WORK to refurbish a historic railway viaduct over the River Adur in Shoreham was completed over the Christmas holidays after more than a year’s work by Network Rail engineers.
Repairs costing £9.5million included work to strengthen and repaint the 16-span, 360m-long Shoreham Viaduct, dating from 1892, which is one of the UK’s earliest steel structures.
Expert contractors were called in as the unique estuary environment is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Monthly Subscription: Enjoy more Railway Magazine reading each month with free delivery to you door, and access to over 100 years in the archive, all for just £5.35 per month.
Click here to subscribe & save
The bridge has required regular maintenance over the years, most recently in 2004, but its new green and cream paintwork will protect the structure’s metalwork from the salt spray of the Adur estuary for at least 25 years.
A redundant 1930s gas main on the south side of the structure has also been removed, paid for by Southern Gas Network.
The current structure replaced an original trestle bridge in 1892 and survived at least three bombing raids during the Second World War.
Read more News and Features in January’s issue of The RM – on sale now!
