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Dent Head Viaduct

December 15, 2023

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
Dent Head Viaduct; the line can be seen wending around Woldfell
Coordinates54°15′14″N 2°20′31″W / 54.254°N 2.342°W / 54.254; -2.342
OS grid referenceSD777844
CarriesSettle–Carlisle line
CrossesFell End Gill
LocaleDentdale, Cumbria, England
Named forThe head of Dentdale
OwnerNetwork Rail
Characteristics
Total length596 feet (182 m)
Height100 feet (30 m)
No. of spans10
Rail characteristics
No. of tracks2
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
History
Construction start1869
Construction end1875
Opened2 August 1875
Location

History edit

The 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 edit

On 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 edit

References edit

  1. ^ Barbey, M. F. (1981). Civil engineering heritage. Northern England. London: T. Telford. p. 78. ISBN 0727700987.
  2. ^ Whiteman, Robin (1991). The Yorkshire Moors and Dales. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. p. 149. ISBN 0297830317.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ McFetrich, David (2019). An encyclopaedia of British bridges. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England: Pen & Sword. p. 73. ISBN 978-1526752956.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ SCRCA 2010, p. 32.
  7. ^ "Short Gill :: Survey of English Place-Names". epns.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  8. ^ The Geology of the country around Ingleborough with parts of Wensleydale and Wharfedale. London: HMSO. 1890. pp. 44–45. OCLC 868315976.
  9. ^ Mitchell 2005, p. 23.
  10. ^ a b Historic England. "Dent Head Viaduct (Grade II) (1383847)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  11. ^ Mitchell 2005, p. 26.
  12. ^ Anderson, V. R.; Fox, G. K. (1986). Stations & structures of the Settle & Carlisle Railway. Poole: Oxford Pub. plate 58. ISBN 0-86093-360-1.
  13. ^ Baughan, P. E. (1966). North of Leeds: The Leeds-Settle-Carlisle Line and its Branches. Roundhouse Books. p. 179. OCLC 655140915.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ Anderson, V. R.; Fox, G. K. (1986). Stations & structures of the Settle & Carlisle Railway. Poole: Oxford Pub. plate 55. ISBN 0-86093-360-1.
  17. ^ Mussett 2011, p. 3.
  18. ^ Kingsbury, Hannah. "Big Bridge, Little Bridge". yorkshiredales.org.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  19. ^ Bairstow 1994, p. 29.
  20. ^ SCRCA 2010, p. 13.
  21. ^ Bairstow 1994, p. 65.
  22. ^ Towler, James (1990). The battle for the Settle & Carlisle. Sheffield: Platform 5. pp. 217, 232. ISBN 1872524079.
  23. ^ SCRCA 2010, p. 15.
  24. ^ Suggitt, Gordon (2007). Lost railways of South & West Yorkshire. Newbury: Countryside Books. p. 136. ISBN 978-1-84674-043-5.
  25. ^ Kelman, Leanne (2018). Midlands & North West (4 ed.). Beckington, Frome: Trackmaps. 36B. ISBN 978-1-9996271-1-9.
  26. ^ Anderson, V R; Fox, G K (1986). Stations & structures of the Settle & Carlisle Railway. Poole: Oxford Pub. p. 8. ISBN 0-86093-360-1.
  27. ^ "Only 'fat cats' win". Lancashire Telegraph. 24 July 1998. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  28. ^ "Accident at Dent Head on 15th July 1998 :: The Railways Archive". www.railwaysarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  29. ^ 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.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dent Head Viaduct.
  • Aerial images of the 1998 derailment
  • Images of the 1998 derailment

December 15, 2023
dent, head, viaduct, railway, viaduct, settle, carlisle, line, dentdale, cumbria, england, second, major, viaduct, line, northwards, after, ribblehead, viaduct, just, north, blea, moor, tunnel, milepost, south, arten, gill, viaduct, construction, viaduct, bega. 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 ViaductDent Head Viaduct the line can be seen wending around WoldfellCoordinates54 15 14 N 2 20 31 W 54 254 N 2 342 W 54 254 2 342OS grid referenceSD777844CarriesSettle Carlisle lineCrossesFell End GillLocaleDentdale Cumbria EnglandNamed forThe head of DentdaleOwnerNetwork RailCharacteristicsTotal length596 feet 182 m Height100 feet 30 m No of spans10Rail characteristicsNo of tracks2Track gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm standard gaugeHistoryConstruction start1869Construction end1875Opened2 August 1875Location Contents 1 History 2 Derailment 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Sources 5 External linksHistory 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 editListed buildings in Dent CumbriaReferences 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 amp 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 amp structures of the Settle amp 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 amp structures of the Settle amp 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 amp Carlisle Sheffield Platform 5 pp 217 232 ISBN 1872524079 SCRCA 2010 p 15 Suggitt Gordon 2007 Lost railways of South amp West Yorkshire Newbury Countryside Books p 136 ISBN 978 1 84674 043 5 Kelman Leanne 2018 Midlands amp North West 4 ed Beckington Frome Trackmaps 36B ISBN 978 1 9996271 1 9 Anderson V R Fox G K 1986 Stations amp structures of the Settle amp 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 amp 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 amp 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 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dent Head Viaduct Aerial images of the 1998 derailment Images of the 1998 derailment Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dent Head Viaduct amp oldid 1148432286, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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