London Road Viaduct

Last updated

London Road Viaduct
London road viaduct2.jpg
The viaduct in 2008
Coordinates 50°50′07″N0°08′32″W / 50.8353°N 0.1421°W / 50.8353; -0.1421
CarriesRailway
Locale Brighton
Maintained by Network Rail
Heritage status Grade II*-listed
Characteristics
MaterialBrick
Total length1,200 feet (370 m)
Height67 feet (20 m)
No. of spans27
History
Designer John Urpeth Rastrick
Construction start29 May 1845
Construction end28 March 1846
Location
London Road Viaduct

The London Road Viaduct is a brick railway viaduct in Brighton, part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England. It carries the East Coastway Line between Brighton and London Road railway stations. Built in the 1840s for the Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Railway by the locomotive engineer and railway architect John Urpeth Rastrick, the sharply curving structure has 27 arches and about 10 million bricks. It is still in constant use, and is listed at Grade II* for its historical and architectural significance.

Contents

History

The London and Brighton Railway Act, passed on 15 July 1837, [1] granted the London & Brighton Railway Company the right to build a railway line from Norwood to Brighton, a branch line from Brighton to Shoreham-by-Sea and another from Brighton to Newhaven via Lewes. [2] The line to Shoreham-by-Sea was completed first, in 1840, and the Brighton Main Line opened in its entirety in September 1841; [1] but the route eastwards from Brighton towards Lewes was delayed until 8 June 1846. [3] A new company, the Brighton, Lewes & Hastings Railway Company, was formed to build this line; John Urpeth Rastrick was employed as the surveyor and architect. [2] The two companies and others amalgamated in July 1846 to form the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. [4]

In the 1840s, the land northeast of Brighton station was undeveloped, consisting of fields. [2] It lay in a steep-sided valley running from north to south, created by the Wellesbourne river (by then, reduced to an intermittently flowing, mostly underground winterbourne). [5] Rastrick had to decide whether to cross this with an embankment or a viaduct. Local opinion favoured an embankment, and he faced opposition and criticism when he chose to build a viaduct. [6] Nevertheless, he planned a route for it, and laid the foundation stone on 29 May 1845. Construction took 10 months: the structure was ready on 28 March 1846, [2] more than two months before the line to Lewes opened. By the 1870s, dense terraced housing surrounded the viaduct: residential development was stimulated by the opening of the railway. [7] [2]

The viaduct viewed from the higher ground of Hanover London Road Viaduct from Hanover.JPG
The viaduct viewed from the higher ground of Hanover

Brighton's most significant bombing raid of the Second World War severely damaged London Road Viaduct. At 12.30pm on 25 May 1943, Focke-Wulf fighter-bomber aircraft dropped several bombs on Brighton, five of which landed on the railway. [8] One demolished two arches and one pier at the west end of the viaduct, two arches west of the Preston Road span, [2] [8] leaving the tracks spanning the gap in mid-air. [9] Despite this, a temporary repair allowed trains to start using the viaduct again within 24 hours; [6] in less than a month, the service was back to normal. [2] Until the arches were fully repaired in September 1943, however, a 15 mph (24 km/h) speed restriction was enforced and Preston Road could be seen through the gaps between the sleepers where the brickwork had been blasted away. [8] The replacement brickwork, darker than that of the main structure, can be seen from the road below. [9]

Architecture

Southward view from a train, showing the decorative balusters London Road Viaduct from Train (South).jpg
Southward view from a train, showing the decorative balusters
The viaduct in 1996 London Road Viaduct, Brighton, in 1996.jpg
The viaduct in 1996
View though the pierced piers, showing patchwork repairs London Road Viaduct, Brighton.jpg
View though the pierced piers, showing patchwork repairs

