Hockley Railway Viaduct
Encyclopedia
The Hockley Railway Viaduct is a disused railway viaduct to the south of Winchester
in Hampshire
, England
.
(LSWR). It provided a link over the River Itchen
and water meadows, from the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
(DNSR), to the LSWR's main line. The DNSR was originally intended to continue down the east side of the Itchen to Southampton, but had stalled at Winchester
due to lack of funds. The viaduct crossed the valley to link the DNSR to the LSWR, which ran (and still runs) down the west side of the valley.
The viaduct was last used by the railway in the 1960s. It "fell" under the Beeching Axe
, although all of it, with the exception of a few bricks on the walls, is still standing to this day, and it may be both walked and cycled across.
structure, the viaduct in fact has a solid concrete
core in its pillars, with the bricks simply performing an aesthetic function. The bricks came from the Blanchards Works at Bishop's Waltham
. It was long suspected that the viaduct's structure contained concrete, but not until recent borings into the structure were made was it realised that the majority of the bridge was made of the material. This makes it amongst the earliest modern structures to have a solid concrete core.
funding to assist in its preservation. The structure is of some historic interest due to its method of construction, and the importance of the route in the lead up to D-Day
. It also provides a footpath and potential cycleway across the Itchen, and acts as a partial screen between the water meadows and the elevated M3 motorway
at the foot of Twyford Down
. In 2007 Winchester City Council
announced a £500,000 rolling programme of repairs over 12 years. However the City Council has held back on any repairs since Sustrans
is interested in taking over the Viaduct as part of its Hampshire cycle route
system.
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
The viaduct, originally called the Twyford Viaduct, was built in the 1880s by the London and South Western RailwayLondon and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
(LSWR). It provided a link over the River Itchen
River Itchen, Hampshire
The River Itchen is a river in Hampshire, England. It flows from mid-Hampshire to join with Southampton Water below the Itchen Bridge in the city of Southampton. The river has a total length of , and is noted as one of England's - if not one of the World's - premier chalk streams for fly fishing,...
and water meadows, from the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway was a cross-country railway running north-south between Didcot, Newbury and Southampton although it actually reached the latter by running over the London and South Western Railway tracks from Shawford Junction, south of Winchester...
(DNSR), to the LSWR's main line. The DNSR was originally intended to continue down the east side of the Itchen to Southampton, but had stalled at Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
due to lack of funds. The viaduct crossed the valley to link the DNSR to the LSWR, which ran (and still runs) down the west side of the valley.
The viaduct was last used by the railway in the 1960s. It "fell" under the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
, although all of it, with the exception of a few bricks on the walls, is still standing to this day, and it may be both walked and cycled across.
Construction
The structure has 33 spans. Although it appears to be a brickBrick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
structure, the viaduct in fact has a solid concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
core in its pillars, with the bricks simply performing an aesthetic function. The bricks came from the Blanchards Works at Bishop's Waltham
Bishop's Waltham
Bishop's Waltham is a small town in Hampshire, England situated at the head of the River Hamble. It is home to the ruins of Bishop's Waltham Palace, an English Heritage monument.-History:...
. It was long suspected that the viaduct's structure contained concrete, but not until recent borings into the structure were made was it realised that the majority of the bridge was made of the material. This makes it amongst the earliest modern structures to have a solid concrete core.
Preservation
Unsuccessful attempts have been made to have the structure listed in order to attract National LotteryNational Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
funding to assist in its preservation. The structure is of some historic interest due to its method of construction, and the importance of the route in the lead up to D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
. It also provides a footpath and potential cycleway across the Itchen, and acts as a partial screen between the water meadows and the elevated M3 motorway
M3 motorway
The M3 motorway runs in England for approximately from Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, to Southampton, Hampshire and forms an unsigned section European route E05. It is dual three lanes as far as Junction 8 near Basingstoke and then dual two lane until Junction 9 near Winchester and then dual three...
at the foot of Twyford Down
Twyford Down
Twyford Down is a small area of ancient chalk downland lying directly to the southeast of Winchester, Hampshire, England. The down's summit, known as Deacon Hill, is towards the north-eastern edge of the area which is renowned for its dramatic rolling scenery, ecologically rich grassland and as a...
. In 2007 Winchester City Council
City of Winchester
Winchester is a local government district in Hampshire, England, with city status. It covers an area of central Hampshire including the city of Winchester itself, and neighbouring towns and villages including New Alresford, Colden Common and Bishops Waltham....
announced a £500,000 rolling programme of repairs over 12 years. However the City Council has held back on any repairs since Sustrans
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
is interested in taking over the Viaduct as part of its Hampshire cycle route
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
system.