Soaring response to Aln Valley Railway £100K viaduct refurbishment appeal
THE Aln Valley Railway (AVR) has raised more than four-fifths of the £100,000 needed to repair its landmark Cawledge Viaduct, less than two months after launching a public appeal.
Robert Stephenson designed both Cawledge Viaduct and the similar Lesbury Viaduct on the nearby Alnmouth to Berwick section of the East Coast Main Line. The structure, on the heritage line's route into Alnmouth, was built by contractors Rush & Lawkin, who began work in August 1848 and took almost two years to complete.
Crossing the Cawledge Burn, the main structure is built of sandstone, with brick arches and low parapets topped with tubular fence rails sitting in cast iron posts anchored into substantial masonry oversails. It has a total length of 403ft, with seven 44ft spans and a maximum height of 68ft.
Believed to be the country's oldest existing heritage railway viaduct, the repairs will be undertaken in two stages. The first is to complete the waterproofing towards the end of this year. A waterproof membrane formed by a heavy-duty plastic sheet will be laid to a crossfall to collect all future rainfall on the walkway and track. It will be drained by a new perforated drain pipe that runs along the whole viaduct and discharges to the burn below.
Repairs
The membrane will be sealed to the masonry parapets and laid on a sandbed, ensuring that no water leaks into the structure below; water freezing and thawing in the arches has caused all the brickwork damage.
The blocked brick drainage chambers will be broken down in each pier to below the membrane level and plated over.
The Cawledge Viaduct Appeal aims to raise £100,000 (including Gift Aid) through 225 people donating £360 either as a one-off donation or £15 per month for 24 months. Donors will receive an exclusive certificate and complimentary return tickets to travel on the AVR.
Railway chairman Michael Proctor said: “I'm truly overwhelmed by the generosity of supporters. The Cawledge Viaduct is the jewel in the crown of the AVR. It's an amazing feat of Victorian engineering and a beautiful piece of architecture.
“Sadly, years of neglect have left it in poor condition. This project will make sure that it's still there for people to enjoy for the next 100 years.”
➜ To contribute to the appeal, email donate@alnvalleyrailway.co.uk, visit www.alnvalleyrailway.co.uk, or write to Aln Valley Railway Trust, Lionheart Railway Station, Lionheart Enterprise Park, Alnwick, Northumberland NE66 2EZ.