Welland Viaduct

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Coordinates: 52°34′1.00″N, 0°39′14.00″W

Welland/Harringworth Viaduct
Official name	Welland Viaduct
Carries	Oakham to Kettering Line
Crosses	River Welland
Locale	Rutland
Maintained by	Network Rail
Total length	1275 yards (1166 m)
Height	60 feet (18 m) maximum
Opening date	1878-1880[1]
Coordinates	grid reference SP915975

Welland Viaduct, also known as Harringworth Viaduct and Seaton Viaduct,^[2] is a railway viaduct which crosses the valley of the River Welland between Harringworth in Northamptonshire and Seaton in Rutland, England. It is 3/4 of a mile long and has 82 arches, each of which has a 40 ft span. It was completed in around 1878, and is the longest masonry viaduct across a valley in Britain.

Welland Viaduct lies on the Oakham to Kettering Line and carries the twin track non-electrified line between Corby and Manton Junction, where it joins the Leicester to Peterborough line. The route is generally used for the passage of freight trains and steam train outings, though it is also available as a diversionary route for East Midlands Trains mainline services, using the Midland Main Line route.

The line and structure is a favourite with steam train and heritage enthusiasts, carrying a Grade II Listed Structure status and dominating this picturesque rural valley.

Due to the structure’s size, age, exposure and inaccessibility, the original brickwork was suffering from extensive weathering and structural deterioration. As part of the Network Rail Structures maintenance programme, Birse Rail was remitted to carry out structural repairs to the viaduct. Traditional methods and materials were employed alongside modern access techniques to return the structure to its former glory and to ensure the long-term structural integrity of the viaduct as well as the enjoyment of generations to come.

The viaduct was built using Williamson-Cliffe bricks. Repairs have employed other types of bricks, leaving a patchwork appearance.

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Sources vary.
2. ^ The name Seaton Viaduct is the official name of another smaller viaduct a mile further north, but the name is applied by local residents to Welland Viaduct, as evidenced in this historic postcard.

[edit] References

• John Marshall (1979). The Guinness Book of Rail Facts & Feats. Guinness. ISBN 0-900424-56-7. 
• Jack Simmons & Gordon Biddle (editors) (1997). "Entry for bridges and viaducts", The Oxford Companion to British Railway History. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-211697-5.