Welland Viaduct - Harringworth, Northamptonshire - Arch Bridges on Waymarking.com

Welland Viaduct, Harringworth, with 82 arches, each of which has a 40 feet (12 metre) span. At 1,275 yards (1.166 km), it is the longest masonry viaduct in the UK.

"Railway viaduct. 1876-1878. For the Kettering to Manton branch of the Midland Railway Company. Blue Staffordshire brick, part repaired in red brick, with red brick parapet. An impressive row of 82 tall semi-circular arches on piers, articulated at varying intervals by plain pilasters. Inner faces of piers each have two recessed panels. Parapet has stone coping and rests on corbelled stone string. Once every three arches there is a projecting parapet pier on corbelled panel. Piers 60-82 are in Seaton parish; remainder are in Harringworth parish, Northamptonshire. The viaduct is an imposing landmark sweeping right across the Welland valley. "

SOURCE - (visit link)

"Welland Viaduct, Harringworth Viaduct or Seaton Viaduct, crosses the valley of the River Welland between Harringworth in Northamptonshire and Seaton in Rutland, England.

The viaduct is 1,275 yards (1.166 km) long and has 82 arches, each with a 40 feet (12 m) span. It is the longest masonry viaduct across a valley in the United Kingdom. It was built by contractor Lucas and Aird and completed in 1878 and is now a Grade II listed building.

The Welland Viaduct is on the Oakham to Kettering Line between Corby and Manton Junction, where it joins the Leicester to Peterborough line. The line is generally used by freight trains and steam specials. In early 2009, a single daily passenger service was introduced by East Midlands Trains between Melton Mowbray and St Pancras via Corby, the first regular passenger service to operate across the viaduct since the 1960s. The viaduct is on a diversionary route for East Midlands Railway using the Midland Main Line route.

In the late 1870s, the Midland Railway constructed the 17-mile line between Kettering in Northamptonshire and Manton, Rutland. The valley of the River Welland required a long viaduct. In 1874, an Act of Parliament was passed, authorising the line's construction. The contract for the viaduct was awarded to Lucas and Aird.

The viaduct crosses the Welland Valley and its flood plain. It is 1,280 yards long (1,171 metres) and when built, only the elevated multi-track approach to London Bridge railway station was longer. It was designed by William Henry Barlow and members of his company, including his son Crawford, who was the resident engineer, and his former pupil Charles Bernard Baker. Crawford described the Welland Viaduct as being: "one of the grandest and most perfect pieces of workmanship to be seen in the United Kingdom"."

SOURCE - (visit link)

"The viaduct has 82 arches of 40 foot span, some 60 foot in height, but the average is 57 foot. 81 of the piers are 6 foot thick except 10 which are of double thickness called ‘block piers’ to isolate the arches in sets and prevent any under strain being continued indefinitely from arch to arch. The foundations of the piers are of concrete."

SOURCE - (visit link)

Length of bridge: 1.166 km Height of bridge: 57 ft What type of traffic does this bridge support?: Trains What kind of gap does this bridge cross?: Valley floodplain Date constructed: 1879 Is the bridge still in service for its original purpose?: Yes Name of road or trail the bridge services: Welland Valley Location: Northamptonshire

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