Abandoned Coombs Road Railway Viaduct - Bakewell, UK - Orphaned Bridges on Waymarking.com

"The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from a junction with the Midland Railway at Ambergate to Rowsley north of Matlock and thence to Buxton.

In time it would become part of the Midland Railway's main line between London and Manchester, but it was initially planned as a route from Manchester to the East of England, via the proposed Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway which would meet it a little further north along the North Midland line at Ambergate. The Act for a line from just south of Stockport to Ambergate was passed in 1846." link

Monsal Trail
"The Monsal Trail is a traffic free route for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and wheelchair users through some of the Peak District's most spectacular limestone dales.

The trail runs along the former Midland Railway line for 8.5 miles between Blackwell Mill, in Chee Dale and Coombs Road, at Bakewell.

Most of the route was opened to the public in 1981 but four former railway tunnels had to remain closed due to safety reasons, with public footpaths taking people around them. From 25 May 2011 the four railway tunnels - Headstone Tunnel, Cressbrook Tunnel, Litton Tunnel, Chee Tor Tunnel – will also open for trail users. Each tunnel is about 400 metres long and will be lit during normal daylight hours." link

Coombs Road Viaduct
The bridge is closed to all types of traffic and the northern end of the bridge marks the start of the Monsal trail.

There are steps to the trail from Coombs Road and has therefore no wheelchair access. The nearest place with wheelchair accees is the former Bakewell Station where there is a car park.

The bridge is an English Heritage Grade II listed building with the following description.
"Railway viaduct. Line opened 1 August 1862. By Midland Railway engineer WH Barlow. Coursed rock-faced sandstone with brick soffits. 3 skew arches, the road passing beneath the centre. Tapered piers, impost bands and segmental arches with voussoirs; diminishing-coursed stonework in the spandrels. Deep band beneath coped 3-course parapet which terminates at rectangular end piers." link

Original Use: Railroad Date Built: 1862 Construction: Stone Condition: Good See this website for more information: [Web Link] Date Abandoned: 1968 Bridge Status - Orphaned or Adopted.: Orphaned

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