Network Rail Completes Improvement Work on 160-Year-Old Viaduct

A railway viaduct in the Peak District has seen a number of major improvements as work has now concluded to strengthen the 160-year-old, 15-arch structure.

Work was carried out on the viaduct on the Great Rocks freight line near Chapel-en-le-Frith between 29 August and 7 September.

Carried out by teams from Network Rail, alongside its contractor, AmcoGiffen, improvements to the viaduct include the filling of voids across each span, brickwork repair, parapet reinforcement, the installation of new waterproofing, drainage systems, handrails and guardrails and the replacement and realignment of railway track.

The work was made possible thanks to an investment of 7.5 million GBP.

One of the region’s most photographed viaducts; the twin structures are a mainstay of the UK’s freight network, allowing the transportation of stone, cement and limestone from a set of four major quarries to locations across the country.

mma Thistlethwaite, Network Rail project manager, said:

It’s been hugely rewarding to breathe new life into this fantastic Victorian structure and secure its future for freight services for decades to come.

Nestled in this picturesque valley we know how much people love these viaducts and I’d like to thank local people for their patience and understanding while we’ve been on site, especially to those who’ve been impacted by traffic management and any noise relating to our work over the last few months.