Keekle Viaduct
| Keekle Viaduct | |
| Cumberland | |
|---|---|
 Keekle Viaduct | |
| Location | |
| Type: | Railway viaduct |
| Carrying: | Formerly, the Cleator and Workington Junction Railway |
| Crossing: | River Keekle |
| Location | |
| Location: | 54°31’57"N, 3°32’22"W |
| Structure | |
| Type: | Railway viaduct |
| Material: | Stone |
| History | |
| Information | |
The Keekle Viaduct carried the line of the Cleator and Workington Junction Railway over the River Keekle near the village of Keekle, in Cumberland, until closed in 1963. The viaduct still stands however, as a testimony to the vigour of the industrial age.
Design and location
The viaduct is a substantial structure which in its time carried the double-track of Cleator and Workington Junction Railway main line over the River Keekle.[1] It was on the section of the railway between Cleator Moor West and Keekle Colliers' Platform.
Opened in 1879, the vaduct consists of seven equal stone arches across the river and its valley.[2][3]
Timetabled passenger services over the viaduct ended on 13 April 1931. Goods and mineral trains, with very occasional passenger excursions and diversions continued to use the line until it closed completely on 16 September 1963.
The tracks were subsequently lifted. The structure was offered for sale for £1 in 1992, but there was no initial response, as any purchaser would have to maintain and repair it, rather than demolish it and recover the stone.[4]
Outside links
- The line in green (search for Keekle) via Rail Map Online
- The railways of Cumbria, via Cumbrian Railways Association
- Furness Railtour using many West Cumberland lines 5 September 1954, via sixbellsjunction
- The viaduct and Keekle Terrace, via flickr
References
- ↑ McGowan Gradon 2004, pp. 6, 11 & 40.
- ↑ Anderson 2002, p. 312.
- ↑ Marshall 1981, Opposite p.143.
- ↑ News 1992, p. 254.
- Cumbrian Railways Association
- [1]*Anderson, Paul (April 2002). Hawkins, Chris. ed. "Dog in the Manger? The Track of the Ironmasters". British Railways Illustrated (Clophill: Irwell Press Ltd) 11 (7).
- Joy, David (1973). Railways of the Lake Counties. Clapham, via Lancaster: Dalesman Publishing. ISBN 0 85206 200 1.
- McGowan Gradon, W. (2004) [1952]. The Track of the Ironmasters: A History of the Cleator and Workington Junction Railway. Grange-over-Sands: Cumbrian Railways Association. ISBN 0-9540232-2-6.
- Marshall, John (1981). Forgotten Railways: North West England. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0 7153 8003 6.
- News, Whitehaven (August 1992). Peascod, Michael. ed. "Not even for £1". Cumbrian Railways (Pinner: Cumbrian Railways Association) 4 (16). SSN 1466-6812.