The structure is 1,200 feet (370 m) long, and reaches a maximum height of 67 feet (20 m) above the floor of the valley. [10] It consists of 26 semi-circular arches each of 30 feet (9.1 m) with piers of 7 feet (2.1 m) thick at the base and 5 feet (1.5 m) thick at the top, together with one elliptical arch of 50 feet (15 m) over a section of the A23 London Road called Preston Road. [2] The piers of this arch are 22 feet (6.7 m) thick at the base and 19.5 feet (5.9 m) thick at the top. Each pier contains a jack arch with a semi-circular soffitt and invert to reduce the number of bricks required. [11] The piers are thicker on the outside than on the inside because the viaduct is constructed on a sharp curve: [2] trains reach the viaduct almost immediately after leaving the Brighton Main Line, and the line continues to curve away for several hundred metres. Of the 27 arches, 16 have a radius of curvature of 0.75 miles (1.21 km), and 11 have a radius of 0.125 miles (0.201 km). [6]

Approximately 10 million bricks were needed to build the viaduct. The brickwork is red and brown, with yellow brick dressings. [2] [12] The wartime reconstruction used blue brick, [12] a darker type often used for heavy-duty construction. The 26 narrower arches are round-headed, whereas the wider span across Preston Road is elliptical. Each pier has a long, rectangular opening on each inner side, with rounded arches at the top and bottom. Running along the top of the viaduct on both sides is a balustrade with stone balusters. [12]

The viaduct today

London Road Viaduct was listed at Grade II* by English Heritage on 19 April 1974. [12] This status is given to "particularly important buildings of more than special interest". [13] As of February 2001, it was one of 70 Grade II*-listed buildings and structures, and 1,218 listed buildings of all grades, in the city of Brighton and Hove. [14]

As of 2009, 174 scheduled passenger trains (87 eastbound [15] and 87 westbound [16] ), all operated by Southern, cross the viaduct each weekday. There are fewer train movements at weekends.

London road viaduct.jpg
View of the viaduct as built, looking towards St Peter's Church, Brighton with Brighton railway works visible on top of the cliff

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Sussex</span> County of England

East Sussex is a ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Kent to the north-east, West Sussex to the west, Surrey to the north-west, and the English Channel to the south. The largest settlement is the city of Brighton and Hove, and the county town is Lewes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brighton railway station</span> Railway station in Brighton, East Sussex, England

Brighton railway station is the southern terminus of the Brighton Main Line, the western terminus of the East Coastway Line and the eastern terminus of the West Coastway Line in England, and the principal station serving the city of Brighton, East Sussex. It is 50 miles 49 chains from London Bridge via Redhill. The station has six bus stops which are served by Brighton & Hove bus routes 1, 1A, N1, 5B, 6, 7, N7, 12, 12A, 12X, 13X, 14, 14C, 18, 24, 26, 27, 27B, 27C, 46, 48, 49, 55, 59 and 79.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London and Brighton Railway</span> Victoria-era rail company of South East England

The London and Brighton Railway (L&BR) was a railway company in England which was incorporated in 1837 and survived until 1846. Its railway ran from a junction with the London and Croydon Railway (L&CR) at Norwood – which gives it access from London Bridge, just south of the River Thames in central London. It ran from Norwood to the South Coast at Brighton, together with a branch to Shoreham-by-Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Coastway line</span> Railway line in Sussex, England

The East Coastway line is a railway line along the south coast of Sussex to the east of Brighton, England. Trains to the west of Brighton operate on the West Coastway line. Together with the West Coastway and the Marshlink line to the east, the line forms part of a continuous route from Havant to Ashford. The Brighton Main Line route to Eastbourne and Hastings, via Plumpton and Cooksbridge, shares the East Coastway line east of Lewes station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Coastway line</span> Railway line in England

The West Coastway line is a railway line in England linking the conurbations of Brighton/Hove/Littlehampton and Southampton/Portsmouth, with 1.3 million people between them. It has short southward branches to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis, which offer direct services to and from London.

