1076:(from London). The trusses are 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m) high. The bottom (tension) members of each newer truss include a continuous plate underneath for extra strength. The trestles vary in height from 48 ft (15 m) to 120 ft (37 m); each is constructed of four columns connected by horizontal and diagonal bracing. Each column is made of a varying number of sections, end-to-end, each consisting of six flanged curved pieces riveted together side-by-side. The trestles taper inwards from the bottom, and rest on 24 ft (7.3 m) wide masonry bases, the newer trestles straddling the older ones at the bottom.
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thus the work could be arranged around the railway timetable without closing the line. The method, devised by engineer T. Wrightson and supervised on site by W. Jacomb, worked well, and the entire ironwork was erected in 16 weeks. On 5 May 1931 a carpenter, F. Rook, was killed in an accident while replacing timber decking on the down line.
981:
mounted on the original structure. The 12 trusses, each weighing 21 long tons, were constructed nearby and lifted by two heavily-ballasted, rail-mounted cranes, which were then pulled onto the original bridge, and the truss lowered into position. Each truss was installed in about 2 hours 30 minutes,
992:
In 1938 braces were added between the lower ends of the older trestles. In 1944, to allow heavy wartime traffic, the outer trestle legs were weighted with additional concrete to resist uplift. The viaduct was further strengthened from 1959–1960, with the inner trestle legs being weighted, and the
977:(from 1898) via Okehampton. Originally it carried a single track, but it was doubled in 1879 when a second viaduct of similar design was constructed next to it and the two were joined. This was done while the original track remained open. To obviate high scaffolding, the trestles were erected by
274:, instead of stone or brick arches. It opened in 1874 for a single track; in 1879 its width was doubled for a second track. Although regular services were withdrawn in 1968, the bridge was used for shunting by a local quarry. In the 1990s the remaining single track was removed.
1071:
operation, a second viaduct of almost identical construction was erected on its south-east side, 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) from the original one, with the gap spanned by bracing and timber decking. The new viaduct then carried the
1004:
construction site. The bridge was assessed in 1990 as being too weak to carry trains and the rails were removed. Six years later, the viaduct was refurbished and re-opened as part of the 11 mi (18 km)
985:
The viaduct is 535 ft (163 m) long, standing 151 ft (46 m) above the bottom of the valley. It has a slight curve which, combined with its exposed position, resulted in speed and
1521:
1730:
1725:
1020:
At various times since the closure of the line, local people and enthusiasts have campaigned for its re-opening, a campaign which gained added prominence in 2014 after
1036:, the condition of Meldon Viaduct was a significant obstacle to the re-opening of the line, and it would need to be replaced before trains could run on the line.
317:
1021:
996:
Passenger services on the line were withdrawn in 1968, after which the line reverted to a single track and the viaduct was used predominantly for
970:
812:
688:
289:, and is one of only two surviving railway bridges in the United Kingdom that use wrought iron lattice piers to support wrought iron trusses.
1720:
50:
1533:
1059:
The structure is actually two viaducts side-by-side. Each viaduct consists of six spans of 90 ft (27 m), bridged by a pair of
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freight trains serving the ballast quarry at Meldon. In 1970, a road was built across the viaduct to permit lorries access to the
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1702:"The Okehampton Line: Restoring the second route from Exeter to Plymouth around the north side of Dartmoor" by Railfuture.
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1048:. It is one of two surviving wrought iron truss and trestle railway bridges in the United Kingdom, the other being the
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sliding bearings on four cast-iron cylinders filled with concrete, which are deeply embedded in the ground.
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962:, were left with a route from Exeter that would have to skirt around the north and west sides of Dartmoor.
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Some sources claim this is wrought iron, others welded steel (despite being clearly riveted and bolted).
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being applied to trains crossing it. The speed limit was set at 20 mph (32 km/h) in 1927.
