After a restoration programme to restore Bennerley Viaduct, it is now open to the general public. You can't beat a viaduct, so off we went!
Following the footpath, we climbed the steps up to the viaduct which is about a quarter of a mile long and lays over the River Erewash connecting Derbyshire with Nottinghamshire. There's a wheel trough at the side to help cyclists get their bike up the steps.
From the information along the way, the viaduct was designed by Samuel Abbott and Richard Johnson. It is a grade 2 listed railway viaduct and the contract to build it was given by the Great Northern Railway (GNR) to Benton and Woodiwiss, a Derby railway construction company. This is one of the two surviving wrought iron viaducts in the UK.
A good view from the top but I'm not a lover of heights, so mostly stayed in the middle.
We walked to the end but the last few yards was like an ice rink so we turned back. I didn’t want to have an accident on the top of a viaduct!
The Friends of Bennerley Viaduct have done a really good job in restoring the 'Iron Giant'. The fog really added a lot of atmosphere to our visit.
Photos by @ellenripley - Julie S. All rights reserved.
I love this viaduct and it was actually featured on 'Architecture the Railways Built' on Yesterday channel last week. Can't wait for it to be finished and somewhere for me to visit when I next return to Blighty!
Oh that's interesting. I will look out for it. It's all open now and lots of people are walking over it, which is good. Not sure what else they are going to do to it. It's well worth a visit though.
Lovely walk in foggy weather! No coffee shop?! 🙀😂
Ha ha. I said to my brother, all the viaduct needs is a coffee shop at the end of it!