John Urpeth Rastrick was one of the first English steam locomotive builders. In partnership with James Foster, he formed Foster, Rastrick and Company, the locomotive construction company that built the Stourbridge Lion in 1829 for export to the Delaware and Hudson Railroad in America. From the 1830s he concentrated on civil engineering with his major project from 1838 being the construction of the London and Brighton Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Falmer railway station</span> Railway station in East Sussex, England

Falmer railway station is in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, south-east England, 3 miles 39 chains (5.6 km) from Brighton railway station on the East Coastway line. It is operated by Southern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lewes railway station</span> Railway station in East Sussex, England

Lewes railway station serves the town of Lewes in East Sussex, England. It has five platforms and is on the East Coastway Line, 49 miles 74 chains (80.3 km) from London Bridge via Redhill. Train services are provided by Southern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berwick railway station (East Sussex)</span> Railway station in East Sussex, England

Berwick railway station is located in Berwick, East Sussex, England. Berwick village is located nearby to the south of the A27 road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Road (Brighton) railway station</span> Railway station in Brighton, England

London Road (Brighton) railway station is a railway station located in Round Hill, an inner suburb of Brighton in East Sussex. It is the first intermediate station on the Brighton branch of the East Coastway Line, 57 chains (1.1 km) down the line from Brighton station. The station is managed by Southern, who operate all services on the line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balcombe</span> Village in West Sussex, England

Balcombe is a village and civil parish in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. It lies 31 miles (50 km) south of London, 16 miles (26 km) north of Brighton, and 32 miles (51 km) east-northeast of the county town of Chichester. Nearby towns include Crawley to the northwest and Haywards Heath to the south-southeast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Brighton and Hove</span>

Public transport in Brighton and Hove, a city on the south coast of England, dates back to 1840. Brighton and Hove has a major railway station, an extensive bus service, many taxis, coach services, and it has previously had trolley buses, ferries, trams, auto rickshaws and hydrofoils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ouse Valley Viaduct</span> Viaduct carrying the London-Brighton Railway Line over the River Ouse in Sussex, UK

The Ouse Valley Viaduct carries the London-Brighton Railway Line over the River Ouse in Sussex. It is located to the north of Haywards Heath and the south of Balcombe. Known for its ornate design, the structure has been described as "probably the most elegant viaduct in Britain."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Railway</span>

The Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Railway was an early railway in southern England that built the East Coastway line running between the three East Sussex towns mentioned in its name. The company existed from February 1844 but only operated trains for a few weeks during June and July 1846 before it was amalgamated with other companies to form the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) on 27 July 1846.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buildings and architecture of Brighton and Hove</span>

Brighton and Hove, a city on the English Channel coast in southeast England, has a large and diverse stock of buildings "unrivalled architecturally" among the country's seaside resorts. The urban area, designated a city in 2000, is made up of the formerly separate towns of Brighton and Hove, nearby villages such as Portslade, Patcham and Rottingdean, and 20th-century estates such as Moulsecoomb and Mile Oak. The conurbation was first united in 1997 as a unitary authority and has a population of about 253,000. About half of the 20,430-acre (8,270 ha) geographical area is classed as built up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Round Hill, Brighton</span> Inner suburban area in Brighton, UK

Round Hill is an inner suburban area of Brighton, part of the coastal city of Brighton and Hove in England. The area contains a mix of privately owned and privately rented terraced housing, much of which has been converted for multiple occupancies, and small-scale commercial development. It was developed mostly in the late 19th century on an area of high land overlooking central Brighton and with good views in all directions, the area became a desirable middle-class suburb—particularly the large terraced houses of Roundhill Crescent and Richmond Road, and the exclusive Park Crescent—and within a few decades the whole of the hill had been built up with smaller terraces and some large villas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imberhorne Viaduct</span> Bridge in West Sussex, South-East England

Imberhorne Viaduct is a Grade II listed railway viaduct located in East Grinstead, West Sussex, South-East England. Closed in 1958, the structure was brought back into use as part of the preserved Bluebell Railway heritage line in 2013, allowing trains to continue to East Grinstead railway station.

