Northwich Viaduct
Also known as Weaver Railway Viaduct, Northwich
An impressive railway viaduct on the Chester to Manchester line in Northwich.
12 masonry arches west of Weaver Navigation, one arch between Navigation and River Weaver and 35 east of it. Iron girders with cambered tops span the Weaver Navigation and the River Weaver.[1]
The West Cheshire Railway constructed a line running west from the existing Cheshire Midland Railway at Northwich to join the Birkenhead Railway at Helsby Junction. It was necessary to give the line considerable elevation to cross the navigable River Weaver near Hunt's Lock. This required a long approach viaduct and embankments. The Weaver diverged at the crossing, requiring two relatvely long river spans, and these had wrought iron plate girders rather than masonry arches. The island between these iron spans was crossed by a skewed masonry span.
1869 'West Cheshire Railway. — The Government inspector, Colonel Hutchinson, has passed over this line. Tests were applied to the bridge over the Weaver and the Norwich viaduct, and the line generally inspected. It is understood that permission will be granted to open the line in October, but the inspector’s offical report will be required before this is definitely known.'[2]