Fledborough Viaduct

Context

The viaduct is a substantial structure which carried the double-track LD&ECR's Chesterfield Market Place to Lincoln Central main line over the River Trent.

It is situated between the former stations of Fledborough and Clifton-on-Trent, but nearer the latter.

Opened in 1897, it consists of 59 arches spread either side of four metal girder spans which cross the river itself. Nine million bricks were used in its construction which cost £65,000.

Timetabled passenger services over the viaduct ended in September 1955, though Summer Weekend excursions from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire to Cleethorpes and Mablethorpeand from Manchester Central to Yarmouth Vauxhall until 1964.

From the 1960s traffic east of Langwith Junction was overwhelmingly coal, much of which went straight from collieries to High Marnham Power Station which opened in 1959, this traffic therefore turned off about half a mile before the viaduct. The Grimsby to Whitland express fish ran until at least 1962 via Fledborough and through Mansfield Central.

Traffic continued to run over the viaduct until 21 February 1980 when a train derailed at Clifton-on-Trent. The line from Pyewipe Junction over the viaduct to High Marnham was closed "temporarily" the next day and has subsequently been lifted.

Traffic continued from the West to High Marnham until it closed in 2003. Remarkably, since 2009 that stretch of line has had a new lease of life as Network Rail's High Marnham Test Track.

Modern Times

Today the railway trackbed eastwards from the site of Fledborough station, across the Viaduct, through Clifton to Doddington & Harby forms an off-road part of National Cycle Route 647 which is part of the National Cycle Network.

From Harby onwards through the site of Skellingthorpe almost to Pyewipe Junction the trackbed forms an off-road part of National Cycle Route 64.