The multi-million pound refurbishment of the iconic 140-year-old Oxted Viaduct was completed in July, two years after engineers began work to strengthen and renovate the Victorian structure.
12 roller bearings, which support the weight of the viaduct, and allow the bridge to expand and contract in differing seasonal temperatures, have been replaced. Repairs have been made to the brickwork on the supporting columns and arches, and the steelwork has been cleaned, treated and repainted. The timber bridge deck has been replaced as well, using materials that are easier to maintain.
Network Rail’s Sussex route director (which also covers Surrey and South London) Katie Frost said that while protecting such an important part of railway heritage was a real honour, the work was also essential: “The Oxted Viaduct is a vital piece of the operational railway, so it was essential to keep lines open and trains running safely and reliably. A massive thank you to our railway neighbours who have put up with the noise over the past few years.”
Constructed in 1881, the viaduct carries two railway lines over the A25 and the River Eden on the line from South Croydon to Uckfield.
(Aerial view of Oxted Viaduct)