1017:, and is owned by Meldon Viaduct Company Ltd, a charitable company set up in 1998 to safeguard it.
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The
Victorian ironwork's gentle curve spanning the gorge, a masonry base, and abutment cylinders
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Railway
Accidents: Reports by the Inspecting Officers of Railways of Inquiries Into Accidents
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Meldon
Viaduct was begun in 1871, and opened on 12 October 1874, linking Okehampton and
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A photo of the viaduct being widened in 1879 is shown in this book (facing page 1)
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143:
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379:
255:
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1334:
Ministry of
Transport (1931). "Three Months ending 30th June, 1931, Part B".
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along the south coast and the south side of
Dartmoor, under the direction of
65:
52:
1109:
Trestle detail, showing added collars and adjustable braces on the originals
1080:
986:
1476:
Roden, Andrew (20 August 2014). "Dawlish
Diversion: the main contenders".
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at 5 ft (1.5 m) centres, which are supported by five lattice
1029:
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bracing of the original trestles being replaced with stronger members.
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243:
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The only road bridge in the UK supported by metal lattice trestles is
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Underside of trusses (originals on the right), and cantilevered deck
1052:, between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, which differs by having
935:
263:
1150:
The horizontal radius is 1,980 ft (30.0 chains; 600 m).
1301:
Minutes of the
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers
1557:
Britain's
Historic Railway Buildings: A Gazetteer of Structures
1297:"Correspondence: The different modes of erecting iron bridges"
1079:
At each end of the viaduct, the trusses are supported on
946:, an associate of the GWR, had already built a line from
1056:trusses (meaning the diagonals are criss-crossed).
1697:
Photo of the single-track viaduct in the mid-1870s.
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1067:. When the original viaduct was widened to allow
969:(Lidford). It was part of the LSWR's routes to
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8:
1731:Former railway bridges in the United Kingdom
1591:Civil Engineering Heritage: Northern England
1369:Civil Engineering Heritage: Southern England
1623:Grace's Guide To British Industrial History
1588:Rennison, Robert William (1 January 1996).
1522:"History of the use of iron in foundations"
1459:"Charitable companies limited by guarantee"
1594:. London: Thomas Telford Ltd. p. 31.
1372:. London: Thomas Telford Ltd. p. 61.
1009:, a combined cycle and foot path (part of
343:
318:
304:
20:
1285:Photo of the viaduct being widened, 1879.
1726:Industrial archaeological sites in Devon
1613:
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1445:Charity Commission for England and Wales
254:, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south-west of
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1283:. Blackie & Son Ltd. Facing page 1.
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930:(GWR) to provide passenger trains from
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1044:The viaduct is constructed mainly of
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958:. Thus the LSWR, and its engineer,
926:(LSWR) was in competition with the
1253:National Heritage List for England
14:
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1692:Video footage of Meldon Viaduct.
1441:"Meldon Viaduct Company Limited"
1220:Dartmoor National Park Authority
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174:Double-track standard gauge rail
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1530:Institution of Civil Engineers
805:London & South Western Rly
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1526:Information Resources Library
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1721:Scheduled monuments in Devon
1648:Dartmoor Railway Association
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277:The crossing is now used by
1532:. p. 7. Archived from
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285:skirting Dartmoor. It is a
266:, South West England. This
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1248:"Meldon viaduct (1002631)"
1032:in February. According to
116:Meldon Viaduct Company Ltd
1716:Railway viaducts in Devon
922:In the 19th century, the
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1677:Click "Description" tab.
1673:National Transport Trust
1511:, September 2014, p. 67.
1313:10.1680/imotp.1881.22142
1277:Conquests of Engineering
166:535 ft (163 m)
16:Bridge in United Kingdom
1555:Biddle, Gordon (2011).
1274:Hall, Cyril (c. 1913).
1026:Great Western Main Line
956:Isambard Kingdom Brunel
182:151 ft (46 m)
689:Okehampton Interchange
37:Meldon Viaduct in 2010
1366:Otter, R. A. (1994).
