Description and History of Site:-
Four span Railway Viaduct still in use. Viaduct on the Leeds and Thirsk line between Harrogate (Starbeck) and York. Engineer Thomas Grainger. The whole was designed to blend with the architecture of the town, and intended for completion in 1848. Construction commenced in 1846 but on the 11th March 1848 the viaduct collapsed due to poor construction of a river pier. This dammed the river to a depth of 12ft producing wide spread flooding of river side property and fish kill due to the lime mortar. Reconstruction was delayed due to financial problems and was not completed until 1st October 1851; the incomplete railway line was opened in October 1848 nonetheless.
Hatcher noted :- Elegant masonry viaduct over the River Nidd, built to carry a branch of the Leeds & Thirsk Railway (Leeds Northern Railway). The four-span bridge stands 78ft high above the water, each span measuring 56ft 9in across.
The arches of the bridge spring from halfway up the tall piers to form near-hemispheres. The rounded ends of the piers are extended upwards and finished in small, crenellated towers, which also adorn the stone parapets. More pronounced, half-hexagonal refuges top the abutments, marking the approach.
Further Reading and References:-YAHS - Hatcher Card Index. Research funded by the Yorkshire Arts Association 1972.
Hatcher, J. The Industrial Architecture of Yorkshire. Phillimore, 1985.
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Key Words :- railway viaduct
Viewing the Site :- May be viewed from many points along Waterside Road
Address :- Waterside Road, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, HG5 9AZ
Grid Ref :- SE 34734 57058
Co-ordinates :- Lat 54.008379 , Long -1.471507
Local Authority :- Harrogate Borough Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Listed - Grade II
Historic England List No - 1149911,
Site Condition :- Operational site, in use for original purpose
Site Dates :- 1851 - current
Record Date :- 16 May 2015
Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © YAHS Archive
Grid Ref :- SE 34734 57058
Co-ordinates :- Lat 54.008379 , Long -1.471507
Local Authority :- Harrogate Borough Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Listed - Grade II
Historic England List No - 1149911,
Site Condition :- Operational site, in use for original purpose
Site Dates :- 1851 - current
Record Date :- 16 May 2015
Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © YAHS Archive