Penkridge Viaduct

Preserved Great Western Railway locomotives 4965 Rood Ashton Hall and 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe double head a steam railtour over Penkridge Viaduct in May 2012.

Penkridge Viaduct is a railway viaduct on the West Coast Main Line where it crosses the River Penk and Levedale Road near the village of Penkridge, Staffordshire, England (grid reference SJ920144). It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.[1]

It was built in 1837 on the Grand Junction Railway. The engineer was Joseph Locke and the contractor was Thomas Brassey. It was Brassey's first successful bid for a contract and the cost of the viaduct was £6,000 (£490,000 as of 2015).[2][3] The viaduct consists of seven arches built in red brick and engineering brick with ashlar quoins and dressings.

The first train, on a trial run, crossed the viaduct on 1 June 1837. The official opening was on 4 July, when the viaduct was crossed by engine No. 8 Wild Fire pulling eight first class carriages.[4]

  1. ^ Historic England, "Railway Viaduct approximately 150 yards west of Bull Bridge (1039225)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 10 September 2013
  2. ^ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017), "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)", MeasuringWorth, retrieved 7 May 2024
  3. ^ Walker, Charles (1969), Thomas Brassey, Railway Builder, London: Frederick Muller, pp. 17–18, ISBN 0-584-10305-0
  4. ^ Thomas Brassey - the great Railway Builder of the 19th Century, penkridge.org.uk, archived from the original on 6 February 2007, retrieved 25 November 2007