928:Great Western Railway
270:was constructed from
242:is a disused railway
203:Engineering design by
1567:. pp. 188–189.
1565:Ian Allan Publishing
1419:Devon County Council
1216:Devon County Council
1161:Ovingham Road Bridge
1022:severe winter storms
813:Exeter–Plymouth line
207:W. R. Galbraith
66:50.71297°N 4.03404°W
1559:(Second ed.).
1463:Community Companies
1400:. 23 December 2016.
1209:"Meldon Case Study"
987:weight restrictions
944:South Devon Railway
88:cycle & walkway
62: /
1490:. pp. 72–74.
1398:Legendary Dartmoor
1015:scheduled monument
667:Sampford Courtenay
287:scheduled monument
248:West Okement River
125:Scheduled monument
97:West Okement River
71:50.71297; -4.03404
1488:Bauer Media Group
1412:"The Granite Way"
1050:Bennerley Viaduct
960:William Galbraith
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506:Coleford Junction
258:, on the edge of
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1669:"Meldon Viaduct"
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1644:"Meldon Viaduct"
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1619:"Meldon Viaduct"
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1536:on 27 April 2014
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1394:"Meldon Viaduct"
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1246:(11 June 1976).
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216:12 October 1874
131:Characteristics
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1340:. p. 30.
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1651:. Retrieved
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1538:. Retrieved
1534:the original
1525:
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1484:Peterborough
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1423:. Retrieved
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1257:. Retrieved
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1223:. Retrieved
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1069:double-track
1058:
1046:wrought iron
1043:
1034:Network Rail
1024:severed the
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642:North Tawton
584:
455:Salmon Pool
378:
276:
272:wrought iron
268:truss bridge
239:
238:
163:Total length
157:Wrought iron
18:
1007:Granite Way
893:Bere Alston
283:cycle track
69: /
44:Coordinates
1710:Categories
1653:22 January
1628:22 January
1601:0727725181
1563:, Surrey:
1425:15 January
1379:0727719718
1225:15 January
1180:References
1002:Meldon Dam
942:. But the
717:Okehampton
590:Barnstaple
586:Tarka Line
380:Tarka Line
256:Okehampton
54:50°42′47″N
1496:0953-4563
1321:1753-7843
1081:cast-iron
1074:down line
692:(planned)
57:4°02′03″W
1540:26 April
1259:21 April
1065:trestles
998:shunting
979:derricks
971:Plymouth
952:Plymouth
940:Cornwall
889:Plymouth
414:Crediton
260:Dartmoor
229:Location
190:of spans
153:Material
147:trestles
107:Dartmoor
1561:Hersham
1054:lattice
1030:Dawlish
967:Lydford
858:Padstow
483:Yeoford
293:History
244:viaduct
198:History
144:lattice
93:Crosses
82:Carries
1598:
1571:
1494:
1421:. 2008
1376:
1319:
1040:Design
932:London
336:Legend
252:Meldon
221:Closed
213:Opened
179:Height
136:Design
103:Locale
1415:(PDF)
1317:eISSN
1281:(PDF)
1212:(PDF)
1129:Notes
1011:NCR27
936:Devon
819:
799:
354:miles
264:Devon
171:Width
113:Owner
1655:2023
1630:2023
1596:ISBN
1569:ISBN
1542:2014
1492:ISSN
1479:Rail
1427:2023
1374:ISBN
1261:2014
1227:2023
1218:and
975:Bude
938:and
891:via
862:Bude
860:and
811:and
281:, a
224:1990
1309:doi
1028:at
950:to
934:to
887:to
856:to
748:20¼
712:18¼
662:14½
637:11¾
617:Bow
588:to
382:to
262:in
250:at
188:No.
142:on
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408:¾
406:0
319:e
312:t
305:v
193:6
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