# Clifton Viaduct > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Clifton_Viaduct > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Clifton_Viaduct.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton_Viaduct > Source revision: 1317197286 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Railway viaduct in Greater Manchester, England The viaduct looking in a northerly direction with the Irwell and canal out of frame on the right **Clifton Viaduct**, known locally as **The Thirteen Arches**, is a disused railway viaduct near [Clifton](/source/Clifton%2C_Greater_Manchester) in [Greater Manchester](/source/Greater_Manchester), north-west England. Built in 1846, it closed with the line in 1966 and is now severed from the rest of the route by the [M62 motorway](/source/M62_motorway) and other subsequent development. ## Design The viaduct consists of 13 stone arches with another five approach spans. It was built to carry the railway on a curve over the [River Irwell](/source/River_Irwell), its valley, and the [Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal](/source/Manchester%2C_Bolton_and_Bury_Canal). The spans are of equal size except for the arches over the river and canal, which are larger. The river arch reaches 96 feet (29 metres) in height and is 80 feet (24 metres) above the water. The arches are all [segmental](/source/Segmental_arch). They have stepped [voussoirs](/source/Voussoir) and brick [soffits](/source/Soffit) with [battered](/source/Batter_(walls)) (sloping) piers which are connected to the arches via [imposts](/source/Impost_(architecture)). The terminating piers are square. The arch over the river uniquely has no imposts and rises straight straight from the ground using flat piers. The [parapet](/source/Parapet) is in [coped stone](/source/Coping_stone) and runs the length of the structure above a continuous stone [course](/source/Course_(architecture)).[1][2] ## History The viaduct was constructed in 1846 to carry trains from [Manchester](/source/Manchester) to [Rossendale](/source/Rossendale_Valley) along the [Manchester, Bury and Rossendale Railway](/source/Manchester%2C_Bury_and_Rossendale_Railway) (MBRR; later amalgamated into the [East Lancashire Railway](/source/East_Lancashire_Railway_(1844%E2%80%931859)) Company and then the [Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway](/source/Lancashire_and_Yorkshire_Railway)). It was designed by the MBRR's resident engineer, [Charles Edward Cawley](/source/Charles_Edward_Cawley) and possibly built by [John Hawkshaw](/source/John_Hawkshaw).[1][2] The line was closed in 1966 as part of the [Beeching cuts](/source/Beeching_cuts) and the viaduct was closed. The bridge deck is not accessible to the public, though the underside can be reached by footpaths. Its approach embankments were severed by later industrial development and bisected by the [M62 motorway](/source/M62_motorway). [Clifton Aqueduct](/source/Clifton_Aqueduct), built to carry the same canal crossed by the railway viaduct and also disused, is nearby.[1] The viaduct is a Grade II [listed building](/source/Listed_building), a status which provides legal protection. It was first listed on 2 September 1987.[2] ## See also - [Greater Manchester portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Greater_Manchester) - [Listed buildings in Swinton and Pendlebury](/source/Listed_buildings_in_Swinton_and_Pendlebury) - [List of railway bridges and viaducts in the United Kingdom](/source/List_of_railway_bridges_and_viaducts_in_the_United_Kingdom) - [Philips Park, Whitefield](/source/Philips_Park%2C_Whitefield) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-biddle_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-biddle_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-biddle_1-2) Biddle, Gordon (2011). *Britain's Historic Railway Buildings: A Gazetteer of Structures* (second ed.). Hersham: Ian Allan. p. 531. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780711034914](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780711034914). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NHLE_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NHLE_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-NHLE_2-2) [Historic England](/source/Historic_England). ["Clifton Viaduct (The Thirteen Arches) (1067511)"](https://HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1067511?section=official-list-entry). *[National Heritage List for England](/source/National_Heritage_List_for_England)*. Retrieved 2 April 2025. ## External links - [Historical aerial photograph of the viaduct](http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw044417) [53°31′38″N 2°18′50″W / 53.5273°N 2.314°W / 53.5273; -2.314](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Clifton_Viaduct¶ms=53.5273_N_2.314_W_region:GB_type:landmark) v t e Buildings and structures in the City of Salford, England Italics denote building under construction High-rises (over 100 metres) Cortland at Colliers Yard (153m) Anaconda Cut (131m) Bankside at Colliers Yard (129m) Affinity Living Riverview (110m) X1 Michigan Towers Building 3 (109m) Embankment Exchange (107m) Eda (101m) Highrises (over 50 metres) X1 Media City Tower 1 (85m) X1 Media City Tower 2 (85m) X1 Media City Tower 3 (85m) North Tower (80m) Salford Shopping Centre (75m) Peel House (55m) Notable lowrises Boothstown Mines Rescue Station Centenary Building Forest Bank Islington Mill Kersal Priory Lowry Hotel Ordsall Hall Peel Building Port Salford Public Baths Salford Civic Centre Salford Lads' Club Salford Museum and Art Gallery Salford Royal Hospital Salford Town Hall Threlfalls Brewery Wardley Hall Waterpark Hall Working Class Movement Library Worsley Court House Worsley Old Hall Places of worship Salford Cathedral Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation Monton Unitarian Church Sacred Trinity Church St Andrew's St Augustine's St Clement's St James' St Luke's St Mark's St Mary the Virgin, Eccles St Mary the Virgin, Ellenbrook St Paul's St Peter's St Philip's St Thomas' Transportation Anchorage Broadway Clifton Eccles Interchange Eccles Exchange Quay Harbour City Irlam Ladywell Langworthy Manchester Barton Aerodrome Moorside MediaCity UK Patricroft Salford Central Salford Crescent Salford Quays Swinton Walkden Weaste Shopping centres Salford Shopping Centre Swinton Square The Lowry Public houses Black Friar Coach and Horses, Weaste The Crescent The Crown Eagle Inn The Ellesmere The Grapes, Eccles King's Arms Lamb Hotel, Eccles The Maypole Punch Bowl Queen's Arms, Patricroft Royal Oak, Eccles White Horse, Swinton Sports and entertainment Broughton Cricket Club Ground The Cliff CorpAcq Stadium Manchester Tennis and Racquet Club Moor Lane Victoria Theatre The White Hotel Memorials Mark Addy Joseph Brotherton Charles Hallé Clifton Hall Colliery Disaster Oliver Heywood Bridges Albert Bridge Barton Road Swing Bridge Barton Swing Aqueduct Blackfriars Bridge Cadishead Viaduct Clifton Aqueduct Clifton Viaduct Irwell Railway bridge Media City Footbridge Palatine Bridge Salford Quays Bridge Southern Railway Viaduct Trinity Bridge Victoria Bridge Lists Castles Churches Grade I listed Grade II* listed Mills Monuments Schools Tallest Listed buildings in Eccles Irlam Salford Swinton and Pendlebury Worsley --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Clifton Viaduct](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton_Viaduct) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton_Viaduct?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.