Hewenden Viaduct - Cullingworth, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 49.168 W 001° 53.321
30U E 573159 N 5964008
This information board is on a viewing platform at the northern end of Hewenden Viaduct on the 'rails to trails' Great Northern Railway Trail (National Route 69).
Waymark Code: WMV6TH
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 03/05/2017
Views: 1
The viaduct is a 17 arch railway viaduct originally built to carry The Great Northern Railway line. This part of the line extended the route from Thornton to Keighley and opened in 1848. Passenger traffic ceased on the railway in 1955, and goods traffic eventually ceased in 1963.
In 1985 the viaduct was protected by a Grade II historic building listing and then in 2005 a section of the original line between this bridge and the village of Cullingworth was converted to the cycle trail by SUSTRANS. As part of this work a viewing platform was erected at this point to enable the outside curve of the viaduct to be seen. As well as this information board about the viaduct a memorial milestone is on the abutment of the bridge and this board also has information about it
The text on the board.
THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY TRAIL
HEWENDEN VIADUCT UNDER CONSTRUCTION CIRCA 1883
Hewenden viaduct is a magnificent grade II listed structure and was built between 1881 and 1884 . The viaduct was built by the Great Northern Railway to link the industrial towns of Bradford and Halifax to Keighley.
It remains one of the highest viaducts in Britain standing at 124 feet from floor to parapet wall. It required massive foundations of 62.5 feet due to shifting sands. To give you an idea that is half the actual height of the viaduct itself!
It is 376 yards long and consists of 17 arches, each of which has a span of 50 feet.
It was made from local stone quarried from Manywells at Cullingworth Only the underside of the arches is brick.
Not one life was lost in the construction of this monumental structure with the only casualty being a man who broke his leg whilst standing underneath a stone crane!
The first train crossed the viaduct in 1884 with the opening of the Denholme to Ingrow section of the line. The route was known to the engine crew as the 'Alpine route' due to its severe gradients, tunnels and viaducts.
Hewenden reservoir can be viewed on the west side of the viaduct and was built prior to the railway.
Bradford corporation actually objected to the building of the railway as it thought the steam trains might pollute the water supply.
This plaque is dedicated to the memory of Phil Jackson 1974 - 2010
Phil was instrumental in opening the viewing platform and helped
construct many miles of cycleways throughout Yorkshire.
This was one of his favourite places.
Sadly the line closed to passengers on the 23rd May 1955. The track was lifted after the last goods train in 1964.
The viaduct was reopened to walkers, cyclists and horse riders in 2005.
50 years to the day after the last passenger train that ran over the route.