"Martin Underwood" a@b wrote in message
...

So did the old bridge have a straight-line access to the trackbed coming
from the south and the station to the north, or was there a sharp kink in
the track at each end as *appears* to be necessary if it was connected
nowadays? I presume there was not a kink: the original bridge would have
been built inline with the track and the platforms and maybe the new
bridge would have had the deviated kinked route, though track has probably
been slewed since the new bridge became the only one.

The inset map of the area in London Railway Atlas (Joe Brown 2005) shows the
original 4 lines from Blackfriars junction (south of the river) in a N/S
straight line through the site of Blackfriars Bridge Station (1884-1885)
over the older bridge into the old Ludgate Hill station. I think the modern
office block just to the west of the current tracks on the south side is
exactly over the original station. The lines are shown as being out of use
by 1971.

When both bridges were in use there would have been 8 tracks accross the
river.

Was the bridge deck demolished (rather than simply being left unused)
because it had become unsafe or for its scrap value?

Can't be sure on that one..

Paul