Central Viaduct, Leeds
The name Central Viaduct has been applied to an impressive masonry railway viaduct designed by Thomas Grainger, for the Leeds and Thirsk Railway and the Leeds, Dewsbury and Huddersfield Railway. Also known as Monk Hall Viaduct.
Closed in 1967 when all trains were diverted from Central Station into the City station. The viaduct has been severed at both ends, leaving 15 arches, including crossings over the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool canal.
See Historic England Listing and Geograph listings.
1849 'The length of the railway from Leeds to Thirsk is about 40 miles. Commencing at the London and North Western (Leeds, and Dewsbury) Station, in Wellington-street, it crosses the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and proceeds westward alongside the Leeds and Bradford Railway, until it parts from the Leeds and Bradford in a deep cutting immediately behind Castleton Retreat. It then crosses the River Aire by a noble and handsome viaduct of 22 segmental arches, of 48 feet span and 15 feet rise, the height being 31 feet from the surface of the ground, and 54 feet from the bed of the river. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is also crossed at the same point by an eliptical arch of 21 feet span. In the construction of these massive works 682,800 cubic feet of stone has been used. Adjoining the Aire viaduct on the north side, in an embankment, containing 118,000 cubic yards of earthwork. We then enter the Burley cutting, ....'[1]
Immediately south of the viaduct, on the west bank of the canal, were the large works of the Monk Bridge Iron Co, later the Monk Bridge Iron and Steel Co. See 1847/50 town plan here. The southern part of the works was bounded by Monk Bridge, which carried Whitehall Road across the canal and the River Aire.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 7 July 1849