Sowe Viaduct

A railway viaduct by Robert Stephenson of 1838, for the London and Birmingham Railway.

MATERIALS: The viaduct is constructed of brick with stone dressings to the arches, stringcourses and cornice.

PLAN: The structure is orientated roughly east - west.

DESCRIPTION: The viaduct carries the main London to Birmingham railway over the River Sowe and consists of a large central arch flanked by three smaller arches on either side. The arches have large ashlar voussoirs with pointed ends. Within the piers supporting the side arches there are smaller pointed arches with blind panels. The voussoirs and stringcourses all have carved vermiculation. The underside of the central arch has a sprayed concrete coating.

There are giant pilasters flanking the central arch, with stone springing points for the central arch which continue across the base of the pilasters. The upper levels have dentilled cornices of ashlar with brick blocking course above and stone cappings above that. The cornice continues along the length of the viaduct, but without the dentils. There are further pilasters at each end of the viaduct. There is much replacement engineering brick across the structure.