Wichnor Viaduct


Wichnor Viaduct is a viaduct on the former Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway line near Wychnor, Staffordshire, England now part of the Cross Country Route.

Construction

It was built in timber by the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway as Croxall Viaduct to cross the River Trent and the River Tame at Wychnor, Staffordshire. There were 52 bays of span each. The contract was let in March 1838 and it was built in just over 1 year. Passenger services began on 12 August 1839.
The wooden viaduct was rebuilt in wrought iron in 1879.
In the 1930s, this was replaced with a steel construction by E.H. Darby, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway divisional engineer from Derby using of new steel, with over of steel from existing girders being re-used. A concrete plant and depot was installed at one end of the viaduct with temporary track laid to carry the concrete to the working points. of concrete were laid for the floor, weighing approximately, and of asphalt. Some of handrail tubing was installed. Work was undertaken between August 1931 and August 1932, 3 spans at a time on Sundays only to minimise disruption to rail traffic.