station.

In addition to its energy-generating capabilities, the solar bridge also provides an impressive view of the River Thames and the surrounding city. It is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike, and it has become an iconic feature of the Blackfriars Station redevelopment.

Got a story you think we should be covering? Email ertan.karpazli@reachplc.com.

Click here to sign up to our daily newsletter for the latest news and top stories from MyLondon sent straight to your inbox.

READ NEXT:

Adblock test (Why?)



(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Travel chaos inbound as Trams partly closed for 14 days in a row and sections of Overground shut for 8 days

-
Image
Londoners are preparing for two significant closures of parts of the capital's transport network in the coming weeks. Transport for London's (TfL) has said that its Tram network will be partly shut for 14 days in a row between February 10 and 23. The authority's calendar has also denoted that sections of the Overground will be shut for eight days. Between Saturday, Febraury 10, and Friday, February 23, there will be no Tram service between Reeves Corner and Sandilands. Bosses say a replacement bus service - the TL1 - will operate. READ MORE: HS2 won't start tunnelling to Euston for years as bosses wait for funding Sections of the London Overground will be closed for eight days (Image: Peter Zelei/Getty) Meanwhile, closures on the Overground will vary. Here is a full breakdown of what is planned: On February 3 and 4, there will be no service between Willesden Junction and Stratford. Replacement buses operate between Willesden Junction and Camden R...
« Blog »

Father of bullied Barnet girl, 14, says he's a 'victim of a failing system' after her suicide

-
Image
The father of a bullied North London schoolgirl said he is a 'victim of a failing system' following her suicide. Mia Janin, 14, took her own life after receiving a torrent of horrendous messages on social media. The Year 10 pupil at the Jewish Free School (JFS) in Kenton in Harrow, North West London was found dead at her family home in Barnet on March 12, 2021. At an inquest into her death, North London area coroner Tony Murphy concluded that Mia, 14, 'took her life while still a child and while still in the process of maturing into adulthood', at Barnet Coroner's Court on Friday. Mia's father, Mariano Janin, paid tribute to his daughter, saying: "She was fantastic, she was very bubbly, good sense of humour, she was beautiful, she was very kind, very creative." Mr Murphy, whose wife Marisa has since died as well, said Mia was last seen alive at about 10pm on March 11 2021, when she said good night to her parents in their family home. READ MORE...
« Blog »

Furious Sutton SEND parents slam 'disrespect' from council and announce end to 10-year partnership

-
Image
A forum made up of parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities has cut ties with Sutton Council, accusing the authority of a lack of trust and not working effectively with them. Sutton’s Parents and Carer Forum (SPCF), which has advised the council and helped shape SEND policy for around 10 years, cites ‘disrespect’ shown to them by Sutton Council as one of their reasons for deciding to cease contact with them as of March 3 this year. This decision could leave Sutton Council able to make SEND related decisions without any oversight or input from the parents they impact, however the council says it's looking into finding a new independent group to fill the void. SPCF is an Ofsted and Department for Education recognised body that has represented the borough’s SEND families for the last decade. According to their post, published on X last Friday: “The role of the parent carers on the Steering Group is to lead this work and listen to the views and...
« Blog »