Waterside Viaduct – Firbank, England - Atlas Obscura

Waterside Viaduct

Firbank, England

The abandoned railway bridge stands hidden in the farmland of rural Cumbria. 

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Dating from the mid-19th century, this bridge spectacularly spans a valley and the River Lune. The structure is 530 feet long, and towers about 100 feet over the river below.

Built by the Lancaster & Carlisle Railway between 1858 and 1861, this bridge formed part of the Ingleton Branch Line. Originally intended to be part of the main line between London and Scotland, it only ever served a handful of small, rural towns.

The route fell foul of competing railway companies, which meant trains terminated at nearby Ingleton and passengers has to descend one side of a steep valley and climb the other to continue, despite the spectacular bridge between two stations.

The stations were far from the towns they served, so when freight use waned, service was ended in 1964. The bridge now lies on farmland, all but forgotten.

Know Before You Go

The Dales Way footpath passes under the bridge and is the only way to approach or view it.

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June 20, 2019

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