Ouse Valley Viaduct

Ouse Valley Viaduct
Northern end of Ouse Valley Viaduct
Coordinates	51°02′05″N 0°06′52″W / 51.03472°N 0.11444°W / 51.03472; -0.11444
Carries	Brighton Main Line
Crosses	River Ouse, Sussex
Locale	Between Haywards Heath and Balcombe
Other name(s)	Balcombe Viaduct
Maintained by	Network Rail
Heritage status	Grade II* listed building
Characteristics
Pier construction	Brick
Total length	450 m (1,480 ft)
Width	13 m (43 ft)
No. of spans	37
Rail characteristics
No. of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
History
Designer	John Urpeth Rastrick
Contracted lead designer	David Mocatta
Construction end	1842
Construction cost	£38,500 (1841)
Opened	July 1841
Location

The Ouse Valley Viaduct (or the Balcombe Viaduct) carries the Brighton Main Line over the River Ouse in Sussex. It is located to the north of Haywards Heath and the south of Balcombe. Known for its ornate design, the structure has been described as "probably the most elegant viaduct in Britain."^[1][2][3]

Construction of the Ouse Valley Viaduct commenced by the London & Brighton Railway company the beginning of 1839.^[4] It was designed by the principal engineer for the line, John Urpeth Rastrick. The architect of the London to Brighton railway, David Mocatta is often associated with the ornate stonework but an 1843 contemporary report on the construction of the viaduct makes no mention of him and neither does a drawing of one of the pavilions in a collection of Rastrick's drawings.^[5] The viaduct is 96 feet (29 m) high and is carried on 37 semi-circular arches, each of 30 feet (9.1 m), surmounted by balustrades, spanning a total length of 1,480 feet (450 m). Each pier contains a jack arch with a semi-circular soffit, which had the benefit of reducing the number of bricks required.^[6] On 12 July 1841, the viaduct was officially opened to train services, although the finishing details were not fully completed until the following year.

Despite the structure's fine design, materials, and architectural features, the viaduct has had an expensive and problematic history. The first major restoration work occurred during the 1890s, during which sections of the original brickwork were entirely replaced in the belief that this would increase the structure's strength. However, the viaduct suffered considerable decay during the majority of the twentieth century. By May 1983, the viaduct had been recognised as a Grade II* listed structure. Between March 1996 and September 1999, the viaduct was subject to an extensive restoration by national rail infrastructure owner Railtrack; this work was part-funded by the Railway Heritage Trust, English Heritage and West Sussex County Council.