| Dutton Viaduct | |
|---|---|
Dutton Viaduct |
|
| Carries | West Coast Main Line |
| Crosses | River Weaver |
| Locale | Dutton, Cheshire |
| Total length | 500 yards (457 m) |
| Clearance below | 60 feet (18 m) |
| Opened | 1837 |
| Toll | None |
Dutton Viaduct is a railway viaduct on the West Coast Main Line where it crosses the River Weaver and the Weaver Navigation between the villages of Dutton and Acton Bridge in Cheshire, England (grid reference SJ581764). It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building.[1]
It was built during 1836 and was completed on 9 December of that year. It was the longest viaduct on the Grand Junction Railway (GJR).[2] It is an early example of a major railway viaduct. Its cost was £54,440 (£4,250,000 as of 2012).[3] The engineers were Joseph Locke and George Stephenson.[1] The contractor was William Mackenzie. It was the first project for which Thomas Brassey submitted a tender but Mackenzie's estimate was £5,000 lower.[4] It is built in red sandstone and has 20 arches. The base of the viaduct pillars are splayed to give greater stability and 700,000 cubic feet (20,000 m3) of stone was used in its construction. The first GJR trains to carry passengers across the viaduct were run on 4 July 1837.[2] Steel masts were added in the 1960s for electrification.[1] The viaduct is 60 feet (18 m) high and 500 yards (457 m) long.[5]