Completion of the £6.5 billion Thameslink improvement programme has moved one step closer with the commencement of demolition work at Bermondsey.

A 'dive under' is being created to separate flows of trains approaching London Bridge from south-east London, Croydon and Kent.

Network Rail hopes the move will serve to improve reliability and reduce delays - and several stretches of old viaduct and bridges are being demolished to make way for the improvements. 

Project manager Greg Thornett praised the quality of Victorian engineering that is still in use on the London Overground today. 

However, he noted that this is an opportunity to bring order to an increasingly complex track layout, which cannot be missed. 

"Our contractors are removing the steel bridges first before using a mixture of techniques to deconstruct the brick viaducts. Passengers will soon see big changes from the windows of their trains," he commented.