Ribblehead Viaduct

Ribblehead Viaduct is 440 yards (400 m) long, and 104 feet (32 m) above the valley floor at its highest point,[12] it was designed to carry a pair of tracks aligned over the sleeper walls.[7] The viaduct has 24 arches of 45 feet (14 m) span, the foundations of which are 25 feet (7.6 m) deep. The piers are tapered, roughly 13 feet (4 m) across at the base and 5 feet 11 inches (1.8 m) thick near the arches and have loosely-packed rubble-filled cores.[7] Every sixth pier is 50 per cent thicker, a mitigating measure against collapse should any of the piers fail. The north end is 13 feet (4 m) higher in elevation than the south, a gradient of 1:100.[8]

The viaduct is faced with limestone masonry set in hydraulic lime mortar and the near-semicircular arches are red brick, constructed in five separate rings, with stone voussoirs.[7] Sleeper walls rise from the arches to support the stone slabs of the viaduct's deck and hollow spandrels support plain solid parapet walls. In total, 1.5 million bricks were used; some of the limestone blocks weigh eight tons.[14][7]

Ribblehead Viaduct is 980 feet (300 m) above sea level on moorland exposed to the prevailing westerly wind. Its height, from foundation to rails is 55 yards (50.3 m). It is 442.7 yards (404.8 m) long on a lateral curve with a radius of 0.85 miles (1.37 km).[7]

The viaduct is the longest structure on the Settle–Carlisle Railway which has two taller viaducts, Smardale Viaduct at 131 feet (40 m) near Crosby Garrett, and Arten Gill at 117 feet (36 m). Ribblehead railway station is less than half a mile to the south and to the north is Blea Moor Tunnel, the longest on the line, near the foot of Whernside.[15]

During 1964, several Humber cars were blown off their wagons while being carried over the viaduct on a freight train.[8]

By 1980, the viaduct was in disrepair and many of its piers had been weakened by water ingress.[7] Between 1981 and 1984, repairs were undertaken as a cost of roughly £100,000. Repairs included strengthening the piers by the addition of steel rails and concrete cladding. For safety reasons, the line was reduced to single track across the viaduct to avoid the simultaneous loading from two trains crossing and a 20mph speed limit was imposed.[7] During 1988, minor repairs were carried out and trial bores were made into several piers. In 1989, a waterproof membrane was installed.[7]

In the 1980s, British Rail proposed closing the line, citing the high cost of repairs to its major structures.[7] Vigorous campaigning by the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line, formed during 1981, garnered and mobilised public support against the plan. In 1989, the line was saved from closure.[7] According to Michael Portillo, who took the decision in his capacity as Minister of State for Transport, the economic arguments for closing it had been weakened by a spike in passenger numbers, and further studies by engineers had determined that restoration work would not be nearly as costly as estimated.[16]

In November 1988, Ribblehead Viaduct was Grade II* listed. The surrounding land where the remains of its construction camps are located has been recognised as a scheduled monument.[7]

Between 1990 and 1992, Ribblehead Viaduct underwent major restoration.[7] Between September 1999 and March 2001, a programme of improvements was implemented involving renewal of track, replacement of ballast and the installation of new drainage. Restoration has allowed for increased levels of freight traffic assuring the line's viability.[7]

The Settle–Carlisle Line is one of three north–south main lines, along with the West Coast Main Line through Penrith and the East Coast Main Line via Newcastle.[17] During 2016, the line carried seven passenger trains from Leeds to Carlisle per day in each direction,[18] and long-distance excursions, many hauled by preserved steam locomotives.[19]

Regular heavy freight trains use the route avoiding congestion on the West Coast Main Line. Timber trains, and stone from Ingleton quarry, pass over the viaduct when they depart from the yard opposite Ribblehead railway station. The stone from Ingleton is ferried to the terminal at Ribblehead by road.[20] Limestone aggregate trains from Arcow quarry sidings (near Horton-in-Ribblesdale) run to various stone terminals in the Leeds and Manchester areas on different days – these trains reverse in the goods loop at Blea Moor signal box because the connection from the quarry sidings faces north.[21]

Major restoration work started in November 2020 as a £2.1 million project to re-point mortar joints and replace broken stones got underway.[22] Network Rail released a timelapse video of the works in June 2021.[23]

Building the viaduct was the inspiration behind the ITV period drama series Jericho.[24] The viaduct appears in the 1970 film No Blade of Grass[25] and also in the 2012 film Sightseers.[26] A number of other films and television programmes have also included the viaduct.[27]

• Glenfinnan Viaduct

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ribblehead Viaduct.

• Pictures of the viaduct at the BBC
• Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle-Carlisle line
• "Tasmanian who played an important role in the early history of Settle-Carlisle railway". Craven Herald and Pioneer. 5 January 2013.
• Historic England. "Grade II* (1132228)". National Heritage List for England.
• "Search for photos including the Ribblehead Viaduct". Geograph project.