Penkridge Viaduct
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Penkridge Viaduct is a railway bridge north of the village of Penkridge, in Staffordshire, England (mid-way between Wolverhampton and Stafford). It carries the West Coast Main Line over the River Penk. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]
The bridge was built in 1837 for the Grand Junction Railway, which connected Birmingham to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. The line was surveyed by Robert Stephenson, who designed the viaduct. The engineer for the southern half of the GJR was Joseph Locke and the contractor was Thomas Brassey. It was Brassey's first successful bid for a contract; he went on to be one of the world's leading railway builders. The cost of the viaduct was £6,000 (£490,000 as of 2015).[2][3]
The viaduct's official opening was on 4 July 1837. The viaduct remains in use as part of the West Coast Main Line.[4]