Dent Head Viaduct is a railway viaduct on the Settle–Carlisle line in Dentdale, Cumbria, England. It is the second major viaduct on the line northwards after Ribblehead Viaduct, and is just north of Blea Moor Tunnel at milepost 251, and to the south of Arten Gill Viaduct. Construction of the viaduct began in 1869, and it was completed in 1875, extra time being needed due to periods of heavy rainfall. The line bows slightly to the east in order to follow the contours of Woldfell, which it navigates on the western side. The viaduct was grade II Listed in 1999. Dent Head Viaduct is 17 miles (27 km) north of Settle Junction, and 57 miles (92 km) south of Carlisle railway station.
Dent Head Viaduct | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Dent Head Viaduct; the line can be seen wending around Woldfell | |
| Coordinates | 54°15′14″N 2°20′31″W / 54.254°N 2.342°W |
| OS grid reference | SD777844 |
| Carries | Settle–Carlisle line |
| Crosses | Fell End Gill |
| Locale | Dentdale, Cumbria, England |
| Named for | The head of Dentdale |
| Owner | Network Rail |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 596 feet (182 m) |
| Height | 100 feet (30 m) |
| No. of spans | 10 |
| Rail characteristics | |
| No. of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| History | |
| Construction start | 1869 |
| Construction end | 1875 |
| Opened | 2 August 1875 |
| Location | |
 | |
History
editThe viaduct is 596 feet (182 m) long, 100 feet (30 m) high,[2] and consists of ten arches which are each 45 feet (14 m) across.[3] The parapets of the viaduct are measured at 1,150 feet (350 m) above sea level. The spans are grouped into two sets of five, separated by a larger pier in the middle.[4] The viaduct is constructed from a local limestone known as Blue Limestone,[5][6] which was quarried from Short Gill (quite near the viaduct itself) from the beds of Simonstone limestone,[7][8] and another quarry almost underneath the viaduct.[9] The chief engineer on the project was John Crossley, while the resident engineer for the viaduct itself was J Underwood, who worked as part of Contract No. 1 (Settle Junction to Dent Head).[10] Immediately north of Dent Head Viaduct, was Contract No. 2, which ran to Kirkby Stephen.[11] A signalbox used to be situated at the very northern end of the viaduct. One was thought to have been installed in 1877, however it is known that one was put up in 1898, which remained in use until April 1965.[12]
Akin to the weather problems at Dandry Mire, the construction of the viaduct was hampered by the constant rain and snow. In 1872, it was recorded that 92 inches of rain fell at Dent Head, instead of the average 68 inches.[13] This destabilised the workings and also prevented safe working days to far fewer than on other areas of the contract to build the line.[14] The viaduct was constructed between 1869 and 1875, and bows slightly eastwards, but follows a north/south axis.[15] The line follows this curvature so as to avoid Woldfell, and in doing so, climbs slightly after the viaduct towards Arten Gill Viaduct.[16][17] It is thought that a tramway was built to transport bricks from the brickworks site at Ribblehead (Batty Moss), to the viaduct construction site at Dent Head.[18] Whilst trains may have traversed the viaduct before its official opening, the first train run along the entire length of the line (a goods train) ran on 2 August 1875.[19] The initial plans for the railway included a station at Dent Head, which would not have been convenient for any local population.[20]
During the 1980s closure proposal for most of the Settle–Carlisle Line, the decaying and unsafe nature of the various viaducts was given as a reason for the proposed closure.[21] Whilst the focus of these claims was focussed on Ribblehead Viaduct, Dent Head was also included, and as such, as part of the rebuttal, it was inspected by an independent civil engineer who deemed the viaduct to be structurally sound. However, as it, and many other viaducts on the line, were not listed structures, upon closure, they would not have to be maintained by British Rail.[22] The viaduct was finally grade II listed in 1999,[10] and is also listed with Historic England as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[23]
The viaduct is located at milepost 251; 251 miles (404 km) north of St Pancras railway station (the old Midland Railway route) through Cudworth and Keighley, though the route through Cudworth closed in 1980s.[24] In terms of the railway line itself, the viaduct is 17 miles (27 km) north of Settle Junction, and 57 miles (92 km) south of Carlisle railway station.[25][26]
Derailment
editOn 14 July 1998, a Transrail freight train carrying imported Colombian coal, that was travelling between Hunterston and Drax Power Station, derailed with some of the coal wagons coming to rest at the northern end of the viaduct. Coal was spilled into the beck beneath the viaduct.[27][28] The accident prompted calls for the renewal of the Settle–Carlisle Line, which was increasingly being used by heavy freight trains.[29]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Barbey, M. F. (1981). Civil engineering heritage. Northern England. London: T. Telford. p. 78. ISBN 0727700987.
