Yarm Viaduct

Last updated

Yarm Viaduct
Yarm Viaduct.jpg
Yarm Viaduct; the second arch on the left after the river has been strengthened with extra bricks
Coordinates 54°30′41″N1°21′25″W / 54.511411°N 1.356910°W / 54.511411; -1.356910
OS grid reference NZ417131
CarriesRailway traffic
Crosses River Tees
Locale Yarm, North Yorkshire/County Durham
Owner Network Rail
Maintained byNetwork Rail
Characteristics
Total length2,280 feet (690 m)
Height65 feet (20 m) (above river)
Longest span67 feet (20 m)
No. of spans43
Piers in water1
Rail characteristics
No. of tracks 2
Track gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
History
Designer Thomas Grainger
John Bourne
Constructed byTrowsdale, Jackson & Garbutt
Construction start1849
Construction cost £44,500 (1852)
Opened15 May 1852
Statistics
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameYARM VIADUCT
Designated23 June 1966 (1966-06-23)
Reference no.1139259 [1]
Location
Yarm Viaduct

Yarm Viaduct is a railway viaduct carrying the railways above the town of Yarm in North Yorkshire, England. It crosses the River Tees which forms the boundary between North Yorkshire and County Durham. The railway runs between Northallerton and Eaglescliffe, and was opened in 1852 as part of the extension of the Leeds Northern Railway to Stockton-on-Tees. The line and viaduct are currently owned and maintained by Network Rail and carries passenger traffic for TransPennine Express and Grand Central train operating companies. It also sees a variety of freight traffic.

Contents

The viaduct consists of 43 arches; 41 of which are made of red brick, with the two arches straddling the water constructed of stone. The viaduct, which is cited for its appearance and height above the town, was grade II listed in 1966. [2]

History

The section of line through Yarm to Eaglescliffe (original Preston) Junction [3] [4] [5] was formally started in July 1847, [6] but work on the viaduct did not commence until 1849. [7]

The structure opened up to traffic on 15 May 1852 [8] and it was the last work completed by Grainger as he died two months later in a railway accident in Stockton-on-Tees. [9] The viaduct is noted for its height above the town of Yarm and is variously described as being "towering", "very beautiful" and "great". [10] [11] One local writer described the viaduct as being "acknowledged as the finest in the kingdom". [12] Due to its height and length, when viewing the town from afar (especially from the west) the viaduct is a dominating structure across the town. [13]

The line that the viaduct is on (Northallerton to Eaglescliffe line) carries passenger services for Grand Central (Sunderland to London King's Cross) [14] and TransPennine Express (Middlesbrough to Manchester Airport) as well as a variety of freight traffic to and from the north east. [15]

The structure was strengthened in two of its spans with extra bricks on the inside of the arches and stabilisation works undertaken in 2001 due to subsidence, lessened the vibrations felt by property owners below the viaduct either significantly or completely. [16] [17]

Structure

The viaduct extends for over 2,280 feet (690 m) in a north/south direction over the town of Yarm and across the River Tees. [18] It consists of 43 arches; 41 of them are 40 feet (12 m) span and are constructed of 7.5 million red bricks. The other two arches are constructed from stone and are 67 feet (20 m) across [note 1] with one pier standing in the river. The two spans across the river are composed of 139,000 cubic feet (3,900 m3) of stone [19] and are skewed across the river by 20 degrees. [20] [21] On the downstream side of the viaduct (eastern side) is a large plaque set into the stone section of where the bridge spans the river. This commemorates the engineers and contractors on the project. [22] [23]

Workers on the structure (navvies) were paid £1 per day with the total cost of the bridge being £44,500 by its completion in 1852 (£5.6 million equivalent in 2016). [11] A system of pulleys worked by teams of horses allowed the raw materials to be brought onto the site. [24]

Incidents

Notes

  1. ↑ The original design by Grainger had called for a single span over the water of 125 feet (38 m)
  2. ↑ The original station opened with the line in 1852 and closed in 1960. A new station was opened in 1996 some distance south of the first station across the river on the Yorkshire side.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Yorkshire</span> County of England

North Yorkshire is a ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber and North East regions of England. It borders County Durham to the north, the North Sea to the east, the East Riding of Yorkshire to the south-east, South Yorkshire to the south, West Yorkshire to the south-west, and Cumbria and Lancashire to the west. Northallerton is the county town. The county was historically part of Yorkshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Tees</span> East coast river of Northern England

The River Tees, in England, rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines and flows eastwards for 85 miles (137 km) to reach the North Sea in the North East of England. The modern-day history of the river has been tied with the industries on Teesside in its lower reaches, where it has provided the means of import and export of goods to and from the North East England. The need for water further downstream also meant that reservoirs were built in the extreme upper reaches, such as Cow Green.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarm</span> Town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England

