Lawley Street Railway Viaduct

This is a substantial railway viaduct constructed in 1838, designed by Joseph Locke, to carry the Grand Junction railway line into the Curzon Street Terminus Station. A second viaduct was added in 1893 to facilitate train passage through to New Street Station. A further viaduct, built to the northwest of the original, largely obscures its north-western face and is not included in this listing.

The viaduct is constructed primarily of red brick, with sandstone dressings on the arches of the original structure. The later 19th-century addition utilizes red and blue engineering brick.

The 1838 viaduct comprises 28 arches, each numbered sequentially from the southwestern end, with curved wing walls at either end. The later 19th-century viaduct is taller at the southwestern end, its arches initially mirroring the rhythm of the earlier, lower structure. Further northeast, from arch No. 6, the upper viaduct features four smaller arches for every lower arch. From arch 13 onwards, the upper viaduct's brickwork is straight and without arches.

The piers running along both sides are faced with stone at their ends but are brick internally. The outer faces, fronting Viaduct Street, feature large blocks of stone with chamfered horizontal joints. Projecting rectangular impost blocks top the piers, supporting the segmental arches. The arches are composed of stone voussoirs with stepped upper edges and chamfers. Each keystone connects to a simple stone entablature that runs the viaduct’s length. Above this sits the later 19th-century structure of blue engineering brick. Each arch of the 1838 viaduct is marked with an oval metal plaque positioned near the keystone. Most archways have been enclosed with later 19th-century or 20th-century brick walls; however, arches No. 1 to No. 6 remain open, with Nos. 2 and 5 accommodating Middleway traffic. Archway No. 15 crosses St James’ Place and arch No. 27 crosses Northumberland Street. The exposed inner faces of these arches display stone quoins at each end, with Flemish bond brickwork between them, and a continuous deep band at the arch springing level. The later viaduct, running alongside the 1838 viaduct’s northwest side, has higher, flat-topped arches, allowing the earlier structure to be clearly seen, including the stone voussoirs, although the entablature has been removed.

For the purposes of planning legislation, the later 19th-century viaduct abutting the northwest flank of the 1838 viaduct is not considered to possess special architectural or historic interest.