Castlefield Viaduct
{{Short description|Disused railway viaduct in Manchester, England}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox bridge
| bridge_name = Castlefield Viaduct
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image = Castlefield Viaducts 2315.JPG
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester
| carries =
| crosses =
| owner = Department for Transport
| maint = National Highways
| designer = Heenan & Froude
| length = {{convert|330|m|abbr=on}}
| height = {{convert|17|m|abbr=on}}
| material = Steel
| complete = 1893
| closed = 1954
| opened = 2022 (as a sky park)
| coordinates = {{coord|53.47507|-2.25447|format=dms|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline, title}}
| references =
| extra = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Grade II Listed Building
| designation1_offname = Castlefield Railway Viaduct from G-MEX to Dawson Street
| designation1_date = 14 February 1988
| designation1_number = {{NHLE|num=1292315|short=y|postscript=none}}
}}
}}
Castlefield Viaduct is a {{convert|330|m|abbr=on}} disused railway viaduct built in 1893, which used to carry heavy rail traffic in and out of the Great Northern Warehouse, located in the Castlefield area of Manchester, England.
The Grade II listed{{National Heritage List for England|num=1292315|desc=Castlefield Railway Viaduct from G-Mex to Dawson Street, Deansgate|access-date=5 May 2022}} viaduct was designed by Heenan & Froude, the same engineering company behind Blackpool Tower.{{Cite news|last=Robson |first=Steve |title=Stunning plans to turn Castlefield Viaduct into urban park boasting secret garden |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/castlefield-viaduct-plans-urban-park-21714509 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=30 September 2021 |access-date=7 March 2022}} The viaduct is part of the Historical Railways Estate and since 2022 approximately a third of its length is a sky park.
Design
The viaduct consists of eight steel spans, all to a similar design, totalling {{convert|330|m|abbr=off}} in length and supported on large cast-iron columns which have castellated finials. It is part of a network of railway bridges and viaducts in the Castlefield area. It is on a fork from the line feeding Manchester Central railway station; the fork served Great Northern Warehouse on Deansgate in Manchester city centre. A nearly parallel viaduct built by the Cheshire Lines Committee (also Grade II listed) now carries tram tracks for the Metrolink network.{{cite book |last=Biddle |first=Gordon |title=Britain's Historic Railway Buildings: A Gazetteer of Structures |edition=second |publisher=Ian Allan |location=Hersham |year=2011 |isbn=9780711034914 |page=538}}{{cite web |title=Castlefield Viaduct's history |url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cheshire-greater-manchester/castlefield-viaduct/history-of-castlefield-viaduct |publisher=National Trust |access-date=4 April 2025}}
History
The viaduct was completed in 1893 and closed in 1954,{{refn|Other sources state the viaduct closed in the 1960s.{{cite news |date=22 July 2022 |title=Castlefield Viaduct: Sky park to open on 30 July |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-62266045 |work=BBC News |location=Manchester |access-date=5 April 2025}}{{cite news |last=Philpott |first=Hope |date=22 July 2022 |title=Manchester 'park in the sky' to open in Grade II-listed former viaduct |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jul/22/park-in-sky-to-open-former-grade-ii-listed-manchester-viaduct-castlefield |work=The Guardian |location=Manchester |access-date=5 April 2025}}|group=note}} at the same time as the warehouse it was built to serve. It was built by Heenan & Froude, a local engineering firm. It was used as a backdrop to several television series, including the Manchester-set soap opera Coronation Street. It sat disused after closure until the 2020s, when it was taken over by the National Trust.
Sky park
File:National Trust 'Sky Park', Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester (geograph 7417617).jpg
Plans by the National Trust to turn the viaduct into a sky park were unveiled in June 2021,{{Cite news |last=Jackson |first=Daisy |title=Incredible images show plans for a National Trust park on Castlefield Viaduct |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/incredible-images-show-plans-national-20867419 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=22 June 2021 |access-date=7 March 2022}}{{Cite web |title=Finding a future for Castlefield Viaduct |url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/our-vision-for-castlefield-viaduct |website=National Trust |date=22 June 2021 |access-date=7 March 2022}} with the work starting in March 2022.{{Cite web |last=Whelan |first=Dan |title=Work starts on first phase of £20m Castlefield Viaduct park |url=https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/video-work-starts-on-20m-castlefield-viaduct-park/ |website=Place North West |date=7 March 2022 |access-date=7 March 2022}}
The viaduct had a test-opening from summer 2022 to summer 2023, during which time visitors had free guided visits.{{Cite web |last=Sergeant |first=Emily |title=Manchester's new 'sky park' on Castlefield Viaduct is opening to the public next weekend |url=https://themanc.com/news/manchesters-new-sky-park-on-castlefield-viaduct-is-opening-to-the-public-next-weekend/ |website=The Manc |date=22 July 2022 |access-date=23 July 2023}}
In July 2023, the National Trust was granted an extension by Manchester City Council to keep the sky park open until winter 2024. Landscape architects BDP developed plans for the next phase of the viaduct.{{Cite web |last=Lorenzato-Lloyd |first=Alice |title=Manchester's Much-Loved Sky Park Castlefield Viaduct Will Remain Open For Another Year |url=https://secretmanchester.com/castlefield-viaduct-high-line/ |website=Secret Manchester |date=21 July 2023 |access-date=23 July 2023}}
In September 2024, details were unveiled to expand the sky park from the current {{convert|120|m|abbr=on}} to its full length.{{cite news |last=Davies |first=Ethan |date=26 September 2024 |title=New images of planned viaduct sky park expansion |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gdeddvv1po |work=BBC News |location=Manchester |access-date=10 December 2024}} The planning application and listed building applications for phase 2 of the viaduct were submitted to Manchester City Council that same month. Planning approval was granted in April 2025.{{Cite web |url=https://pa.manchester.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=SIXP1VBCFT900&activeTab=summary |title=Planning – Application Summary 140875/FO/2024 Use of Castlefield Viaduct Phases 1 and 2 as an urban park (Use Class F2(c)), including installation of stair and lift access to Egerton Street |website=Manchester City Council |access-date=5 April 2025}}
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See also
Notes
{{reflist|group=note}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- National Trust, [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cheshire-greater-manchester/castlefield-viaduct Castlefield Viaduct]
- [https://m.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=s39Pz_ZeiMg A fly-through of Castlefield viaduct]
Category:Railway bridges in Greater Manchester
Category:Grade II listed bridges in Greater Manchester
Category:Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
Category:Bridges completed in 1893
Category:Parks and commons in Manchester