Usworth, Victoria Railway Bridge/Viaduct

HER Number:
2877

District:
Sunderland

Site Name:
Usworth, Victoria Railway Bridge/Viaduct

Place:
Usworth

Map Sheet:
NZ35SW

Class:
Transport

Site Type: Broad:
Railway Transport Site

Site Type: Specific:
Railway Bridge

General Period:
Early Modern

Specific Period:
C19

Form of Evidence:
Structure

Description:
The Victoria Bridge, carried the North Eastern Railway (HER 2625) over the Wear. It was completed on Queen Victoria's Coronation day on 28 June 1838 by the engineer T.E.Harrison/James Walker of Walker and Burges. Rusticated sandstone. At the time it had the largest span in Europe. Built as part of the Durham Junction Railway, the viaduct was based on the Roman Alcantara Bridge in Spain. The largest of its 4 arches spans 160 feet and is 120 ft above the river. The total length of the structure is 820 ft.It carried the main London-Newcastle line until 1868. Remains in use to carry freight traffic and weekend passenger diversions. An exceptional structure of 1838, having the largest arches in Europe at the time of building.

Easting:
3198

Northing:
5455

Grid Reference:
NZ31985455

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 2877 >> 1st edition Ordnance Survey Map, c.1855, 6 inch scale, Durham, 13 Milburn, G & Miller, S (eds) 1988, Sunderland River, Town and People, Colour section, p.viii I.M. Ayris, & S.M. Linsley, 1994, A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Tyne and Wear, p.21 Tyne and Wear Industrial Monuments Trust, 1978, Sites of interest in River Wear plan area; W.W Tomlinson, 1914, The North Eastern Railway - Its Rise and Development, pp 318-319; Department of National Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 4/17