Amber River Bridge (SPC8 54)

A single-span underbridge crossing the River Amber, built 1836-40 for the North Midland Railway to the designs of George and Robert Stephenson with Frederick Swanwick.

MATERIALS: coursed and squared quarry-faced Derbyshire Gritstone walling, tooled ashlar dressings. The soffit of the arch is of red brick.

DESCRIPTION: the two faces are essentially identical. The single segmental arch has rusticated, tooled voussoirs that radiate out to fill the spandrels. At the centre the keystone projects slightly. The voussoirs finish as quoins on the soffit, which is of red bricks. The arch springs from ashlar impost bands whilst the underside walls beneath these are of coursed, squared and quarry-faced Gritstone. Framing the arch are projecting, raked piers. The impost bands curve round to meet these creating a pitched ledge to shed water from this corner. Beyond the piers the wing walls follow the alignment of the trackbed, but are gently curved and raked. According to the contract drawings, the wing walls terminate in semi-octagonal piers. A bold, roll moulding with horizontal tooling, runs along the top of the arch, piers and wing walls. This is topped by a low parapet consisting of a single course of ashlar. The only alterations are the addition of five ties with square tie plates through the voussoirs, and C20 metal railings along the parapet.