Yarm, also referred to as Yarm-on-Tees, is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England. It is in Teesdale with a town centre on a small meander of the River Tees. To the south-east, it extends to the River Leven, to the south it extends into the Kirklevington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teesside</span> Conurbation in England

Teesside is a built-up area around the River Tees in North East England, split between County Durham and North Yorkshire. The area contains the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Billingham, Redcar, Thornaby-on-Tees, and Ingleby Barwick. Teesside's economy was once dominated by heavy manufacturing until deindustrialisation in the latter half of the 20th century. Chemical production continues to contribute significantly to Teesside's economy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Stockton-on-Tees</span> Unitary authority area in County Durham, England

The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees is a local government district with borough status which straddles the ceremonial counties of County Durham and North Yorkshire, England. Since 1996 its council has been a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council. The borough had a population of 196,600 in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eaglescliffe</span> Village in England

Eaglescliffe is a village in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England. It is in the civil parish of Egglescliffe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tees Valley</span> Combined authority area in Northern England

Tees Valley is a combined authority area in Northern England, around the lower River Tees. The area is not a geographical valley; the local term for the valley is Teesdale. The combined authority covers five council areas: Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees.

Aislaby is a small village and civil parish on the north bank of the River Tees within the borough of Stockton-on-Tees and the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is located to the west of Eaglescliffe and Yarm. The name, first attested as Asulue(s)bi in 1086, is of Viking origin and means "Aslak's farm." Aislaby was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egglescliffe</span> Village and civil parish in County Durham, England

Egglescliffe is a village and civil parish in County Durham, England. Administratively it is located in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durham Coast Line</span> Railway line in North East England

The Durham Coast Line is an approximately 39.5-mile (63.6 km) railway line running between Newcastle and Middlesbrough in North East England. Heavy rail passenger services, predominantly operated Northern Trains, and some freight services operate over the whole length of the line; it provides an important diversionary route at times when the East Coast Main Line is closed. Light rail services of the Tyne and Wear Metro's Green Line also operate over the same tracks between a junction just south of Sunderland station and Pelaw Junction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarm railway station</span> Railway station in North Yorkshire, England

Yarm is a railway station on the Northallerton–Eaglescliffe Line, which connects the East Coast Main Line and Tees Valley Line. The station, situated 12 miles 7 chains (19 km) north-east of Northallerton, serves the market town of Yarm, Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in North Yorkshire, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by TransPennine Express.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stockton railway station (County Durham)</span> Railway station in County Durham, England

Stockton is a railway station on the Durham Coast Line, which runs between Newcastle and Middlesbrough via Hartlepool. The station, situated 5 miles 45 chains (9.0 km) west of Middlesbrough, serves the market town of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northallerton–Eaglescliffe line</span> Railway line in England

The Northallerton–Eaglescliffe line runs between Northallerton and Eaglescliffe stations. It connects the East Coast Main Line to the Tees Valley Line. It was built by the Leeds Northern Railway as part of their main line from Leeds to Stockton which opened on 2 June 1852, although the connection to the ECML at the Northallerton end was not opened for a further four years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Grainger</span> Scottish civil engineer and surveyor

Thomas Grainger FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer and surveyor. He was joint partner with John Miller in the prominent engineering firm of Grainger & Miller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leeds Northern Railway</span> 19th-century British railway company

The Leeds Northern Railway (LNR), originally the Leeds and Thirsk Railway, was an English railway company that built and opened a line from Leeds to Stockton via Harrogate and Thirsk. In 1845 the Leeds and Thirsk Railway received permission for a line from Leeds to Thirsk, part of which opened in 1848, but problems building the Bramhope Tunnel delayed trains operating into Leeds until 1849.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brompton railway station</span> Disused railway station in North Yorkshire, England

Brompton railway station was a railway station that served the town of Brompton, North Yorkshire, England. It was opened in 1854 and closed in 1965. The line it was on is still open and carries passenger traffic to and from Sunderland and Middlesbrough to Manchester Airport and London King's Cross.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthington Viaduct</span> Railway viaduct in North Yorkshire, England

Arthington Viaduct, listed known as the Wharfedale Viaduct, carries the Harrogate Line across the Wharfe valley between Arthington in West Yorkshire and Castley in North Yorkshire, England. It is a Grade II listed structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knaresborough Viaduct</span> Railway viaduct in North Yorkshire, England

Knaresborough Viaduct is a viaduct in the North Yorkshire town of Knaresborough, England. The viaduct carries the Harrogate line over the River Nidd in the town. The viaduct was supposed to have opened in 1848, but the first construction collapsed into the river very near to completion, which necessitated a new viaduct and delayed the opening of the line through Knaresborough by three years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croft Viaduct</span> Railway bridge in Northern England

Croft Viaduct is a railway bridge carrying the East Coast Main Line between Northallerton and Darlington in Northern England. The viaduct crosses the River Tees, the border between North Yorkshire and County Durham. Although it was an early example of a stone viaduct in the railway system, it is not the first true railway viaduct, however, it was the first railway viaduct in the United Kingdom to have been built with an oblique arch. It was grade II listed in 1988, and had overhead line equipment installed in the early 1990s.