- ^ Whiteman, Robin (1991). The Yorkshire Moors and Dales. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. p. 149. ISBN 0297830317.
- ^ Speight, Harry (1892). The Craven and north-west Yorkshire highlands. Being a complete account of the history, scenery, and antiquities of that romantic district. London: E Stock. p. 130. OCLC 7219082.
- ^ McFetrich, David (2019). An encyclopaedia of British bridges. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England: Pen & Sword. p. 73. ISBN 978-1526752956.
- ^ Bennett, John; Bennett, Jan, eds. (1993). A Guide to the industrial archaeology of Cumbria. Telford: Association for Industrial Archaeology. p. 15. ISBN 0-9508448-8-8.
- ^ SCRCA 2010, p. 32.
- ^ "Short Gill :: Survey of English Place-Names". epns.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ The Geology of the country around Ingleborough with parts of Wensleydale and Wharfedale. London: HMSO. 1890. pp. 44–45. OCLC 868315976.
- ^ Mitchell 2005, p. 23.
- ^ a b Historic England. "Dent Head Viaduct (Grade II) (1383847)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
- ^ Mitchell 2005, p. 26.
- ^ Anderson, V. R.; Fox, G. K. (1986). Stations & structures of the Settle & Carlisle Railway. Poole: Oxford Pub. plate 58. ISBN 0-86093-360-1.
- ^ Baughan, P. E. (1966). North of Leeds: The Leeds-Settle-Carlisle Line and its Branches. Roundhouse Books. p. 179. OCLC 655140915.
- ^ Thomson, Radford (1879). Guide to the district of Craven : and the Settle and Carlisle Railway, with illustrations. London: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. p. 88. OCLC 320192255.
- ^ Mason, Viv (13 March 2019). "Dent Head viaduct forms an important part of the Settle- Carlisle railway line". infoweb.newsbank.com. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
- ^ Anderson, V. R.; Fox, G. K. (1986). Stations & structures of the Settle & Carlisle Railway. Poole: Oxford Pub. plate 55. ISBN 0-86093-360-1.
- ^ Mussett 2011, p. 3.
- ^ Kingsbury, Hannah. "Big Bridge, Little Bridge". yorkshiredales.org.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ Bairstow 1994, p. 29.
- ^ SCRCA 2010, p. 13.
- ^ Bairstow 1994, p. 65.
- ^ Towler, James (1990). The battle for the Settle & Carlisle. Sheffield: Platform 5. pp. 217, 232. ISBN 1872524079.
- ^ SCRCA 2010, p. 15.
- ^ Suggitt, Gordon (2007). Lost railways of South & West Yorkshire. Newbury: Countryside Books. p. 136. ISBN 978-1-84674-043-5.
- ^ Kelman, Leanne (2018). Midlands & North West (4 ed.). Beckington, Frome: Trackmaps. 36B. ISBN 978-1-9996271-1-9.
- ^ Anderson, V R; Fox, G K (1986). Stations & structures of the Settle & Carlisle Railway. Poole: Oxford Pub. p. 8. ISBN 0-86093-360-1.
- ^ "Only 'fat cats' win". Lancashire Telegraph. 24 July 1998. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
- ^ "Accident at Dent Head on 15th July 1998 :: The Railways Archive". www.railwaysarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
- ^ Rand, Mark (10 April 2019). "S & C; Three Decades of Progress". Rail Magazine. No. 876. Peterborough: Bauer Media. p. 48. ISSN 0953-4563.
Sources
edit- Bairstow, Martin (1994). The Leeds, Settle & Carlisle railway : the Midland route to Scotland. Halifax: M. Bairstow. ISBN 1-871944-09-0.
- Mitchell, W. R. (2005). How they built the Settle-Carlisle Railway. Settle: Castleberg. ISBN 1-871064-03-1.
- Mussett, N. J. (2011). Settle-Carlisle Railway resources handbook illustrated : a listing of printed, audio-visual and other resources including museums, public exhibitions and heritage sites. Giggleswick: Kirkdale Publications. ISBN 0907089089.
- Conservation Area Appraisals in the Yorkshire Dales National Park Settle-Carlisle Railway (PDF). yorkshiredales.org.uk (Report). 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2023.