Grade II listed bridge in the heart of the Peak District set for major repairs – to ensure it remains safe in the future
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The northern viaduct at Millers Dale, which runs parallel to the viaduct that carries the Monsal Trail, is set to undergo a major programme of repairs over the coming months.
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Hide AdOpened in 1905, the northern viaduct is 175m long with seven spans over the River Wye and the B6049. Four of the spans were constructed using brick and three were made with steel.
Structures are inspected yearly by a team of skilled inspectors, which helps National Highways to plan work well in advance and ensure that the most critical tasks are prioritised. An inspection of Millers Dale Viaduct identified some works that are required under three of the viaduct’s seven spans.
Contractors will waterproof three spans using a loose-laid membrane to ensure that rain water does not pool on the structure’s deck and cause corrosion. Water will instead flow into a drain that will be installed below the deck and into the River Wye.
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Hide AdThey will also conduct some localised repairs to some areas of the spans that have been corroded. All sections will then be grit blasted before being painted to prevent further corrosion. Works are only required three of the spans as the other four were waterproofed and repaired in 2018.
Work will begin in autumn 2024 and is expected to be completed in spring 2025. A section of the B6049 through Millers Dale will be closed from 6.00am on November 19 2024, until 4.00pm on December 16 2024, while repairs are carried out. The route will be clearly signposted throughout the period of closure.
National Highways will host a drop-in event on November 6 2024, from 1.00pm until 5.00pm at Tideswell Village Hall. This will give residents and local businesses the chance to find out more about the project and any road closures or diversion routes that may impact them.
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Hide AdThe Midland Railway was founded in 1844 in Derby from where its routes stemmed. By the 1860s it aimed to connect London and Manchester, a route that would require passing through the Peak District. The hilly terrain in this area required a number of engineering solutions, with the twin Millers Dale Viaducts being just two of a number of tunnels, viaducts and bridges built in the Wye Valley.
The Wye Valley section of the line opened in 1863, with a station in Millers Dale opening that same year. Whilst the station served passengers from local villages and was used to send goods including limestone around the country, its main purpose was to connect passengers travelling on the London to Manchester line with nearby Buxton.
The southern viaduct over which the Monsal Trail now runs was built from 1862 to 1863, just to the east of the station. Passing over the River Wye, the viaduct stood alone until 1905, when the northern viaduct was constructed to increase capacity on the line.
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Hide AdMillers Dale train station was closed in March 1967 due to dwindling passenger numbers, before the railway line closed a year later in July 1968. The station’s booking office is now a café, whilst the goods shed hosts an interactive exhibition on the area’s history and wildlife.
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