Loop Line Bridge – specifically the ads…

Considering the fashionabilty of resurrecting old threads, thought I might as well for this picture I found. Never seen it before but it was taken just before the erection of the Loop Line Bridge between 1882-89 or so.
See how the whole city centre opens up without the bridge, and the magnificent view of the Custom House, it becomes part of the city again. I’ve heard people comment before about how there was only a paltry view of it but I think this proves to the contrary, esp if you consider the view from the middle of O’Cll Bridge, or better still from the southern quays along here.

Looking at the view this morning, it’s really surprising how much of the Docklands and the remainder of the Liffey can be seen as it goes out to sea. You can imagine the view with the few glimpses of the area through the bridge and piers. The removal of this bridge would have the single biggest impact on the city centre since the construction of Liberty Hall, only this time in a constructive way.

This bridge simply needs remodelling to enhance the environment and vistas……Ok, it functions grand but we need the dress designers in to tart it up.

Idea – Remove Adverts and paint white – the Railway Bridge in Athlone is really nice as white – Loopline would look much better and unobtrusive.

Originally posted by LGL
The Loop Line bridge is a similar structure to the Hungerford Railway bridge across the Thames in London. A design competition was set by the cross river partnership in 1996 to aestethically update the hungerford bridge & include pedestrian assess across the river.
The winning entry made a huge improvement

something similar could work for the Loop-Line

Not so long ago there was a competition for the replacement of the Loop Line bridge. I have no idea where it went but there was a winning scheme.

regarding LGL’s post, the hungerford bridge improvement didn’t alter the original bridge, it added the rather cool new pedestrian walkways. Why would pedestrians want to use the loopline? I guess the view would be good but where would you get down?

That pre-1891 picture is good alright. I’ve used it too as a comparison with the present-day view of the same scene (pic in next post) to tryn get some action on the replacement bridge project (which was by the Institute of Engineers Ireland).

The recent scheme was similar to the Trinity bridge, there’s a pic of it to the back of The Construction of Dublin.
Don’t know what happened to the plan.

Obviously the Loop Line will never be removed unless as part of a greater transport or underground rail plan for the city, but considering anything like that would be at least 10 years away, it is well worth upgrading the bridge now, regardless of whether it will be affected. Painting it white would make such a difference, combined with the removal of the signs. The lattice-work is actually quite attractive, were it visible it could make a contribution to the area.
The only possible problem with white is the streaks of sooty dirt that may flow down the sides from the tracks – one need only look at the filth of the inside of the side walls.

The best option by far though would be to remove it – it’s interesting that everyone knows the views of the Liffey facing west with the Ha’penny etc, but no one even bothers looking east because of the Loop Line. It divides the city in two, even moreso now with the Docklands development. The contribution a couple of so-called landmark buildings could make to city centre when viewed from there would be huge, let alone the important aspect of integrating the Docklands into the city at large, helping to eliminate the feeling of it being a private outcrop for business types.

The removal of the Loop Line itself would also restore two other views in the city, the view of the Custom House from Gardiner Street, and the other being where the railway shoots itself in the foot, the view of Connolly from Talbot St and Nth Earl St.

there is no point in replacing the bridge, removing it is another matter and an impractical one at that, but the loop line bridge itself is great, big clunky victorian cast iron.

Originally posted by LGL

A high level pedestrian link along the loopline (similar in style to the Hungerford idea) would allow pedestrians easy acess from tara street station (hign level) across the liffey twords the IFSC without having to interact with the traffic below.

The volume of pedestrian traffic in the tara street area is high & overloads the current foorpath arrangements along the quays.

By the way I realise Conolloy station serves the IFSC.

I think you have a point about the footpaths being a bit overloaded, but the solution would propably be to widen them (if possible). I wouldn’t think that a pedestrian addition to the loop line bridge would do too much, as I think most people who use Tara Street Station are coming from the south quays or else from the O’Connell Street area and have crossed over at either O’Connell Street or else Butt Bridge. Those coming from the IFSC would probably use The Talbot Bridge. Also, I would assume that the Council would prefer to maintain pedestrians using the streets of the city, and reduce vehicle traffic rather than vice-versa.