References

  1. ↑ Historic England & 1139259.
  2. ↑ Historic England. "Yarm Viaduct (Grade II) (1139259)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  3. ↑ "History of Preston Junction, in Stockton on Tees and County Durham | Map and description". www.visionofbritain.org.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  4. ↑ Langley, J Baxter (1963). The illustrated official guide and tourist's hand book to the North Eastern Railway and its branches. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Lambert. p. 198. OCLC   25963310.
  5. ↑ Hoole, K (1974). A regional history of the railways of Great Britain. Vol. 4, North East England. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 126. ISBN   0-7153-6439-1.
  6. ↑ "OPENING OF THE LEEDS NORTHERN EXTENSION TO STOCKTON AND HARTLEPOOL". The Leeds Mercury. No. 6, 180. 18 May 1852. p. 5. OCLC   11968069.
  7. ↑ Thompson, Alan R; Groundwater, Ken (1992). British railways past and present. Kettering: Silver Link. p. 65. ISBN   0-947971-84-X.
  8. ↑ Rennison, R W, ed. (1996). Civil engineering heritage. Northern England (2 ed.). London: Thomas Telford. pp. 94–95. ISBN   0-7277-2518-1.
  9. ↑ Chrimes, Mike (2002). Skempton, A W; Chrimes, M M; Cox, R C; Cross-Rudkin, P S M; Rennison, R W; Ruddock, E C (eds.). A biographical dictionary of civil engineers in Great Britain and Ireland. London: Thomas Telford. p. 265. ISBN   0-7277-2939-X.
  10. ↑ Lee, C H (23 September 2004). "Grainger, Thomas (1794–1852), railway engineer". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/11237.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  11. 1 2 Lloyd, Chris (12 May 2016). "Yarm viaduct: way to go!". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  12. ↑ Heavisides, Henry (1865). The annals of Stockton-on-Tees; with biographical notices. Stockton-on-Tees: Heavisides. p.  211. OCLC   23381160.
  13. ↑ "Yarm Conservation Area Appraisal" (PDF). stockton.gov.uk. p. 6. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  14. ↑ "Hartlepool Borough Council Local Transport Plan 3 2011-2026" (PDF). hartlepool.gov.uk. April 2011. p. 16. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  15. ↑ "East Coast Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy" (PDF). archive.nr.co.uk. February 2008. p. 53. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  16. ↑ Hughes, M T (2002). Railway engineering 2002 5th international conference and exhibition, London, UK, 3-4 July 2002 ; [registered papers]. Edinburgh: Engineering Technics Press. p. 116. ISBN   0947644490.
  17. ↑ Lesley, L (2009). "2; Fatigue in railway and tramway track". In Robinson, Mark; Kapoor, Ajay (eds.). Fatigue in Railway Infrastructure . Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing. p.  50. ISBN   978-1-84569-702-0.
  18. ↑ "Yarm Railway Viaduct". www.bridgesonthetyne.co.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  19. ↑ "Imposing giant found favour in quaint town". Evening Gazette. 19 March 2013. ProQuest   1317634184.
  20. ↑ "Engineering Timelines - Yarm Viaduct". engineering-timelines.com. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  21. ↑ Lloyd, Chris (16 May 2016). "From the archive: Yarm viaduct". Darlington and Stockton Times. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  22. ↑ Woodhouse, R (1991). The River Tees : a North Country river. T. Dalton. p. 65. ISBN   0-86138-091-6.
  23. ↑ "Bridges over the Tees" (PDF). ice.org.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  24. ↑ "A Brief History of the River Tees" (PDF). heritage.stockton.gov.uk. p. 17. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  25. ↑ Hoole, Ken (1985). Railway stations of the North East. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 198. ISBN   0-7153-8527-5.
  26. ↑ Chrystal, Paul (2017). The Place Names of Yorkshire; Cities, Towns, Villages, Rivers and Dales, some Pubs too, in Praise of Yorkshire Ales (1 ed.). Catrine: Stenlake. p. 91. ISBN   9781840337532.
  27. ↑ Barlow, Rob (30 August 2007). "Yarm Viaduct". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  28. ↑ Brayshay, Chris (21 May 2001). "Residents' fears over 'bouncing' rail line". The Northern Echo. ProQuest   328958178.
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.