NR completes Shoreham Viaduct refurbishment

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WORK to refurbish a historic railway viaduct over the River Adur in Shoreham was completed over the Christmas holidays after more than a year’s work by Network Rail engineers.

Repairs costing £9.5million included work to strengthen and repaint the 16-span, 360m-long Shoreham Viaduct, dating from 1892, which is one of the UK’s earliest steel structures.

The 1892-built steel viaduct over the Adur estuary at Shoreham in Sussex has been extensively refurbished by Network Rail over the last 12 months at a cost of £9.5million. NETWORK RAIL

Expert contractors were called in as the unique estuary environment is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

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The bridge has required regular maintenance over the years, most recently in 2004, but its new green and cream paintwork will protect the structure’s metalwork from the salt spray of the Adur estuary for at least 25 years.

A redundant 1930s gas main on the south side of the structure has also been removed, paid for by Southern Gas Network.

The current structure replaced an original trestle bridge in 1892 and survived at least three bombing raids during the Second World War.

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