Freight expectations as heritage viaduct gets an upgrade

The 160-year-old ‘Y’-shaped twin viaducts play a key role in keeping Britain’s construction industry supplied with raw materials for nationwide projects including the HS2 high-speed railway project.  

The Chapel Milton Viaduct is also central to the moving of materials from four major Derbyshire quarries, with 25,000 tonnes of stone, cement, and limestone crossing the 230-metre-long bridge daily.  

The viaducts provide a green alternative to road transport, with more than 110 freight trains replacing some 14,000 long-haul lorry journeys.  

“The importance of this route cannot be under-estimated,” said David Hunter, senior freight manager at Network Rail. “Our renewal is essential to allow freight trains to carry the same amount of material when crossing the viaduct.” 

Peak District quarries are among the largest rail-served sources of construction material in Europe.  

“It is a Grade II listed Victorian structure and requires a modern touch to make sure freight trains can pass over it safely and efficiently for generations to come,” continues Hunter.  

“Engineers will carefully repair the brickwork, replacing damaged sections with matching material. They will also strengthen parapets, fill gaps across the 15 spans, and upgrade foundations.” 

New waterproofing and drainage will keep the line reliable while the track will be replaced to ensure smoother running. Handrails and guardrails will be added for maintenance crews.  

“We’ve worked closely with freight operators to ensure services can continue with minimal impact. This essential bridge will emerge ready for decades of heavy use.” 

Chapel Milton is not the only heritage infrastructure to be adapted for the demands of twenty-first-century freight. The Hope Valley enhancement project, further east in Derbyshire is adding passing loops and signalling capacity to allow more freight trains between Manchester and Sheffield, easing a long-standing bottleneck on the busy mixed-traffic corridor across the Pennine divide.