Frederick Dale Banister MICE, was an English civil engineer, best known for his 35 years as the Chief Engineer of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prestonville, Brighton</span>

Prestonville is a largely residential area in the northwest of Brighton, part of the English city of Brighton and Hove. It covers a long, narrow and steeply sloping ridge of land between the Brighton Main Line and Dyke Road, two major transport corridors which run north-northwestwards from the centre of Brighton. Residential development started in the 1860s and spread northwards, further from central Brighton, over the next six decades. The area is characterised by middle-class and upper-middle-class housing in various styles, small-scale commercial development and long eastward views across the city. Two Anglican churches serve Prestonville—one at each end of the area—and there are several listed buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portsmouth line</span>

The Portsmouth line is a secondary main line originally built by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the London and South Western Railway between 1847 and 1868. It leaves the South London Line at Peckham Rye, with connections to the Victoria branch of the Brighton Main Line at Streatham, and continues via Sutton, Epsom and Dorking to join the Mid-Sussex Line at Horsham.

References

  1. 1 2 Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (1983). South Coast Railways – Brighton to Worthing. Midhurst: Middleton Press. p. iv. ISBN   0-906520-03-7.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Carder, Timothy (1990). "Railways – East Coastway". The Encyclopaedia of Brighton. Lewes: East Sussex County Libraries. p. §144.
  3. ↑ Body, Geoffrey (1984). Railways of the Southern Region. PSL Field Guides. Cambridge: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 118. ISBN   0-85059-664-5.
  4. ↑ Carder, Timothy (1990). "Railways". The Encyclopaedia of Brighton. Lewes: East Sussex County Libraries. p. §141.
  5. ↑ Carder, Timothy (1990). "Wellesbourne". The Encyclopaedia of Brighton. Lewes: East Sussex County Libraries. p. §201.
  6. 1 2 3 Cooper, B.K. (1991). "2. The Steam Years – Expanding the Service". Rail Centres: Brighton. Shepperton: Ian Allan Ltd. p. 22. ISBN   0-7110-1155-9.
  7. ↑ Carder, Timothy (1990). "London Road, Brighton". The Encyclopaedia of Brighton. Lewes: East Sussex County Libraries. p. §91.
  8. 1 2 3 Cooper, B.K. (1991). "Appendix 2: Brighton under Fire". Rail Centres: Brighton. Shepperton: Ian Allan Ltd. p. 144. ISBN   0-7110-1155-9.
  9. 1 2 Blackwell, John (22 March 2006). "London Road viaduct: Completed in 1846". My Brighton and Hove website. My Brighton and Hove (c/o QueensPark Books). Retrieved 5 March 2009.
  10. ↑ Body, Geoffrey (1984). Railways of the Southern Region. PSL Field Guides. Cambridge: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 55. ISBN   0-85059-664-5.
  11. ↑ Turner, John Howard (1977). The London Brighton and South Coast Railway. Vol. 1: Origins and Formation. Batsford. pp. 218–9. ISBN   0-7134-0275-X.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Historic England (2007). "London Road Railway Viaduct, Preston Road, Brighton, Brighton and Hove, East Sussex (1380757)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 5 March 2009.
  13. ↑ "Listed Buildings". English Heritage. 2010. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2011.
  14. ↑ "Images of England — Statistics by County (East Sussex)". Images of England . English Heritage. 2007. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  15. ↑ "Table 1: London, East Croydon, Gatwick Airport and Brighton to Lewes, Seaford, Eastbourne, Hastings and Ashford International" (PDF). Southern timetable booklet (East Coastway Line). New Southern Railway Ltd. December 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 March 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2009.
  16. ↑ "Table 1: Ashford International, Hastings, Eastbourne, Seaford and Lewes to Brighton, Gatwick Airport, East Croydon and London" (PDF). Southern timetable booklet (East Coastway Line). New Southern Railway Ltd. December 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.