Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

Chelfham Viaduct was visited on Thursday 5th August by the Civil Engineering Rope Access Team from Peninsular Access to carry out a regular 6-year inspection of the structure. The structure was listed as Bridge 22 on the original L&BR, contains over a quarter of a million Marland bricks, has eight arches - each 42 feet (13 m) wide and 70 feet (21 m) high - thus making a length of 132-yards (121 m) and therefore the largest narrow gauge railway structure in England. One of our roving reporters was on site to capture on camera the activity and scenes on, around and beneath the Grade II listed Viaduct.

See >>> https://www.lynton-rail.org.uk/story/chelfham-viaduct-inspection-august-2021

 

Impressive pictures of the rope workers and they also show what an elegant structure the viaduct is in the landscape.

 

I note that "They were carrying out the work on behalf of Balfour Beatty and the owners of the viaduct, Highways England Residuary Railway Estate". Any risk of Highways England declaring that the viaduct is unsafe so they have no choice but to demolish it?

 

It was Grade 11 listed in 1965, so hopefully that would prevent it being demolished.

 

... in which case, I would suggest they would have to justify the large amount of money which they (or their predecessors) spent on refurbishing it 'ready to carry trains again' not all that long ago....

 

They would also have to justify the expense of demolishing a quarter of a million bricks more-or-less one at time. It has been said that the buildings underneath were the reason it wasn't blown up for practice by the army or for any other excuse.

 

As it is on a six yearly inspection I should imagine that it would be in a good condition especially refurbishment work having been done.
This contrasts with the Honeyboune bridges and presumably some other lines bridges.

 

Enquiry: Is the survival of Chelfham viaduct really down to it having been too risky to demolish, back in the 1930s, due to the close proximity of domestic buildings? Or is that just another one of those shaggy dog stories?

 

The decision of its future was most likely made post WW2.
https://www.nationaltransporttrust.org.uk/heritage-sites/heritage-detail/chelfham-viaduct

 

So not a shaggy dog story (for once!) ....

That resource is new to me, so very many thanks for posting the url.

 

IIRC the L&B trust were asked to make a contribution [can't remember how much] to a major overhaul/repair a number of years ago. When the viaduct was owned by the British Railways Residury Board. Otherwise the viaduct would be repaired/overhauled to a level needed for a foot/cycle/bridle path. The L&B rose to the challenge and made the requested contribution and so the BRRB repaired/overhauled the viaduct to a level that allowed the L&B to relay the trackwork across it. At some point in the future.......

 

My previous post - with link - put the year as 2000.

 

Wasn't exactly sure Greenway as to when....... Mind you I'm surprised it was as long ago, 20 years needed!

 

IIRC the extra contribution from the L&B was to (a) ensure that the track-bed surface was properly repaired and drained and (b) the parapets were replaced. Without parapets, any future cycle/pedestrian usage might have proved quite dodgy....
Also, by doing the 'L&BR work' at the same time as the BRB, we saved the not-inconsiderable cost of having to erect/dismantle all the scaffolding at a later date.

 

I felt the same when the FfR withdrew 1979 built EoM, (was that three years ago already?!), a loco they'd not yet announced they intended to build when I was last up that way! And up the road here, Fenchurch? Ye Gods! It's centenary doesn't seem nearly a half century ago.

 

Yes, I remember some church spire work that had those economics. Of a 9 month job, over half was spent erecting and then removing the scaffolding; we tried not to think how much of the £600k we’d fundraised went on that.


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I am told that on Wed there were 751 passengers at WB ! Even allowing for some inaccuracy in that information, it's still very good news and promises for a bumper summer holiday period revenue

 

752

 

I thought the L & B contributed £25,000, and this affordable amount was negotiated by Andrew Dow.