Wharncliffe Viaduct

Wharncliffe Viaduct, built between 1836 and 1837 by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and contractors Messrs Grissell and Peto, is a Grade I listed brown brick structure located in Southall/Hanwell. The viaduct features eight semi-elliptical arches, each spanning 70 feet and rising 19 feet. It measures 886 feet in length and stands 81 feet tall to the parapet, originally 30 feet wide but widened on the north side in 1877. The piers are designed as pylons, initially featuring two per pier but now have three. The arms of Lord Wharncliffe adorn the center of the south face. Notably, this was the first railway viaduct to utilize hollow piers and represents the first major engineering achievement completed on the Great Western Railway, with its original appearance documented by Bourne in his work on the Great Western Railway.